Carrot tea: benefits and harm to the body

Carrot tea today is experiencing the time of its second "coming" to the throne of popularity. This healing drink saved our ancestors from a breakdown and many diseases, but for some time was undeservedly forgotten. The reason for this injustice was the new fashion trends in nutrition, which were observed at the end of the last century. But artificial drinks in bright packaging could not be a worthy substitute for the wealth that is found in tea made from fruits and tops of carrots.

In abundance, nature endowed carrots with unique data: in only one root crop there are more than 400 components. Therefore, carrot tea, in fact, is a concentrated vitamin drink, useful for people of any age and gender. Supporters of natural nutrition drink it instead of regular tea. You can prepare a healing infusion in a couple of minutes, if you stock up on raw materials in advance. We will tell you in more detail how to dry carrots for tea, what is the use of such a drink, how to properly prepare and take it.

Composition and calorie content

You can make carrot tea, both from fresh root vegetables, as well as dried raw materials in special conditions. Surprisingly, the terrestrial part of the plant can be used for this purpose. Fresh carrot tops contain a complete set of nutritional components necessary to maintain the normal functioning of the body. No less rich composition of the root crop itself. If you combine all groups of substances into one list, you get the following list of biologically active compounds:

• tocopherol;
• many components from group B;
• ascorbic acid in large quantities;
• provitamin A or beta-carotene;
• nicotinic and folic acid;
• among the mineral elements: iodine, cobalt, phosphorus, silicon, magnesium;
• organic acids;
• essential oils;
• volatile;
• amino acids, including essential ones;
• a lot of plant fiber;
• flavonoids;
• in a large amount of mono- and polysaccharide;
• alkaloids;
• pectins and lecithin.

Special attention should be paid to the content of antioxidants, the function of which is to cleanse the body of toxic products. Regular consumption of carrot tea will ensure the elimination of such harmful elements that, of course, will only benefit the general well-being.

Such a diverse composition, acting in a single complex, has a beneficial effect on the functioning of individual organs and the state of the whole organism. It is worth noting that with such a rich composition, the calorie content of carrots is only 40 kcal.

Good to know! The root crop contains four times more than in the rest of carrots, vitamin K and selenium - elements involved in the synthesis of important proteins. But in the green mass there is a lot of chlorophyll, iron and ascorbic acid. These substances help maintain a balanced blood composition.

Useful properties of carrot tea

General benefit

If you prepare carrots for tea in accordance with all the rules, then the drink obtained from this plant material can be used not only as a preventive measure, but also for home treatment. Carrot tea has a whole range of useful properties:

1. Due to the high concentration of ascorbic acid and other vitamins, it will help strengthen the immune forces.
2. Regular consumption of the drink will increase the elasticity and strength of blood vessels, and this will improve the functioning of the entire cardiovascular system.
3. The presence of antioxidants will ensure the effective purification of blood and tissues from toxins and toxic substances.
4. The value of provitamin A is that this element improves the condition of the skin, strengthens the nails and hair structure.
5. Overweight people who consume carrot tea can lose weight productively without harming their health.
6. The drink may well serve as a source of nutrition for body tissues.
7. Tea is good for the skeletal system and bone.
8. The drink has a mild laxative effect.
9. The content of plant fiber improves digestion, and also contributes to regular bowel cleansing.

As you can see, carrot tea is a unique natural remedy that can cope with a variety of problems. Now consider what benefits it can bring to people of different ages and sex.

For women

In addition to the benefits for general health, carrot tea can be an ideal daily skin care product for women of all ages. An infusion of low concentration will restore skin elasticity, even out its tone, and normalize the function of the sebaceous glands. No less useful drug for hair and nails. Carrot infusion enhances regeneration and effectively rejuvenates the dermis. Therefore, it is often taken as the basis for masks and added to cosmetic creams.

For men

A tangible drink will have a tangible drink on the male body. The ability of carrots to relieve irritation and excessive nervousness will have a positive effect not only on general well-being, but also on the sexual abilities of men. In addition, carrots stabilize sugar and cholesterol, so tea will improve the state of blood vessels and will prevent the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Given the fact that men are at risk for the incidence of heart attacks and strokes, they should definitely include carrot tea in their daily diet. To these advantages, it is worth adding that regular consumption of tea with carrots in acceptable quantities will prevent the development of prostatitis and other diseases of the urogenital sphere of a man.

During pregnancy

Although doctors generally have a positive attitude toward women consuming carrots during pregnancy, an infusion of the vegetable can be dangerous for the future fetus. This is especially true for the use of fresh plant tops, because in this part alkaloids and coumarins are present - substances that can provoke a miscarriage. Also, carrots may contain nitrates, which the root crop absorbs from the soil during growth.

