Carrots are the root vegetables first grown around 900 AD in the area, which is now known as Afghanistan. They are usually seen in orange color, but they also come in other colors, including yellow, purple, red, and white. The taste of this popular veggie slightly changes depending on its color, size, and where it’s grown.
Carrots are a healthy and delicious veggie that is a rich source of vitamins A and fiber. You can eat them plain as full of a nutritious diet, or you can also use them to make different things like smoothies, muffins, or fried rice.
They are usually taken as an ultimate health food; even the old generation has told their children that eating raw carrots can help them see in the dark.
But is it ok to eat raw carrots?According to a study published in 2018, cooked carrots are more nutritious than raw carrots. The amount of nutrient quantity present in the carrots is mainly affected by the cooking process. Cooked carrots can give multiple levels of nutrients than raw carrots. Raw carrots only give three percent of beta carotene, but they release about forty percent of this substance when they are given the heat and cooked.
Can you get sick from eating raw carrots?
Carrots contain several essential nutrients, including B-complex vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, and manganese.
Carrots contain many antioxidants that protect the body from free radicals. Antioxidants can help reduce the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and various tumors. Carrots are rich in fiber, so they help control digestion and prevent constipation.
They also help keep your weight under control because they are a low-calorie, high-fiber food. Carrots are a great source of vitamin A, essential for good eye health and vision.
No doubt, raw carrots are full of nutrients and can give many benefits. But even eating a healthy and good thing in excess may cause some problems. Carrots are full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, but excess of these goodies can create many troubles.
For example, eating too many raw carrots means taking too much fiber. This sudden fiber intake can disturb your stomach functioning and causes pain.
Allergic reactions:
Since carrots are nutritious and packed with beta carotene, they cause a severe allergic reaction. These allergic reactions can be from mild to severe. The symptoms of carrots-related allergy can be seen after some time off eating them. The person may feel an itchy mouth, itchy ears, swelling on lips, mouth, tongue, or throat. These symptoms are not considered severe and do not need any medications or treatment.
On the other hand, if you face severe symptoms including difficulty in breathing, hives, dizziness, tightness in the throat or chest, sore throat, etc., you must consult a doctor for treatment.
Stomach pain:
You may be surprised that, in certain circumstances, eating raw carrots can also develop stomach pain. Some people may find it challenging to digest carrots and some other veggies, which can further lead to stomach cramps. The stomach pain because of consuming raw carrots can be a chronic condition, such as food intolerance or irritable bowel syndrome.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome:
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a chronic digestive condition that causes irregular colon movement. A person with IBM faces chronic diarrhea, chronic constipation, or abdominal pain. Overeating vegetables can trigger the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBM), but the same food may not be a sign of trouble for every person. So, if you feel any trigger in the symptoms of IBM after eating carrots, stop eating them to avoid any problem.
Intolerance:
Intolerance of food simply means facing difficulty digesting particular food and having an unpleasant physical reaction to it. It usually happens when your body fails to produce the required enzyme to break down the proteins, carbohydrates, or sugar in a particular food. Anyhow, there is no cure available to treat intolerance of carrots, aside from removing them from your diet.
Why are raw carrots bad for you?
Raw carrots have a sweet taste and make a convenient and healthy snack. But we know very well that excess of everything is bad.
So, eating too many raw carrots can also cause many effects.
For example; Carrots contain fiber, but when this fiber intake increases, this could interfere with the absorption of iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc, which may cause some adverse effects in the human body.
Some of the other bad conditions linked with eating too many raw carrots are the following;
Change in skin color:
Carrots are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibers that prove great for your health, but overeating them can be bad for one’s health, as eating too many raw carrots brings too much beta carotene, which might cause your skin to turn in yellow or orange. This color change can mostly be seen in areas like the palms and soles of hands and feet, and the color can also appear in the nasolabial around the nose. This color effect is not harmful, but some people do not like it. The skin color will become normal with any treatment.
Pesticides:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Pest Information List has identified 26 pesticides most commonly found in carrots. Of these pesticides, eight are known to cause cancer, 16 affect the body’s hormones, we cause brain problems and seven cause developmental problems. Eating too many carrots increases the pesticides you are exposed to and can cause many health problems.
Which carrots are better for eating, raw or cooked?
Carrots are healthy food with so many benefits, but the question is, Which is a better way to eat them, raw or cooked?
Some people think that cooking them may destroy the nutrients present in carrots. But this is not in the case of carrots.
Carotenoids give fruits and vegetables red, yellow, and orange colors. The body converts this beta-carotene into vitamin A, which is an essential nutrient that plays an important role in maintaining good health, bone growth, and promoting the immune system.
It is an oil-soluble vitamin that does not disappear when the foods containing them are cooked. The body tends to store it in the liver and fatty tissue when not in use, and therefore you don’t need this vitamin for a long time or a day.
Moreover, the cooking process can break down the thick wall around most vegetables, which allows the body to absorb all the nutrients easily. But when vegetables are eaten raw, they create difficult digestion. They also do not release all the nutrients present in the—same in the case with carrots.
Is it ok to eat raw carrots every day?
No doubt, carrots contain vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants, all of which promote good health. But only eating them in moderation can give its benefits; otherwise, it can provide different health problems.
Carotenemia is the most common health cause due to eating carrots in access. This gives a yellowish discoloration to the skin, which can be more obvious to people with lighter skin tones.
One normal-sized carrot contains about 4mg of beta-carotene in it. If any person eats ten carrots every day for a couple of weeks, he may face the symptoms of carotenemia. That’s why always consume a moderate amount of any vegetables and fruits, including carrots, in moderate amounts to enjoy their benefits without facing any adverse effects.
Do raw carrots cause gas?
When carrots are consumed raw in large quantities, they can also cause gas. In some cases, one may also feel severe abdominal pain from eating raw carrots, which is only a result of this gas.
Gas production is a very common process of the digestive system, but the problem arises when the digestive system produces a larger amount of gas.
However, the digestive system of every person is not the same. As the digestive system works to break down the food in the large intestine, gas is produced as a consequence of this process. The gas is produced by the digestive system, which is a normal process.
Carrots can be difficult to digest for many people because their intestines produce fewer enzymes than the required amount. The body produces too much gas during this period and causes illness and other health problems.
Not burning protein in the stomach is the source of gas production in the body. Eventually, as proteins accumulate, bacteria grow, causing discomfort and other significant digestive problems. Although taking enzyme supplements can help in these situations, it is best to consult a physician before starting any self-medication.
How many raw carrots should I eat a day?
Carrots are healthy sweet vegetables; 1 to 2 carrots are healthy for eating per day.
Carrots have a lot of carotenes. One hundred grams of carrots contain 4,000 micrograms of carotene.
Carotene is an essential nutrient. It is an oil-soluble substance that can dissolve in oil. Only when it is dissolved in fat can carotene be converted to vitamin A in the intestine and then absorbed and used by the body. Carotene can protect eye and skin health, scavenge free radicals, and slow the aging of the human body.