Protect Your Heart and Liver: Doctor Names Reasons to Drink Carrot Juice in Autumn

Freshly squeezed carrot juice is not just sweet orange water, but a whole cocktail of substances, the composition of which laboratories are still deciphering. Moreover, carrots are quite an accessible vegetable, and making juice from them is an easy task that even a schoolchild can handle.

So, what good can be found in this drink besides its pleasant taste? Therapist and nutritionist Elena Shuraeva named five reasons to continue this autumn the tradition of our mothers and grandmothers or to start one if it has never existed.

Sharp Vision. 150 ml of juice provides the daily norm of β-carotene, from which the liver produces retinol — the active form of vitamin A. It is responsible for adapting the retina to twilight and reduces the risk of night blindness.

“Internal SPF.” Carotenoids from carrots accumulate in the skin and, according to dermatological research, reduce erythema after UV exposure by 10–15%. This means we sunburn more slowly.

Anti-Inflammation. A substance called falcarinol has been found in carrots — a polyacetylene that inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokines. In laboratory rodents, it even slowed the growth of colon tumors.

Heart Friend. A glass of juice contains almost 500 mg of potassium — a mild diuretic and natural sodium suppressor, which lowers blood pressure by an average of 3–4 mm Hg.

Liver Detox. Pectins, although less than in the whole vegetable, are still present in the juice. They bind bile acids, ease the liver's workload, and gradually lower the level of “bad” cholesterol.

When and How to Best Drink Juice

According to Elena Shuraeva, the optimal dose of carrot juice for an adult is 250–300 ml per day, which is about one glass. It is better to split this into two servings.

"We drink it at breakfast and in the afternoon, but not on an empty stomach: acids and fructose can irritate the mucosa," adds the doctor.

Another important rule. The juice should be freshly squeezed, so it is not advisable to make it in advance and then keep it in the refrigerator or, even worse, on the table. The doctor recommends drinking freshly prepared juice within the first 15 minutes; otherwise, you risk losing some beneficial antioxidants.

It is also recommended to add fats to the drink, as they will "capture" carotenoids and double their absorption. The nutritionist suggests combining carrot juice:

with a piece of whole grain toast with avocado;
with nuts;
adding a teaspoon of olive oil or coconut cream to the juice — this is classic;
with apple-celery juice, which adds vitamin C that protects carotenoids from oxidation;
with ginger, which will enhance the anti-inflammatory effect.