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| Image by claireknights via Flickr |
Carrots are no longer considered rabbit
food;
recent studies have uncovered the many benefits of including carrots in your
diet.
Most people know that carrots have the highest Vitamin A
content of any vegetable, making them good for the skin and slowing the aging
process.
That great news aside, at Hopewood we love carrots because
they’re easy to include as part of a balanced diet and are an easy to prepare
snack, no preparation needed- just chop them up and eat them raw!
Steaming carrots makes them more easily digested and also
makes nutrients more ‘bioavailable’ meaning that your body is better able to
access the nutrients in carrots if they’re cooked. Whether raw or cooked,
carrots have a low GI value which keeps blood sugar levels constant and lessens
your hunger and feelings lethargy.
However, it is
important to bear in mind that cooked carrots do have a slightly higher GI
value than raw carrots. So, it’s a good idea to eat them with vegetables that
have a lower GI such as broccoli, cauliflower or spinach.
DID YOU KNOW:
- The orange colour in carrots is beta carotene,
which is converted into Vitamin A. The deeper the orange, the higher the
Vitamin A. This Vitamin A is what keeps our eyes healthy and is catalyst to the
“carrots help you see in the dark” myth.
- Vitamin A is great for the skin and immune
system.
- Carrots are about 87% water.
- Carrots were originally grown as a medicine not
a food.
Hopewood is now running cooking classes to teach you how to
prepare and enjoy gourmet vegetarian food. See the new
food@hopewood page for more information.
Include more carrots in your diet with our fantastic salad recipe below:
Carrot and Cranberry
Salad
This recipe is gluten, dairy and wheat free
1 carrot
2 tablespoons cranberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon rind
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon cut parsley
Method:
Wash the carrot, and use the lemon zester to
shred the carrot into little pieces.
Zest the lemon.
Place the carrot and lemon zest in a bowl and add lemon juice and cranberries.
Roast the cumin seeds, heat until they pop and the aroma is distinctive.
Crush the cumin in a mortar and pestle. Sprinkle over the carrots.
At the last moment toss with parsley.
