Your grandparents weren’t wrong about this humble vegetable for your eye health, but how else can they boost your wellbeing? Next time you find yourself looking for a healthy snack, skip the apple and grab a handful of carrots. According to a new study, eating some baby carrots just three times a week significantly increases skin carotenoids. Carotenoids are phytonutrients (chemicals that occur naturally in plants) responsible for the red, orange, and yellow colour of many fruits and vegetables like grapefruit, carrots, bell peppers, tomato, and pumpkin.
Previous research has linked higher levels of carotenoids (which accumulate in the skin) with a lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and some cancers. People with higher levels of carotenoids also have improved skin health and stronger immune function. And the only way to get phytonutrients is by consuming them.
According to the new study, researchers from Samford University in Alabama gave 60 young adult students either Granny Smith apple slices, 100g of baby carrots (which is roughly equivalent to two medium carrots), a multivitamin supplement containing beta carotene or a combination of baby carrots and the supplement, which were consumed three times a day over four weeks. The study found that the students who ate apple slices or took the supplement on its own didn’t see higher levels of carotenoids. However, those who ate baby carrots had 10.
8% higher levels, and those who ate carrots in addition to th.