Showing posts with label carrots. Show all posts
Showing posts with label carrots. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

How Vitamins A, E, C help your body

The Institute of Medicine recommends that men get 900 micrograms of vitamin A, 90 milligrams of vitamin C and 9.4 milligrams of zinc each day, while women need 700 micrograms of vitamin A, 75 milligrams of vitamin C and 6.8 milligrams of zinc. Both men and women should get 12 milligrams of vitamin E and 10 micrograms of vitamin D daily. These vitamins are essential for the health of your cells, bones, organs and heart and it is crucial to get enough of all of them to maximize their benefits.


Vitamin A


Every cell in your body needs vitamin A. This nutrient regulates the growth and division of your cells and it helps your body produce white blood cells when you need to fight an illness or infection. It plays a role in remodeling bone and it keeps the cells that line your body's interior surfaces healthy. Smokers should avoid high-dose supplements of beta-carotene, according to Harvard School of Public Health, because it may increase their risk of lung cancer, but getting the recommended amount through food is healthy and safe.
 Vitamin A nourishes the eyes as well as the skin and has been useful in some disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. If you need really good looking skin, you should get more Vitamin A and Carrots, papaya and tomatoes are rich of vitamin A

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant that protects your cell membranes from damage and may prevent LDL cholesterol from oxidizing and forming plaque in your arteries. Women who are at risk for deep vein thrombosis may benefit from getting an adequate amount of vitamin E because it may prevent DVT from developing. Some research indicates that vitamin E might help prevent some types of cancer. A study published in the "Journal of the National Cancer Institute" in 2012 noted that middle-aged or older Chinese people who took high amounts of vitamin E, either from diet or supplements, had a lower incidence of liver cancer than those who did not.
IT improves circulation, repairs tissue and helps to grow your hair. oils, nuts and seeds are rich of vitamin E
                                                                                             

Vitamin C

Between 1500 and 1800, more than 2 million sailors died of scurvy, according to Harvard University. Some knew that citrus fruits prevented the disease, but vitamin C wasn't officially discovered until 1932. Since then, scientists have determined that your body needs this water-soluble vitamin to produce collagen, cartilage, tendons, ligaments and the basic protein in your bones. Vitamin C also functions as an antioxidant, protecting you from the damage done by free radicals.









Share among your friends if you think everyone should be healthy.!

Friday, September 25, 2015

Carrots


Carrots are often thought of as the ultimate health food.
You were probably told to "eat your carrots" by your parents and you probably tell your kids the same thing, and when asked why, you explain, "Because they're good for you!"
But how did the carrot get such a good reputation and why exactly are the root vegetables so good for our health?
It is believed that the carrot was first cultivated in the area now known as Afghanistan thousands of years ago as a small forked purple or yellow root with a woody and bitter flavor, resembling nothing of the carrot we know today.1
Purple, red, yellow and white carrots were cultivated long before the appearance of the now popular orange carrot, which was developed and stabilized by Dutch growers in the 16th and 17th centuries.The modern day carrot has been bred to be sweet, crunchy and aromatic.

Possible health benefits of carrots

An overwhelming body of evidence exists suggesting that increased intake of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables reduce cancer and cardiovascular disease risks, carrots included.

  • Cancer: A variety of dietary carotenoids have been shown to have anti-cancer effects due to their antioxidant power in reducing free radicals in the body.  


  • Lung Cancer: One study found that current smokers who did not consume carrots had three times the risk of developing lung cancer compared with those who ate carrots more than once a week.


  • Colorectal Cancer: Beta-carotene consumption has been shown to have an inverse association with the development of colon cancer in the Japanese population.


  • Leukemia: Carrot juice extract was shown to kill leukemia cells and inhibit their progression in a 2011 study


 Vitamin A deficiency causes the outer segments of the eye's photoreceptors to deteriorate, damaging normal vision. Correcting vitamin A deficiencies with foods high in beta-carotene will restore vision.
Studies have shown that it is unlikely that most people will experience any significant positive changes in their vision from eating carrots unless they have an existing vitamin A deficiency, which is common in developing countries.

So where did all the hype surrounding carrots and vision come from? During World War II, the British Royal Air Force started an advertising campaign claiming that the secret to their fighter pilots clear, sharp vision was carrots. Realistically, the fighter pilot's accuracy was due to a new radar system the British wanted to keep secret from the Germans, but the rumor spread and remains popular today.

Carrot nutritional breakdown

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, one medium carrot or ½ cup of chopped carrots is considered a serving size. One serving size of carrots provides 25 calories, 6 grams of carbohydrate, 3 grams of sugars and 1 gram of protein.
Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, providing 210% of the average adult's needs for the day. They also provide 6% of vitamin C needs, 2% of calcium needs and 2% of iron needs per serving.
It is the antioxidant beta-carotene that gives carrots their bright orange color. Beta-carotene is absorbed in the intestine and converted into vitamin A during digestion.
Carrots also contain fiber, vitamin K, potassium, folate, manganese, phosphorous, magnesium, vitamin E and zinc.




Eat carrot everyday, you can make it a juice too..! It will help you to be healthy.

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