6 Possible Health Benefits of Carrots You Should Know About
Research shows that carrots can benefit your body in a variety of ways. Learn more about the health perks that can follow when you start eating more of them.
1. Carrots Promote Vision and Eye Health
Carrots stop short of giving you X-ray vision, but their concentrated beta-carotene content does benefit your peepers in more than one way.
Indeed, vision-boosting antioxidants called carotenoids are named after carrots. Two carotenoids called lutein and zeaxanthin that are abundant in these veggies may be particularly helpful in preventing macular degeneration, an age-related eye disease that damages the central part of the retina. Lutein and zeaxanthin are the only two carotenoids that accumulate in the retina, and they bind to proteins that help protect your eyes from damage, also protecting the eyes from cataracts.
“Vitamin A is important for eye health, so regular consumption of carrots, among other nutrient-rich foods, can certainly support eye health,” explains the nutrition consultant Chris Mohr, PhD, RD of Louisville, Kentucky.
2. Carrots Support Healthy Digestion
If you’re looking to improve the health of your gut microbiome — or your digestion in general — carrots can help.
“Carrots have both soluble and insoluble fiber,” says Haley Bishoff, RDN, the founder of Rūtsu Nutrition in Las Vegas. “Both types of fiber can have a positive impact on a healthy gut microbiome by feeding beneficial gut bacteria.” Soluble fiber dissolves in water and helps move food through the colon. Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve in fluids, so it helps create softer, bulkier, and more regular stools, says Bishoff.
3. Carrots May Help Lower Cholesterol
The fiber that makes carrots a good choice for digestion also has a beneficial impact on cholesterol, which has long been linked to heart disease. Research shows that a high-fiber diet helps lower LDL cholesterol, which is the type of cholesterol that leads to plaque buildup in the arteries. The suggested amount of fiber to consume a day depends on your age and calorie intake, but food experts say people should aim for roughly 14 g of fiber for every 1,000 calories they consume. According to Mohr, carrots can make a major dent in this goal.
“Carrots have about 1.5 g of fiber each, which can add up quickly,” he says.
4. Carrots May Help Boost Immunity
Mohr says these veggies provide many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants involved in immunity. According to one systematic review, elevated immune health is among the veggies’ top benefits.
“Specifically, they offer beta-carotene, potassium, vitamin C, which can all support cells and a stronger immune system,” he says.
One review found that carrots help protect immune cells from damage and keep immune responses balanced, so they aren’t swinging from overactive to underactive, which won’t effectively protect the body from germs such as bacteria and viruses.
5. Carrots Can Be Part of a Cancer-Preventive Diet
The fiber, antioxidants, and other phytochemicals carrots contain may also help protect against developing life-threatening diseases such as cancer.
“Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant that helps fight against cancer and inflammation in the body,” Bishoff says.
But you should stick with carrots — and not beta-carotene supplements. Current research doesn’t support the use of high-dose beta-carotene supplements for preventing the disease, since it’s been linked to higher risk of lung cancer in male smokers and aggressive prostate cancer.
6. Carrots May Help Speed Weight Loss
Carrots are often associated with healthy eating and dieting, and they have that reputation for good reason: With roughly 50 calories per cup and plenty of filling fiber, carrots are a far healthier option for those who crave ultra-processed foods that have crunch or sweetness.
“One cup of baby carrots contains between 3 to 4 g of fiber, which can help keep you satiated, while controlling blood sugar levels and fighting off food cravings,” says Bishoff.
In one study on men with obesity, those who ate more carotenoid-rich veggies (like carrots) for 8 weeks had significantly reduced belly fat.
