We can all learn something from the Easter bunny because he instinctively knows that carrots are not only delicious but also nutritionally beneficial.
So let’s take a look at the benefits of eating lots of carrots and at least five vegetables and fruit in our daily diets.
The 5-a-Day for Better Health Trust gives you 5 reasons why you should also eat carrots:
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Remember Granny telling you that if you ate your carrots you would see in the dark? She wasn’t lying! The major health promoting compound in carrots is without a doubt the orange pigment known as beta-carotene, which is not only an antioxidant, but also a major source of vital vitamin A. Most of us know that one of vitamin A’s functions is eye health. Considering that the Medical Research Council lists vitamin A deficiency as one of the 17 key factors contributing to the burden of disease in South Africa children, we need to get our kids eating more carrots.
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Researchers have also uncovered that carrots have a crucial role in maintaining a healthy skin and cell lining of every organ, they are a great boost for the immune system and are now even said to help with learning and memory.
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Carrots are consistently emerging as one of the top foods said to aid in cancer-fighting.
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Thanks to their fibre levels, carrots might even play a role in reducing cholesterol.
- Carrots are tasty and versatile, so add them to all your favourite meals or simply eat raw as a delicious crunchy snack.
One in three South African children aged between 0 and 4 years, that is some 1.8 million children, are vitamin A deficient. So this Easter make sure the Easter bunny leaves behind some of his favourite carrots amongst the chocolate eggs!
5-a-Day For Better Health Trust press release