"Did you know? Carrots don't have to be fried to absorb all the nutrients! "At an ordinary family dinner table, his eyes widened in surprise when I proposed this to a middle-aged and elderly friend. It's not just his problem, it's an inherent perception of carrots that most of us. Carrots, a seemingly ordinary but nutritious vegetable, have always been thought to be fried in oil to maximize their nutritional value. But new discoveries in scientific research and nutrition have revealed a much richer and more complex truth.
As a frequent guest in daily meals, the nutritional value of carrots is not limited to their bright orange color. This root vegetable is rich in a variety of health benefits, and it is important for middle-aged and elderly people to understand these nutrients and their effects.
The most well-known nutrient in carrots is - carotene. - Carotene, which belongs to the family of carotenoids, is a powerful antioxidant that is converted into vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is essential for maintaining** health, vision maintenance, and immune function. For older adults, adequate vitamin A intake can help reduce the risk of age-related diseases.
In addition to -carotene, carrots are also rich in fiber. Fiber plays an important role in maintaining gut health, especially in preventing constipation and maintaining blood sugar levels. This is especially important for middle-aged and older adults who are concerned about blood sugar regulation (formerly "diabetes").
In addition, carrots contain a variety of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, potassium, and B vitamins. Vitamin C is another important antioxidant that is essential for the health of the immune system. Potassium contributes to the maintenance of cardiovascular health and is a mineral that should not be ignored for people who are concerned about increased blood pressure in the systemic arteries (formerly "high blood pressure").
Stir-frying has long been considered the best way to enhance the absorption of nutrients from carrots. This idea stems from the properties of carotene in carrots – it is a fat-soluble vitamin. Fat-soluble vitamins need to be ingested with fats so that they can be better absorbed by the body during digestion. Therefore, many people believe that by frying in oil, the absorption rate of -carotene can be improved.
However, this approach is not without impeccables. First, excessive oil heating can produce unhealthy reactive substances such as trans fatty acids and free radicals, which is especially detrimental to middle-aged and older people and may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Secondly, high-temperature cooking can also lead to the loss of some water-soluble and heat-sensitive vitamins, such as vitamin C. Therefore, while sautéing carrots in oil is good for the absorption of carotene, it can also lead to the loss of other nutrients.
Knowing the limitations of sautéed carrots, we turned to explore a more holistic approach to carrot consumption. First of all, raw food is a good choice. Eating carrots raw maximizes the retention of their water-soluble vitamins and minerals. Although raw carrots have a lower absorption rate of carotene, they can be improved by pairing them with some healthy oils, such as olive oil or avocado oil.
Cooking carrots retains their nutrients better and makes -carotene easier to absorb because the carrot cell walls are softened by heat during the cooking process, allowing the nutrients to be released. In addition, the temperature during the cooking process is relatively low, and there are no potentially harmful substances when frying.
Coleslaw is also a great choice. Cold carrots can combine the advantages of raw food and fried carrots, which are to retain more water-soluble vitamins while increasing the absorption of -carotene by adding a small amount of healthy fats. For example, freshly sliced carrots can be stirred with olive oil, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt to make a delicious and healthy cold dish.