When breastfeeding

Carrot tea slightly stimulates lactation, but at the same time it can cause a severe allergic reaction in the baby. Therefore, it is better not to risk using such an ambiguous drug. But to add carrots to other dishes to a nursing mother in moderation is not forbidden.

For children

Children do not accidentally adore carrots. This bright, crunchy root crop is capable of providing the growing body with nutrients in excess. The drink also increases the body's resistance to infections. But tea for children is especially useful in that it strengthens the skeletal and muscular system, which is very important for babies during the period of active growth and development.

When losing weight

At nutritionists, carrot tea is on a special list. After all, with a minimum calorie content, this product perfectly satisfies hunger, which is extremely useful when losing weight. Typically, the drink is recommended to people with weight problems as an alternative to regular tea. Of course, even a strong desire to lose weight can not become a reason to exceed the permissible intake of a healthy drink.

What diseases does carrot tea help?

Our ancestors drank a carrot drink almost daily. He quenched his thirst and gave him energy.Indeed, in ancient times there simply did not exist many products familiar to modern people: lemonade, cola, sprite. Therefore, then they tried to use healthy herbs and plants. Carrots in this regard are able to withstand even the toughest competition, given its unique composition. Tea made from the root crop or the green part of the plant can significantly improve the condition for the following diseases:

• respiratory infections;
• vision problems;
• persistent constipation;
• digestive upset;
• liver pathology;
• urolithiasis disease;
• hypertension;
• anemia;
• vitamin deficiencies;
• hormonal disorders;
• cystitis;
• prostatitis;
• hemorrhoids;
• intestinal dysbiosis;
• gastritis.

Drinking infusion is an excellent prophylactic against skin diseases and oncology. The drink helps strengthen tooth enamel, and this does not give a chance for the development of caries.

Harm and contraindications

Despite the solid “portfolio”, carrot tea has several disadvantages that should not be neglected. To completely abandon the drink should:

• during an exacerbation of ulcers, gastritis and other gastrointestinal pathologies;
• with individual intolerance to the vegetable;
• during pregnancy and lactation.

An overdose of the drug is undesirable, which can lead to such side effects as nausea, drowsiness, headaches, general weakness.

The following risks should also be considered:

1. In persons prone to allergies, carrot tops can cause an allergic reaction, because in the greenery there is a high content of essential components.
2. In large quantities, the infusion can lead to yellowing of the skin.
3. Excessive consumption of carrot tea will negatively affect the composition of the blood, that is, increase its coagulability.

Important: Carrot tea should be drunk between meals. Persons on a diet can be replaced by healing tea, for example, afternoon tea. But in any case, the permissible norm is 2-3 cups per day.

How to dry carrots for tea

The procurement of plant material must be approached responsibly, since the slightest deviation from the existing rules for collection and drying can lead to poisoning or other negative health consequences. It is better to collect carrots for tea in the fall, because by this time useful elements are most concentrated in root crops. The same goes for the taste of the vegetable - it becomes bright and saturated. The rules that you should focus on when collecting are simple, and therefore they are easy to remember.

Process:

1. To prepare carrot tea, select large specimens without signs of rot and damage.
2. Rinse the collected roots thoroughly under running water, remove the tails and peel.
3. Then grind the raw materials by passing through a meat grinder, but you can use a regular grater.
4. Spread the resulting mass in a uniform layer on the fabric.
5. The blank for carrot tea should dry out within 4 hours, then heat-treat it at minimum heat to remove excess moisture. To do this, it is better to use a thick-walled pan.
6. The next step is drying in the oven. The temperature regime at which this processing step should take place should not exceed 100 ° C.
7. For uniform drying, mix the carrot mass periodically. An indicator of the readiness of carrots will be a bright brown shade of tea leaves and a complete lack of moisture.
8. Now identify the finished carrot tea in a suitable container. It is best to use a glass container with a lid. The use of linen bags for storing material is not ruled out.
9. For convenience of further use, mix regular tea leaves with dried carrots in equal proportions.

For drying carrots, in addition to the oven, you can use an electric dryer. By the way, this is the fastest drying method. In contrast to the described methods for drying carrots, drying in the sun takes a very long time. This technique largely depends on favorable weather conditions and other factors, and therefore it is practically not used today.

Note! Dried carrots go well with both black and green teas.

As for the preparation of raw materials from the green part of carrots, the optimal timing is the period of peak growth. The procedure for preparing green mass does not fundamentally differ from the process described above.

How to make carrot tea: recipes

Since in dried carrots the main advantages of the vegetable remain unchanged, namely the composition, taste and aroma, the drink will turn out to be nutritious and healthy.

