Top 20 Healing Foods- Carrots

Today we continue with #5 on my list of the Top 20 Healing Foods.  Most people like today's food, the carrot.  However, we tend to get into ruts with this veggie.  Carrot sticks, carrot salad, that's pretty much it.  But I encourage you to play around with this wholesome root vegetable and find new ways to incorporate it into your diet.

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CARROTS
Key Nutrients:
Beta-carotene
Vitamins B6 and C
Fiber

Beta-carotene gives carrots their bright orange color and provide significant health benefits.  One large carrot provides almost all the vitamin A you need in a day.  If you cook it rather than eat it raw, it provides even more.  The darker the carrot, the more beta-carotene it will provide.  Carrots are high in fiber which can help lower cholesterol, vitamin A is great for eye health and carotenoids like beta-carotene help protect against cancer. 

Cooked carrots provide more beta-carotene than raw since cooking breaks down the cellular walls that encase it.  Cook them in as little water as possible to maintain the highest levels of nutrients.  Tip: eat your carrots with a little fat, as this helps the body absorb the beta-carotene.

This is a really easy recipe for a quick side dish.  I adapted it from a recipe from Ina Garten.

SAUTEED CARROTS

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2 pounds carrots

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley

 

Peel the carrots and cut them diagonally in 1/4-inch slices. You should have about 6 cups of carrots. Place the carrots, 1/3 cup water, the salt, and pepper in a large (10 to 12-inch) saute pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 8 minutes, until the carrots are just cooked through. Add the butter and saute for another minute, until the water evaporates and the carrots are coated with butter. Off the heat, toss with the herbs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.