Did you know that carrots were purple until the 17th century struck? Farmers developed orange-colored ones and more and more people turned to them as they taste so much better than their deep-colored counterparts. These days, however, purple carrots are back with a vengeance, stealing the hearts of a growing number of health-conscious people.
Both purple and orange carrots are packed with antioxidants, which are the ones that give them their characteristic colors. Carotenoids are the ones responsible for the appearance of orange carrots, while anthocyanins are the ones behind the striking coloration of purple carrots — and they’re also the ones that make them super nutritious!
Scientists say that purple carrots also have carotenoids in them, making these crunchy root vegetables boast of a really impressive nutritional profile. Every serving of purple carrots floods your body with antioxidants, and every health-conscious person on the planet is well-aware just how beneficial and powerful those antioxidants are.
Without any more ado, let’s take a look at some of the most important reasons for you to consume purple carrots:
Optimized Vision
Just like orange-colored carrots, purple ones supply your body with tons of antioxidants that protect the eyes from being damaged by free radicals. Because of this, the light-sensitive structures in your peepers can stay in a tip-top shape, lowering your risk of having cataracts, macular degeneration and others that can rob you of your vision.
Reduced Breast Cancer Risk
Studies have shown that powerful antioxidants found in purple carrots could help lower a woman’s risk of having breast cancer. Since the said antioxidants are very good at reducing oxidative stress, which can be blamed for cancer development, it’s very much possible that purple carrots can also ward off other types of cancer.
Increased Immunity
Vitamin C can also be found abundantly in purple carrots. As everybody knows, the said nutrient is important for making the immune system strong, which results in lowered infection risk. Consuming purple carrots also helps make your skin appear youthful as vitamin C is an antioxidant as well as a contributor to the synthesis of more collagen.
Lowered Constipation Risk
Just like orange carrots, purple-colored ones are rich in dietary fiber. This only means that consuming them on a regular basis can help save you from winding up constipated. Since they are fiber-rich plus the fact that they are very low in calories, purple-colored carrots are also perfect for people who are trying to lose excess pounds.
Improved Heart Health
Dietary fiber that purple carrots pack also help clean the arteries, saving them from ending up clogged with plaque, which is something that can endanger your life. What’s more, purple carrots supply your body with potassium. It’s no secret that the said mineral is very good at lowering the blood pressure by causing the blood vessels to widen.
These are some of the perks that you can obtain from the consumption of purple carrots. Indeed, these root vegetables can astonish not only with their coloration, but also the health benefits they bring!
So how do you add purple carrots in your diet on a regular basis?
Well, it’s a good idea to consume them raw, just like orange-colored carrots. You may slice up purple carrots into sticks and snack on them or add them to fresh-garden salads. You may also turn these purple gems into juice or smoothie, either on their own or together with other fruits and/or vegetables that are perfect for such job.
Although boiling or steaming them may also be done, try to keep it to a minimum. That’s because purple carrots tend to lose their color when cooked most especially for a long period of time — the pigments that give these carrots their unique appearance are the ones that come with superb antioxidant properties.
