Pregnancy, Parenting, Mom and Baby Healthcare Tips

Food & Nutrition

Health Benefits of Carrots For Moms To-Be & kids

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  • September 30, 2021
  • MKB Team

Carrot is an orange root vegetable popular for its wide range of uses. The origin of carrots can be traced back to the temperate regions of Persia and Afghanistan. From there it travelled to its neighbouring regions of Arab, Africa and Asia. The ancient cousins of modern-day carrots were white, purple and red in colour.

This orange coloured vegetable is popular all over the world due to its versatile uses. It can be used in both savoury and sweet dishes. At the same time, they can be stored easily for a long period of time. Carrots generally taste sweet but they have an earthy flavour as well. 

Nutritional profile:

100 gm of carrot has:

  • 41 calories
  • 88.29 gm water
  • 0.93 gm protein
  • 0.24 gm fat
  • 9.58 gm carbs
  • 2.8 gm fiber
  • 33 mg calcium
  • 0.3 mg iron
  • 320 mg potassium
  • 69 mg sodium
  • 5.9 mg Vitamin C
  • 835 µg Vitamin A
  • 8285 µg beta carotene

Carrot also contains Vitamin K, copper, zinc, folate, riboflavin, thiamine and niacin.

The Many Health Benefits of Carrot for Kids and Adults:

Carrots are naturally rich in vitamins and antioxidants which is why they are so beneficial for your health. Here are some of the benefits of carrot:

Eye-sight: Vitamin A is essential for healthy and proper eyesight. The deficiency of Vitamin A can cause conditions like night blindness. Carrots are rich in an orange pigment named beta-carotene and your body can convert it into Vitamin A readily. A beta-carotene rich diet can help you prevent eye-related issues. 

Weight loss: Carrots are low in calories and full of dietary fiber. The high fiber content allows you to be satiated for a long time and the lower amounts of calories help you to be in a calorie deficit. These can help you in managing your weight. 

Strong immunity: Vitamin A and C strengthen your immune system. The deficiency of Vitamin C can make you vulnerable to infections. Carrots can supply the Vitamin A and C you need to maintain a strong immune system. 

Blood sugar level: Carrot is essentially a non-starchy vegetable and ranks very low on the glycemic index. It is also full of soluble fibre like pectin. Therefore, carrots can help you control the insulin spike in your body and lower your blood sugar levels.

Benefits of Consuming Carrot during Pregnancy:

Like many other vegetables, carrots can be beneficial for your health during pregnancy. Here are some of those benefits:

Prevents cramps: Cramps often become your constant companion during pregnancy. Carrots have potassium in them. Potassium helps relax the muscles and can give you relief from unwanted cramps. 

Foetal bone development: Micro-nutrients like calcium and magnesium are essential for the bone development of your foetus. Carrot can deliver both of them to you. Include carrots in your diet if you do not want to suffer from a deficiency of either calcium or magnesium. 

Helps with constipation: During pregnancy, constipation may bother you to a very great extent. Only a fibre rich diet can help you to deal with this constipation. Carrot is a fibre rich vegetable and it can help you overcome constipation and digestion-related issues.

Fighting anaemia: Almost every pregnant woman suffers from iron deficiency, thus resulting in anaemia. Only adequate intake of iron can reduce the risk of anaemia. You can get your daily required iron from a vegetable like a carrot. 

Risk of Consuming Carrot during Pregnancy:

  • Even though Vitamin A is essential for you and your baby’s health, the accumulation of excess Vitamin A in your body can be toxic for you. So, try to limit your carrot consumption as they are rich in Vitamin A and beta carotene.
  • Fibre can be the reason behind boating and upsetting your stomach during your pregnancy if you are not familiar with a high fibre diet. Carrots have plenty of fibre and you should always pay attention to your carrot intake.
  • In some people, carrots may show allergic reactions like hives, headache and nausea. If you are having such symptoms, carrots are a complete no for you.

The Tasty Way of Including Carrot in Your Diet:

The worldwide popularity of carrots owes much to their versatility. Carrots are easy to store and convenient to use in a wide variety of dishes. Some of them are:

  • You can make carrot soup using carrots and they can be very delicious.
  • Carrot cakes are something that can make you drool. Just grate some carrots and add them to your cake batter. You would love this recipe.
  • No dessert can beat gajar ka halwa. If you are craving something sweet during your pregnancy period, you can have some gajar ka halwa. This is an interesting way of adding a vegetable like a carrot to your diet.
  • You can stir fry carrots with other vegetables and use it as a side dish.

Fun Facts You Didn’t Know About Carrots

  1. Water content in carrots is as high as 88%.
  2. Carrot seeds are quite tiny and you can nearly fit about 2000 of them in just a teaspoon.
  3. Baby carrots are not considered to be a part of the carrot family.
  4. Eating too much carrot can turn your palms and feet soles yellowish-orange.
  5. There are more than 100 species of carrots available.
  6. Word carrot comes from the Greek word 'karaton' which refers to beta-carotene.

 

Carrots offer a wide range of health benefits and during pregnancy, you should try to incorporate them into your diet. They are a powerhouse of antioxidants that are essential for the optimal development of your baby.  

   


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MKB Team

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