4 Great Reasons Why You Should Eat Carrots

Got some carrots? Whether you boil, steam, garnish them into your dishes, or eat them raw, they promote better health and vitality:

They may prevent memory loss and dementia: Thousands of men and women develop dementia and Alzheimer's disease once they get old. Unfortunately, until now, there's no known cure to it. Although carrots do not guarantee you won't suffer from such disorder, you can eat them to significantly reduce the risk. This root vegetable contains a healthy amount of a compound known as luteolin. It's the same component found in chamomile, peppers, and rosemary. It is responsible for reducing the chronic inflammation of the brain, especially one that's related to aging. Memory loss and eventually dementia happens when brain cells are irreversibly damaged due to inflammation.

In a study conducted by University of Illinois researchers among lab mice, older mice have a severely poor memory than the younger ones. However, those older mice with a diet rich in luteolin scored better in memory than the ones with a normal diet. Moreover, the level of brain inflammation became comparable to that of younger mice.

They may improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy among breast cancer patients: Researchers from the University of Auckland, in partnership with New Zealand's cancer institute and Plant and Food Research, found out that falcarinol, a compound in parsley and carrot, may be enhanced to improve the delivery of chemotherapy drugs to breast cancer cells. Studies have shown that certain proteins may inhibit the delivery of drugs and therefore make the cells more resistant to treatment. The compound can decrease such resistance.

They show promise in treating or managing colon cancer: The same compound, falcarinol, along with falcarindiol and many other polyacetelenes, can work together to inhibit the growth and development of cancer cells in the colon. Moreover, the carrot's compounds protect each other from oxidation.

Carrots are rich in vitamin A: Carrots contain more than 110% of vitamin A, which is good for eyesight. The vegetable, specifically, contains carotenoids that make them anti-inflammatory and antioxidants. Lutein, the same the carotenoid found in the eyes, can be obtained from carrots. Thus, you can eat them to prevent or minimize the risk of developing eye-related disorders such as age-related macular degeneration.