Carrots contain a large amount of carotene. Whether in the market or the supermarket, there are always endless people buying carrots, all for the nutritional elements contained in carrots. It is evident that in people's eyes, carotene is a good thing. It helps maintain the health of the eyes and skin, improves night blindness and rough skin, and helps the body avoid damage from free radicals.
However, a recent report stated that the abuse of carotene can cause cancer, which immediately caused a great stir among the people. It was unacceptable for a time: How could carotene, which people eagerly pursued, suddenly become carcinogenic? Why can carotene cause cancer? And how can one eat healthily? These have become the focus of people's discussions.
Why can carotene cause cancer?
According to nutritionists: Supplementing with 5 milligrams of carotene per day does have a cancer-inhibiting effect, but excessive intake of carotene will prevent vitamin A from binding to its corresponding receptors, thereby preventing the transformation of tumor suppressor genes. The result is not cancer suppression but carcinogenesis.
Abroad, numerous experiments have proven that eating too much carotene can lead to cancer: Finland conducted a grouped controlled trial on 29,000 smokers over the age of 50. One group took carotene regularly and in fixed amounts, while the other group was a normal control group. The results showed that compared to the normal control group, the incidence of lung cancer in the group taking carotene not only did not decrease but was 28% higher. Two studies in the United States had similar results.
What are the taboos of eating carrots?
1. Carrots and white radish should not be eaten together.
Making carrots and white radish into a dish looks very beautiful with its red and white colors, but it is not scientifically sound. This is because carrots contain a substance called an enzyme that destroys the extremely high vitamin C content in white radish.
2. When cooking carrots, add an appropriate amount of vinegar and soy sauce.
Carrots contain a very potent vitamin C enzyme, which during the cooking process will deplete the vitamin C in other vegetables. To prevent this, an appropriate amount of vinegar and soy sauce should be added.
3. Do not eat carrots in excess.
A large intake of carotene can cause changes in the skin's pigmentation, turning it orange-yellow.
4. Carrots are not suitable for eating raw.
Although carrots are known as a "treasure trove of vitamin A," the carotene that can be converted into vitamin A under the action of the small intestinal mucosa is a fat-soluble substance. It can only be fully absorbed by the body when cooked with cooking oil or meat. Therefore, carrots are not suitable for eating raw. In terms of cooking methods, stewing carrots in a pressure cooker is better. Because it reduces the contact between carrots and air, the preservation rate of beta-carotene can be as high as 97%, and the digestive absorption rate in the body can reach 90%.
5. Carrots are not suitable as a side dish for drinking.
Studies have found that the rich carotene in carrots and alcohol entering the human body at the same time will produce toxins in the liver, causing liver disease. Therefore, the way of "eating carrots with alcohol" is not healthy, and it is especially not advisable to drink alcohol immediately after drinking carrot juice.
How to select carrots
Select carrots that are smooth in surface, good in color, uniform and firm in shape, with green tops, and not too large in size; these are fresh and delicious.
Carrot storage methods
3-7 days, the storage methods are as follows:
1. Store in a ventilated place, or use vacuum preservation.
2. Do not wash the carrots before storing. Simply cut off the "head" of the carrot and then place it in the refrigerator. This method of storing carrots is to prevent the "head" from absorbing the moisture from the carrot itself, thereby extending the storage time.