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Good nutrition is extremely important for maintaining good health and living a long and enjoyable life. Fortunately, there are many things that can be done to improve one's nutritional intake at little or no extra cost. One of the simplest and least expensive things that virtually anyone can do is to eat at least one carrot per day. This is because carrots are packed with important nutrients, easy to prepare and widely available. Particularly outstanding is the high concentration of beta-carotene, a substance that is converted to vitamin A in the human body. Beta-carotene is also a powerful antioxidant that is effective in fighting against some forms of cancer, including lung cancer. It may also protect against strokes and heart disease, protection that might not be provided by vitamin supplements. A mere quarter cup serving of cooked carrots provides twice the recommended daily intake of vitamin A. Carrots are also an excellent source of vitamins B6, C and K as well as foliate, manganese, pantothenic acid, iron, potassium and copper. In addition, they are a very good source of high quality dietary fiber. Carrots can be eaten raw or cooked, but some nutrition experts claim that maximum benefits are obtained by eating them raw. Perhaps the best practice is to buy one carrot per day, and eat part of it raw and cook the other part. A convenient and economical way to cook a carrot is to cook it together with rice or pasta and then remove it before eating. The liquid from boiling the carrot can add to the nutrition of the rice or pasta without affecting its flavor. One of the best things about carrots is that they are extremely affordable. For example, an average sized carrot in the U.S. might cost only about 20 cents. Thus, there is little excuse for people who say that they are too poor to get adequate nutrition, at least in countries such as the U.S. where even the poorest of people can afford several dollars per day for food.
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Created September 30, 2006. |