Fresh Carrot Drink

This option is ideal for the time when carrots of a new crop appear on the beds or counters. To make tea, grate a large fruit on a coarse grater, place the resulting mass in a regular teapot, and then pour it with boiling water. After twenty minutes of infusion, healing tea can be drunk.

Dried Carrot Tea Drink Recipe

As already noted above, dry carrot ingredient in the amount of 4 teaspoons is best mixed with ordinary tea leaves. But you can make a drink only from carrot raw materials. To do this, pour the indicated amount of dry vegetable in a cup with boiling water. Let the drink brew for half an hour. In color, a well-aged carrot infusion will resemble black tea.

Tea from carrot tops

Earlier, it was mentioned how useful the ground part of carrots is. The reserves of selenium, zinc, and iron are concentrated here. Without these important elements, many processes in the human body cannot proceed normally, and selenium and zinc take an active part in the production of sex hormones. It is clear that a drink from fresh or dry foliage of carrots will only benefit. To make tea, you only need a tablespoon of dry raw materials and a suitable cup. Vegetable tea should be poured with boiling water, let it brew for 15 minutes. Strain the infusion before use.

Recent studies by scientists have shown that tea made from carrot leaves prevents the development of such a terrible disease as osteoporosis. The drink is very useful for people suffering from varicose veins and thrombophlebitis.

Important: tea from tops can be taken for therapeutic purposes to people with heart problems and hypertension. A monthly course of such therapy for the better will change the condition of a sick person.

Mixed option

An interesting and very invigorating taste is obtained with tea, for which a mixture of greens and grated carrots served as a brew. This mix is ​​very beneficial for the skin, as it stimulates the production of collagen. Moreover, such tea can be taken orally, and also treated with a dermis of the face soaked in it.

Berry and Herb Tea Recipes

Like many other fruit and vegetable crops, carrots are in perfect harmony with other representatives of the plant world. Using this feature of a popular vegetable, you can prepare the most unexpected versions of a healthy drink.

Rosehip, currant, nettle
These three "gurus" from the world of healing herbs, backed up by the capabilities of carrots, are capable of accomplishing true miracles. You need to take each of all the listed ingredients, except currants, five teaspoons and mix. Fresh or dried currant berries (a teaspoon) are added to the cocktail last. A compounded mixture of healing components may not be used immediately, so it should be determined in a vessel suitable for storage. As needed, to get a glass of fortified tea you need to take two teaspoons of the prepared mixture, pour boiling water, let it brew.After a quarter of an hour, strain the infusion; honey can be added to improve the taste.
A drink prepared according to this recipe will ease the condition for respiratory infections, weakened immunity, tonsillitis. Carrot tea with the addition of rose hips and nettles with currants improves sleep, softens cough.

Important: with carrots it is also good to combine raspberry leaves.

Interesting facts about carrots

The biography of carrots has more than one millennium. And on each segment of this long journey, people composed different legends about the wonderful vegetable. In these folk myths, much corresponded to the real capabilities of the root crop, and some statements can be considered controversial. Here are just some of the most interesting facts.

1. Even in antiquity, the first specialists in the field of medicine noticed that carrots literally charge a person with vital energy. This property of the vegetable was confirmed by modern scientists. But the fact that carrots can arouse inspiration can only be confirmed by people in creative professions.
2. At the very beginning of its existence, carrots were not valuable as a food product. It was specially grown to produce seeds and leaves. It was believed that these parts of the plant have healing power.
3. Probably not everyone is aware that carrots have their own capital. This is the small town of Holtville in California, where a colorful carrot festival takes place every February. Festive events last a whole week, and their program includes the mandatory election of a carrot queen, a competition for the best dish, of course, carrots and sports.
4. In the 17th century, hats decorated with carrot tops were among the fashion trends of the time.
5. To this day, the Portuguese prepare delicious carrot jam from carrots and even export the sweet product to other countries. But there is one very interesting nuance: the fact is that, according to local legislation, jam is only allowed to be made from fruits. The Portuguese did not lose their heads and transferred carrots from the category of vegetables to fruit crops.
6. Few people know that carrot tops have substances that can slow down the aging process. Still in the green there is caffeine and iodine.
7. A group of American scientists conducted an experiment, the result of which showed that if you just gnaw on a carrot, then this elementary action replaces brushing your teeth. Therefore, there is something to think about for the supporters of all natural.
8. In the famous Guinness Book, where all world records are recorded, there was a place for carrot achievements: the length of the largest vegetable was almost 6 meters, which exceeds the parameters of a middle-class car. Well, the heaviest carrots were grown in Alaska. The weight of the record holder was 8.6 kilograms.

About carrots, you can tell a lot more interesting and unusual. But it is indisputable that carrot tea is a very healthy and pleasant drink. This is a find for those who care about their health and strive to live a long active life.