Carrots are rich in important nutrients that help you lose weight and protect your health.
Carrots are a popular root vegetable in gastronomies all over the world, mainly eaten in soups, salads and stews, but they are also a versatile snack, and can be eaten raw.
This delicious, crunchy vegetable is packed with important vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and fiber, all of which help in weight loss.
The nutritional benefits of carrots
Low in calories
100 grams of diced raw carrots contain just 40 calories, so they can be included in virtually any weight loss diet. The low calorie content is combined with a high fiber content, which ensures a long-lasting feeling of fullness, nourishes the beneficial bacteria in the intestines and does not spike blood sugar levels, thus preventing a sudden crash that can cause hunger and overeating.
Reduce visceral fat
Thanks to their beta-carotene content, which the body converts into vitamin A, carrots can also reduce visceral fat that builds up around the organs and often causes serious health problems.
A study performed in 2021 observed that eating vegetables rich in beta-carotene and lutein, such as beetroots and carrots, can reduce visceral fat, an effect seen mainly in women.
Help digestion
High fiber content not only provides a feeling of satiety, but also aids digestion. Fiber is a carbohydrate that passes through the digestive system almost undigested and unabsorbed, with some types fermenting in the large intestine, increasing the production of short-chain fatty acids, which helps to balance the intestinal flora. Insoluble fiber, abundant in carrots, speeds up digestion and relieves constipation.
Speed up calorie burning
A comprehensive study in 2019 found that retinoic acid, generated by beta-carotene in carrots, may inhibit the secretion of fat cells. Instead, it induces lipolysis, which promotes the browning of fat cells. This is significant because brown fat, unlike white fat, does not cause obesity, but plays a role in calorie burning.
Just 50-60 grams of brown fat, which is located deep in the tissues around the organs, can burn hundreds of calories a day. Beta-carotene is officially a ‘physiological source’ of retinoic acid and therefore indirectly facilitates this process.
The effects of beta-carotene on energy metabolism have long been studied. Lycopene and its derivative lycopene acid relieve inflammation in fat cells and also activate retinoic acid receptors, which, as mentioned above, promote the formation of brown fat cells.