Remember those days when mothers would insist their children eat their vegetables…?
Well, here’s a very important health tip about Carrots and their extraordinary gifts to us!
Carrots provide our bodies with necessary nutrients not readily found in other vegetables. The beta-carotene alone, is a whomping 4 times the amount of any other vegetable!
Did you know Carrots are a “zero fat” snack and are a great source of calcium, fiber, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin K, biotin, potassium and thiamine! Not to mention the high amount of beta-carotene, (vitamin A), which is a cancer-fighting agent!
Beta-carotene can help ward off cancers of the stomach, cervix, uterus, and the oral cavity, and it helps prevent heart disease due to its antioxidant abilities. It helps our body with the growth & regeneration of healthy cells, strengthens our immune system and protects against macular degeneration (AMD).
Eating Carrots regularly helps us maintain a healthy spleen & stomach, but can also improve impotence (lower sexual drive), sexual dysfunction, night blindness, long term cough, and improve kidney function.
There’s tons of research showing that Carrots contain bulk of folic acid, a group of vitamin B, which can fight against free radicals, substances that cause cancer. It is the lignin found in the Carrot that helps fight against cancerous cells! The potash succinate properties found in Carrots, (also used in anti-hypertensive drugs) is believed to help in reducing blood pressure.
Carrots are little orange miracles and they contain another antioxidant called alpha-carotene. Studies have concluded that men who consume high amounts of alpha carotene have a lower incident of lung cancer. 
There are so many more benefits to eating Carrots, including itchy /scratchy scalps, constipation, obesity, poisoning of the blood, gum disease, insomnia, inflamed kidneys, liver, gallbladder, Alzheimer's disease, colitis, ulcers, painful urination, regulate blood sugar, promote healthy colon, lower cholesterol, guard against insulin resistance, promotes healthy digestion, improves the appearance of the skin, hair and nails and enhances the quality of breast milk.
If you’re not a raw Carrot eater, here’s an easy & enjoyable way to incorporate them in your meals.
Recipe Card: "Glazed Carrots"
2 Tablespoons Margarine *
1 1/2 pounds Carrots
1 cup Water
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
2 teaspoons Sugar
1. Peel the carrots. Cut in half lengthwise. Then cut into 1 inch pieces.
2. Melt the margarine in a heavy saucepan on low heat.
3. Add the carrots. Stir to coat them with the margarine.
4. Add the water, salt and pepper.
5. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes until tender.
6. Drain the water.
7. Add the sugar.
8. Cover the pan.
9. Shake the pan back and forth on the burner for about 1 minute.
10. Cook for 1 more minute, until the Carrots are glazed but not brown.
Eating Carrots with fats such as olive oil or butter increases the
body’s absorption of beta-carotene.
So the next time you hear someone nagging or scolding their children (or even You!) about eating vegetables… Don’t Roll Your Eyes!!! Don’t stare at them on your plate, Don’t push them around and Don’t eat around them!!!
Interactive Tool "Analyze my Plate" --- you pick the foods you ate and place them on your plate and the analyzer gives you a nutritional break-down of what you've consumed... Very helpful if you want to monitor or change your eating habits!!!
http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/activities/analyze_my_plate.html
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