Carrots

Locally grown carrots are in season now and through autumn, if you can get organic carrots with the green feathery tops still on then you're in luck! Simply blend the green tops with a couple of mangoes for a green smoothie that's like rocket fuel and will keep you buzzing for hours - if you look at it closely it will even seem to sparkle...you know that's good for you!



Carrots are most famous for their high carotene content. Carrots' other antioxidant compounds help protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer and also promote good vision, especially that all-famous night vision...



"Beta-carotene helps to protect vision, especially night vision. After beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the liver, it travels to the retina where it is transformed into rhodopsin, a purple pigment that is necessary for night-vision. Plus beta-carotene's powerful antioxidant actions help provide protection against macular degeneration and the development of senile cataracts, the leading cause of blindness in the elderly."



"When six epidemiological studies that looked at the association of diets high in carotenoids and heart disease were reviewed, the research demonstrated that high-carotenoid diets are associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. In one study that examined the diets of 1,300 elderly persons in Massachusetts, those who had at least one serving of carrots and/or squash each day had a 60% reduction in their risk of heart attacks compared to those who ate less than one serving of these carotenoid-rich foods per day."



Information from www.whfoods.com





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