Carrot is especially known for its capability to help one lose weight. On a daily limit of 1,500-calorie diet, carrots contribute to only 3% which is only 50 calories per cup. Canned carrots have even less calories - 37 calories per cup.
Obesity, a common problem today is mostly found in people having low levels of Vitamin A in their bodies. Vitamin A can communicate with the fat cells in our body controlling their storage and growth. A lack of Vitamin A can lead to sub-optimal functioning of fat tissues, causing unnecessary or uncontrolled fat deposits in the stomach causing a belly to bulge. With carrot added to your daily routine, you can increase your Vitamin A intake, thereby balancing the metabolism to avoid obesity causing fat deposits.
Despite its cool benefits, why carrots are still consumed in less quantity is because of its not so amazing taste but think of it - if you have some really good recipes that help you perk up its taste and at the same time, preserve its nutritional value? From salad to juice, from sweet to sour, and from snacks to ice creams, carrot can be used in a variety of recipes that give both taste and health.
Here come some simple recipes that would help you lose your weight within a few months without compromising on the taste.
Carrot Pineapple Orange Juice
Recipe: Take 2 diced carrots, 2 cups of pineapple and 2 peeled oranges. Cut them all into small pieces and push them into our blender or juicer. 2-3 runs in your juicer would make a pulp in which you can add some water, salt and honey as per taste and your tasty fat loss juice would be ready in no time.
Health Fact: A combination of Pineapple and Orange has a very high content of Vitamin C and when added with the Vitamin A of carrots, the recipe serves as a perfect solution for weight loss. While Vitamin A would control the fat growth, the elevated Vitamin C level will help you lose the body mass caused by fat deposits.
Garlic Roasted Carrots
Recipe: You would need an oven for this recipe. Preheat it at 375 degrees F and put light oil on its baking sheet. Put carrots, with olive oil, vinegar, and garlic poured over them along with salt and pepper spread as per taste, in the oven. Bake the topped carrots for 40 minutes and your snack would be ready to serve. You can garnish it with parsley or other vegetable leaves to turn it into a healthy and tasteful salad.
Health Fact: Your Vitamin C intake is enhanced, making your body burn more fats. This preparation is also high in dietary fiber which prevents weight gain by reducing hunger and absorption of calories. The low level of dietary fiber can cause problems of stomach bloating, diarrhea, gas and aches that can be avoided with the regular intake of roasted carrots.
Squash Carrot Soup
Recipe: Carrots, squash and leek are boiled for 35 minutes till they become tender and then cooled. Blend the squash mixture till it becomes smooth and then put it in the saucepan. Add white pepper with nutmeg and boil the mixture. Your soup is ready and you can garnish it with pumpkin seeds and creme.
Health Fact: Carrot Soup is a low fat recipe which is both warming and healing to the body.
Carrot Ice-cream Sandwich
Recipe: To start with, you need a pre-heated oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, boiled, cooled, and drained carrots and a bowl containing a mixture of flour, baking powder and soda, brown sugar, oil, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Cream, vanilla, and almond milk are then added to the mixture bowl. Blend the carrots with this mixture and spread it out on the oven grill. This batter would be the carrot cake that you have to bake for 20 minutes from both sides and then cake layers are ready to gulp the ice-cream scoop in between slices. Chopped walnuts can then be rolled over the ice-cream and your delicious Carrot Ice-cream Sandwich is ready.
Health Facts: Rich in Vitamin A, K, C, B8, beta-carotene and fiber makes carrot a perfect food for a healthy hair, skin and stomach. It is also a good source of the anti-oxidants that protect the body from vulnerabilities to diseases.
Carrot Chips
Recipe: To start with, pre-heat the oven at 350°F and arrange the racks for cooking. Cut carrots into strips into a bowl and add the salt, pepper, and oil for coating the strips. Place strips on baking sheets and cook for 12 minutes.
Health Fact: This gluten-free vegan recipe is packed with sliming food items like carrots, almond milk, walnuts, cinnamon, and coconut oil. Walnuts provide rich polyunsaturated fats causing reduced storage of fat in the body.
