Benefits (and Risks) of Juicing Carrot

Carrot juice is a delicious, earthy drink, enjoyed on its own or mixed with other juices. The benefits of carrot juice come mainly from potent antioxidants such as vitamin A and Vitamin C.

You should drink carrot juice in moderation, as there are still plenty of calories and sugars in the juice.

As part of a healthy and balanced diet, carrot juice makes a great refreshing beverage packed with benefits.

Nutritional profile of carrot juice

As posted to the USDA FoodData Central website, a 1 cup serving of carrot juice includes the following:

Calories: 96
Protein: 2.3 g
Fat: 0.4 g
Carbohydrate: 22.3 g
Sugars 9.4 g
Dietary fiber: 1.9 g

Carrot juice also contains good levels of a number of vitamins and minerals, such as:

Potassium: 701 mg
Calcium: 57.6 mg
Sodium: 158 mg
Magnesium: 33.6 mg
Vitamin C: 6.7 mg
Iron: 1.1 mg

Benefits of juicing carrot

Antioxidants

Many of the benefits of carrot juice come from the antioxidants in the food. A cup of carrot juice contains 22,300 ug of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant.

The same serving also contains 20.4mg of Vitamin C. Both these vitamins are powerful antioxidants that help prevent and eliminate damage from free radicals in the body.

A study posted to Plant Secondary Metabolites also notes that Carrots contain levels of other antioxidants, including:

Lutein
Zeaxanthin
Alpha-carotene
Vitamin E
Lycopene
Terpenoids
Phenolic compounds

Antioxidants and carrot in general may play a role in a number of chronic diseases.

Protects the eyes

The old wives’ tale that carrots are good for the eyes has some truth behind it. The orange color in carrots comes from antioxidants called alpha and beta-carotene, which is a precursor to vitamin A.

In the body, vitamin A helps protect the tissue on the eye from degenerating. A study posted to Clinical Interventions in Aging notes that antioxidants such as beta-carotene, vitamin C, and lutein, all found in carrot juice, may help decrease the risk of age-related eye disease.

Together with other antioxidants in carrot, this may strengthen the eyes and protect them from damage and disorders such as:

Age-related macular eye degeneration
Blindness
Cataracts
Light damage

Promotes healthy skin

The supply of antioxidants in carrot juice also makes it great for skin health. Healthy doses of antioxidants may support the skin cells and decrease cell death. This can keep the skin cells healthier for longer and may reduce the signs of aging.

This is not a direct result from carrot juice alone, but from a steady supply of dietary antioxidant sources, including carrot juice.

Supports Immune health

The concentration of antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, and phenols makes carrot juice a helpful supplement for the immune system.

Antioxidants such as this help fight off oxidative damage from free radicals, which may support the immune system to keep the body healthy.

Promotes proper digestion

Carrots are rich in soluble fiber. While much of the larger fiber is removed when juicing the carrot, some of this soluble fiber remains.

These soluble fibers support the digestive system by helping the body feel fuller for longer, which may help prevent weight gain and issues such as indigestion.

Additionally, these are prebiotic fibers, meaning they feed the healthy bacteria in the gut. A glass of carrot juice is just one simple source of these healthy soluble fibers.

Reduced cancer risk

Carrots may even protect against some types of cancer. A study posted to the Journal of Gastric Cancer found that as the consumption of carrots went up, the risk of gastric cancer went down. This may be due to a number of factors, including an increased intake of antioxidants from carrots.

Risks of juicing carrots

There are some slight risks to consider when juicing carrots, mainly from sugar and calories.

Sugars

Carrots are a rather sweet vegetable. When eating the vegetable whole, the fiber in carrots helps to slow the absorption of these sugars. As there are less fibers in the juice, the sugar may absorb into the body quicker.

People who need to watch their sugar or carb intake should be aware of this.

Summary

Carrot juice is a simple, delicious way to add more nutrients and antioxidants to the diet. The sweet flavor blends well with other tastes such as ginger and orange. The benefits of juicing carrots in the home are thanks to fresh, healthy antioxidants – and the unrivaled taste of fresh juice.

References

Carrot juice, 100%. (2020). https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/787567/nutrients

Fallahzadeh, H., at al. (2015). Effect of carrot intake in the prevention of gastric cancer: A meta-analysis. Journal of gastric cancer, 15(4), 256-261. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4722993/

Prasad, K., Haq, R., Bansal, V., Siddiqui, M. W., & Ilahy, R. (2016). Carrot secondary metabolites and their prospective health benefits. Plant Secondary Metabolites, 2. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Raees_Ul_Haq_Wani/publication/317253537_Chapter_4_Carrot_Secondary_Metabolites_and_their_Prospective_Health_Benefits_Stimulation_Extraction_and_Utilization/links/5d36c44fa6fdcc370a5788c2/Chapter-4-Carrot-Secondary-Metabolites-and-their-Prospective-Health-Benefits-Stimulation-Extraction-and-Utilization.pdf

Rasmussen, H. M., & Johnson, E. J. (2013). Nutrients for the aging eye. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 8, 741. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3693724/

Vollmer, D. L., et al. (2018). Enhancing skin health: by oral administration of natural compounds and minerals with implications to the dermal microbiome. International journal of molecular sciences, 19(10), 3059. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/19/10/3059