Wellness Wednesday: March 31

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CARROTS

In celebratory nature, we’re bringing to you a festive Wellness Wednesday featured ingredient this week: Carrots!


Carrots are a part of the root vegetable family originating from Persia. Though you may be most familiar with the orange variety, carrots also come in many colors of the rainbow, including purple, black, red, white, and yellow varieties.



Carrots are highly nutritious and make for a crunchy and satisfying snack. Their bright orange hues are derived from the beta-carotene pigment, which is converted by the body into vitamin A. Additionally, carrots are high in soluble fiber, which helps to keep you fuller for longer and feeds the good bacteria in your gut, which can reduce the risk of disease. High fiber foods can also help to lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, making carrots an excellent low-glycemic snack choice. Carrots are also mostly comprised of water, keeping you hydrated as you graze!


The high vitamin A content in carrots help to promote good vision, which you may have already known! Apart from this, vitamin A helps immune function, growth, and development.


In addition to beta carotene, carrots are comprised of many antioxidant compounds, including alpha-carotene, lutein, lycopene, polyacetylenes, and anthocyanins, which all work together in the body to improve eye health, decrease the risk of heart disease, and reduce the risk of cancer.


Our most popular carrot-based option is our bright and vibrant MS Highway juice, which is a cold-pressed blend of carrot, green apple, and ginger. You can also sample carrot in our Sangria juice, hidden in the Orange Splat protein shake, or sprinkled on your Sesame quinoa bowl. You can also request shredded carrots be added to any of our quinoa bowls, and we can include carrots in your protein shake as well, if you’re not a fan of the taste! Keep your eyes healthy—carrots aren’t just for rabbits!


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Aburto, N. J., Hanson, S., Gutierrez, H., Hooper, L., Elliott, P., & Cappuccio, F. P. (2013). Effect of increased potassium intake on cardiovascular risk factors and disease: systematic review and meta-analyses. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 346, f1378. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f1378

Agnieszka Nawirska, Monika Kwaśniewska, Dietary fibre fractions from fruit and vegetable processing waste. Food Chemistry, Volume 91, Issue 2, 2005, Pages 221-225, ISSN 0308-8146, doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2003.10.005.

Nicolle C, Cardinault N, Aprikian O, et al. Effect of carrot intake on cholesterol metabolism and on antioxidant status in cholesterol-fed rat. Eur J Nutr. 2003;42(5):254-261. doi:10.1007/s00394-003-0419-1

Slavin J. Fiber and prebiotics: mechanisms and health benefits. Nutrients. 2013;5(4):1417-1435. Published 2013 Apr 22. doi:10.3390/nu5041417

Tanumihardjo SA. Vitamin A: biomarkers of nutrition for development. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011;94(2):658S-65S. doi:10.3945/ajcn.110.00577

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Wellness Wednesday: April 7

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Wellness Wednesday: March 24