Carrot

Botanical name: Daucus carota

The Carrot is the second most popular vegetable in the world after the potato. It also called as Gajar. Carrots are known as the vegetable that is easy to grow, tasty and high nutrition. It provides a lot of nutrition to the body. The carrot available in various colors like orange, purple, red, white, and yellow varieties exist.

Benefits and uses:

Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the liver. Vitamin A is transformed in the retina, to rhodopsin, a purple pigment necessary for night vision.Carrots have not only beta-carotene but also alpha-carotene and lutein.Excellent for the eyes and may improve eyesight and help with night blindness.

Falcarinol is a natural pesticide produced by the carrot that protects its roots from fungal diseases.

The high level of beta-carotene acts as an antioxidant to cell damage done to the body through regular metabolism. It help slows down the aging of cells.

Vitamin A and antioxidants protects the skin from sun damage. Deficiencies of vitamin A cause dryness to the skin, hair and nails. Vitamin A prevents premature wrinkling, acne, dry skin, pigmentation, blemishes, and uneven skin tone.

Vitamin A assists the liver in flushing out the toxins from the body. It reduces the bile and fat in the liver. The fibers present in carrots help clean out the colon and hasten waste movement.

The regular consumption of carrots also reduces cholesterol levels because the soluble fibers in carrots bind with bile acids. Carrots are good for blood sugar regulation because of the presence of carotenoids. Carotenoids inversely affect insulin resistance and thus lower blood sugar.

Carrots stimulate gums and trigger a lot of saliva, which being alkaline, balances out the acid-forming, cavity-forming bacteria. The minerals in carrots prevent tooth damage.