Carrot is King!

I have recently been amazed by a certain little vegetable...the carrot.   There is a woman at church that often repeats the phrase "Carrot is King...of the vegetable world".  This particular woman makes carrot juice every morning.  She has become a friend since we moved back here in September.  She has been in many ways a mother figure to me.  We have worked together to put activities on for church.  And when I was pregnant she would bring me carrot juice, smoothies, and other healthy soups and such.  Now, I have always known carrots were good for you, but I learned a little bit more about some of their benefits recently as we did an activity at church with a carrot and health theme.  My friend did an amazing demonstration and part of it included making carrot juice.  In preparation for the activity I did some research on carrots and these are a few of the amazing things I learned.

Health Benefits of Carrots  

Most of the benefits of carrot can be attributed to its beta carotene and fiber content.  It is also a good source of antioxidant agents and are rich in vitamins A,C,K,and potassium.
-  Reduces cholesterol
-  Helps prevent heart attacks and heart disease
-  Linked to reducing the risk of several cancers (notably lung cancer) due to the beta carotene
-  Lowers risk of macular degeneration
-  Improves eyesight 
-  A carrot a day reduces stroke risk by 68%.  Also, studies show that stroke patients with higher levels of beta carotene have the best survival rates
-  Carrot is good for blood sugar regulation.  Good for diabetics.
-  Makes the skin softer, smoother, and firmer 
-  Carrot oil is good for dry skin.    
-  Carrot juice improves stomach and gastrointestinal health. 
-  Carrot juice allows you to get as many as 10 carrots and their nutrients into one serving.

So go get yourself a carrot, enjoy the tasty crunch or make the juice and know the good it is doing for your body!