Are carrots keto?
Yesterday, I was working late at night. Opened the fridge to see nothing except a few carrots and well its one of the few veggies I love eating raw. Then it struck me, Is carrot keto-safe?
Carrots are one of the most popular vegetables throughout the world. It has serious health benefits and it is one of the most consumed vegetables in its raw form.
Now, vegetables like carrots are generally advised not to include it in a low-carb diet but is it good enough for keto?
We will talk about carrots and whether it is one of the best-suited vegetables for keto.
Should carrots be considered Keto-safe?
Well, for starters, carrots are a great source of antioxidants and plant compounds that help us flush out the toxic wastes of our bodies. Sometimes people are too keen on labeling carrots as a very carb-rich vegetable.
However, there is good news for people who love carrots. Carrots contain 7gms of net carb in every 100gm of its serving. This suggests that carrots can be eaten during ketosis however, in a very limited amount. For those new to keto, you should know that a standard keto diet permits a carb intake of 20 gms per day.
If you are involved with any physical activity, the daily carb intake can be increased to 50 gms to stay in keto. The only catch is, people following the keto diet would have to limit the carrot consumption as too much of it can surpass the required carb intake.
One medium-sized carrot a day is permissible. Considering its other important health benefits, it will be foolish to rule out carrots from the diet, whether be it keto or a different form of diet.
Nutritional profile of Carrots
Carrots are one of the antioxidant-rich vegetables with a load of health benefits. One cup of raw chopped carrots (128gms approx) contains the following nutrients
Calories: 52.5
Fats: 0.4gm
Sodium: 88.3mg
Carbohydrates: 12.3gms
Fibers: 3.6gms
Sugars: 6.1gms
Protein: 1.2gms
The fat present in carrots is mostly polyunsaturated.
Carrots are also known to be an excellent source of Vitamin A. Beta-carotene present in a large quantity is responsible for the orange color of the carrots.
It is also abundant with potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, folate, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K.
Carrots are a source of other plant compounds as well. Some of which are:
Lutein which is considered to be very beneficial to the eye. It is found in yellow carrots as well.
Lycopene is also present in carrots just like tomatoes. They tend to reduce the potential risk of cancer in the body and is also good for heart health.
Alpha-carotene is also found in all sorts of carrot.
Polyacetelyne found in carrots is also good for people suffering from cancer especially leukemia.
Anthocyanins are a group of antioxidants also present in carrots.
Health benefits
Carrots come up with a lot of health benefits so its wise to have a little number of carrots in our daily diet, even during ketosis. The presence of antioxidants and carotenoids in abundance contributes to the prevention of several diseases. Some health benefits of carrot are as follows:
- Improves eyesight: Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, and lutein. These plant compounds act directly on the retina to improve eyesight caused by aging. It also solves the problem of age-related macular degeneration. The decrease in Vitamin A content in our body can lead to a disease called night-blindness.
- Dental health: The presence of Vitamin C in carrots are known to increase gum strength and tooth-related problems. An increase in the consumption of Beta-carotene and other leafy vegetables is also helpful against tooth decay.
- Lowers cholesterol: Carrots are also said to lower cholesterol levels by lowering bad cholesterol count.
- Anticancer: Carrots are rich in Vitamin A which are known to protect DNA from damage caused during oxidation. This reduces the risk of cancer and also potentially prevents them. There are different types of carrots mainly orange, yellow, red, and purple with an abundance of antioxidants like beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, and anthocyanins respectively. Research has shown that extracts of purple carrot protect the colon from oxidative damage reducing potential cancer risk.
- Great for weight loss: Carrots are low-calorie food but with high volume. They give us the feeling of being full without the excess intake of calories.
Carrot allergy
Carrots are generally very good for the health kind of vegetable but sometimes it can cause allergic reactions. The case of allergies is very rare but there have been some cases.
The allergy is a type of pollen allergy and can mainly occur to people having sensitivity for birch or mugwort pollen. Symptoms are generally noticed within an hour.
Carrots are not known to have dangerous side effects but excess consumption of carrots can lead to a condition called carotenemia.
This is the condition where the skin turns pale and yellow in color due to the excessive accumulation of Beta-carotene in the body. The effect can generally be controlled by decreasing the consumption of foods rich in Beta-Carotene.
Takeaway
Carrots are definitely one of the most popular vegetables in the market. The carrots have a large number of antioxidants which cause many healthy benefits.
Carrots can be included in a keto diet provided that its intake should be limited. One full carrot can be easily eaten during ketosis however, an increase in the number of carrots may cause us to get out of ketosis.
It can be consumed in its raw form as well as by cooking. Carrots are said to be anti-cancer which is one of the leading reasons for so many deaths all around the world.
Carrots may be allergic to some people having sensitiveness to mugwort or birch pollen.
So it is wise to have carrots included in your daily diet and if you are practicing keto, have carrots in a limited quantity.
