Perhaps you have heard or read somewhere that the consumption of baby carrots are bad for you, and proof to that is the fact that they turn white after a while. Is there truth to this? Before you decide to turn your back on baby carrots, continue reading. Below you will find whether or not baby carrots can actually put your health in danger.
Before we know the answer to that question, let us first get to know baby carrots more.
Simply put, there are no plants that produce baby carrots. In other words, you can comb the entire planet and you won’t come across farms that harvest 2-inch long carrots. That’s because baby carrots are just regular carrots!
That’s right — baby carrots are made from carrots that you can easily obtain from the local grocery store and farmers’ market. They end up that way because special machines are used to cut long and thin varieties of carrots into nubs measuring about a couple of inches in length, and they peel them as well.
It’s exactly for this reason why you won’t find baby carrots with the tops and skin still intact — they do not exist.
Needless to say, all the benefits that regular carrots bring are also provided by baby carrots. So what are some of the health perks of eating baby carrots? They include:
- Better vision. Vitamin A is the star nutrient in baby carrots, and everyone knows that it’s important for keeping one’s vision sharp. It’s an antioxidant that saves the most important structures of the eyes from damage.
- Stronger immune system. Another vitamin found abundantly in baby carrots is vitamin C, which is a well-known booster of the immune system, helping to defend the body against disease-causing microbes.
- Healthier blood. Vitamin K present in baby carrots helps promote proper clotting of the blood, thus saving you from bleeding excessively. Vitamin K is also a role player in keeping the bones strong and healthy.
- Lower blood pressure. Baby carrots also supply your body with potassium, a mineral that helps dilate the blood vessels. Because of this, the blood pressure can be kept from increasing uncontrollably.
- Reduced bad cholesterol. The presence of fiber in baby carrots also makes these tiny treats highly effective in lowering bad cholesterol levels, thus helping to lower one’s risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
- Better digestion. Thanks to the impressive fiber content of baby carrots, digestion can be facilitated. Fiber also helps in preventing constipation by promoting regular evacuation of the bowels.
- Lower risk of cancer. Including baby carrots in the diet on a regular basis helps lower colon cancer risk due to the fact that it’s loaded with fiber. Antioxidants in baby carrots also help ward off other types of cancer.
As you can see, there are so many good reasons for you to eat baby carrots. Whether raw or cooked, baby carrots can be easily incorporated into one’s diet on a regular basis.
Despite of these wonderful health perks, rumor has it that baby carrots are bad for you.
It’s very much likely for this rumor to have stemmed from the fact that baby carrots tend to turn white after some time. Some people believe that this white film that appears on the surface of baby carrots come from within, and they are thought to be chemicals involved in the making of dwarf-sized carrots.
According to nutrition experts, it’s a perfectly normal occurrence. In fact, many other vegetables exhibit exactly the very same thing as they dry out.
So to sum up, there is no reason for you to turn your back on carrots. The only implication of the presence of that white film on baby carrots is you are about to consume baby carrots that are no longer at their freshest state.
Sources: healthcareassociates.net
