Carrot WHAT’S UP DOC? WHAT’S THE LATEST SKINCARE TREND?
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CARROT SKIN CARE BENEFITS
SKIN ISSUES
Whether you have psoriasis, eczema, rashes or acne, carrots are a great natural medicinal rescue. The nutrients embodied within the magical root (whether used as a food or topically) reduce skin inflammation. How? Well, carrots are the greatest dietary source of beta-carotene (which is what gives carrots the orange color), human bodies then convert beta-carotene into Vitamin A (retinol, people!). And Vitamin A (1,069 mcg in a cup of chopped raw carrots) is responsible for cell regeneration (a natural exfoliant).
ANTI-AGING
Plus it’s flooded with antioxidants (VItamin C) which reduce free radical damage and inflammation (too much of which are the source of all evil)! The vast amounts of Vitamin C plump up the skin and give you that healthy J-Lo glow.
KEEPING YOU ON THE REGULAR
These orange friends are high in fiber (almost 2 grams in 1 medium carrot!) — and as we know eating fiber flushes out the toxins in your body, which improves the appearance of your skin.
ADDING CARROT TO SKINCARE ROUTINE
TOPICALLY
The word is out on carrots — so many beauty brands are adding them to their products. More on this down below!
EAT THEM!
Plain and simple. I love carrots — so I love eating organic carrots, washing them thoroughly and eating them with the skin on. My kids do too! But not everyone likes to crunch on them like Bugs Bunny. So here are other ideas:
DUNK ‘EM
Dunk those baby carrots in some ranch. I love Follow Your Heart’s ranch dressing which you can buy at, well, Follow You Heart, Whole Foods or Ralphs. It’s not as thick and delish as the Ranch at Cheesecake Factory, but then again, what is? And more importantly, there’s a price to pay, too, when you eat salad dressings with all that sugar and gummy additives.
SOUP IT UP
This is one of my favorite recipes.
It’s easy and clean. But you can always go the easy route and buy a canned version. I liked Wolfgang Puck’s and Annie’s Organics.
SMOOTHIES
I’m a huge fan of Kimberly Snyder — and she often offers up the best tips and tricks and holistic health. One of these tips is the Carrot Cake Smoothie!
JUICE THEM
Carrot juice is one of the sweetest treats out there. You can either juice them yourself — or if you’re time constrained like me, you can head to your nearest Pressed Juicery and buy the Roots 2.
Carrot juice has been known to do a slew of magic tricks: from boosting immunity and preventing heart disease, reducing cholesterol, preventing cancer, relieving gas and enhancing oral health. Sign me up! It’s too easy not to do.
SHAVE THEM
Over anything! Salads are obvious, or you can shave them over soup, a bowl of rice, quinoa, chicken…anything! They deliver an added sweet punch!
STEAM ‘EM
My kids love the simplicity of a bowl of steamed carrots (alongside other veggies) with rock sea salt sprinkled on top. So delish and so easy!
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HEALTH BENEFITS
DETOXIFIES
Raw carrots have an indigestible fiber that helps with hormonal health. It binds to excess estrogen hormone which helps it be eliminated from the body. (Too much estrogen is responsible for PMS, anxiety, bad bacteria in the gut.)
EYE HEALTH
As discussed, carrots have beta-carotene. Our bodies convert it to Vitamin A, which assists our eye retina to convert light signals to our brain! This is why everyone associates carrots with good vision!
WHITENS TEETH
So, this is a fun one. I’m a sucker for finding out and trying out all the latest products on teeth whitening. It turns out that the answer may be in your very own fridge! Carrots contain Vitamin A which is needed for healthy tooth enamel. They also increase saliva production which is your mouth’s self-cleaning agent, promoting fresh breath and pearly whites!
PREVENTION OF GASTRIC CANCER
Gastric cancer is the third leading cause of cancer mortality (behind lung and colorectal). There have been numerous studies indicating a correlation between eating carrots and preventing gastric cancer. Research indicates that the anticancer properties of carrots are due to them being rich in bioactive compounds such as carotenoids (alpha, beta), vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin), and phenolic compounds. Additionally, carotenoids are rich in antioxidants which are responsible for maintaining health and slowing tumor growth.
ANTI-AGING / SLOWING AGING
Carrots are an excellent source of Vitamin C, which is crucial for the production of collagen (which keeps the skin taut and glowing!).
CARROT SKINCARE PRODUCTS
Many top of the line beauty products are in on the secret now and are including carrot powder, carrot extract and carrot juice into their masks, serums and oils. Here are some of my favorites!
YES TO CARROTS DAILY FACIAL CLEANSER
The most important thing for skin health is making sure your canvas is clean! Remove the makeup and the grime as soon as you get home for the evening. The antioxidant properties of carrots protect the skin from free radicals and the healing properties of aloe vera make this the perfect gentle moisturizer. Say YES to YES TO CARROTS!
Your body also needs tender loving care! This body butter has carrot juice (and pumpkin juice) — and is great for massaging all over your dry skin!
IT’S SKIN — FRESH FACE MASK, CARROTS
I’m a sucker for all things K-Beauty – so imagine how happy I was when there was a Korean beauty product embracing the carrot. It’s Skin infuses loads of carrot extract into every single sheet – so it’s like a heavenly blanket nourishing your skin. You can buy it from Amazon or Urban Outfitters!
++ And there you go, ladies and gents. Hope you enjoyed my intel into the powerful mystery behind the orange root. Bite ’em, dunk ’em, steam ’em — or slather them all over your face. You’re bound to win.
