Natural juices are firmly in the diet of adults and children. Carrot juice is one of the first places in terms of useful properties, and in order to get the maximum benefit from its consumption, you need to know about the basic rules for choosing the source of raw materials and taking the resulting product. The following also describes the options for making such a drink.

Chemical composition and calorie content

For the preparation of the drink using carrots of any color, while the chemical composition of the product will vary slightly. The table shows data on 100 g of juice.

The product is saturated with β-carotene, which provides root crops with a bright color and is a complete source of vitamin A. 100 g carrot drink contains:

• 9309 μg β-carotene;
• 8.5 mg of vitamin C;
• 1.16 mg vitamin E (tocopherol);
• 0.386 mg of niacin (source of vitamin B3);
• 0.228 mg pantothenic acid (B5);
• 0.217 mg pyridoxine (B6);
• 0.092 mg of thiamine (vitamin B1);
• Vitamins K (15.5 μg) and B9 (4 μg).

The average nutritional value of a freshly squeezed drink without added sugar is 10 kcal per 100 g.

Useful properties of carrot juice

Due to its composition, carrots have a positive effect on many processes in the human body. The presence of phytoncides allows you to effectively counteract viral diseases, which will be especially important in the winter. At the same time, carrots are much more affordable than citrus fruits traditionally used for this purpose and do not have a sharp taste and smell like onions and garlic.

• Carrot juice also has the following properties:
• supports vision, accelerating cell regeneration;
• good for teeth;
• normalizes cholesterol;
• positively affects the process of hematopoiesis;
• improves appetite;
• increases the psychological tone.

Did you know? Ability to see with a sharp change in light conditions — from light to twilight, called "twilight vision." Its violation ("night blindness") prevents the systematic intake of carrots.

It is worth noting the positive impact of the drink for women, including those expecting or breastfeeding.

• A controlled introduction to a daily diet of such a product allows you to:
• normalize the production of female sex hormones;
• improve the composition of breast milk;
• help in the fight against infertility.

By providing a mild effect on the nervous system, carrot juice will help children remove overexcitation and reduce hyperactivity. It is carrot products that make up the first lure for babies.

Low calorie content combined with a large number of nutrients and a cleansing effect on digestion make the product in question suitable for use in losing weight.

Harm and possible contraindications

The active components of the drink may not be useful to everyone, and for serious diseases it is always worthwhile to get the exact advice of a doctor.

• Contraindications to its use are usually considered:
• stomach ulcer and colitis;
• gastritis with high acidity;
• diabetes (limited use).

An overdose of the drink can lead to lethargy and drowsiness. The effect of temporary yellowing of the skin is also known - carotenoderma.

Where else is carrot juice used?

Antiseptic properties determined the external use of the product for the treatment of suppuration and external damage to the skin.

For medicinal purposes, it is used:

• to clean the liver;
• for gargling with angina;
• when rinsing the mouth with stomatitis and gum disease.

• Carrot juice is part of many cosmetics, as it has the following effects on the skin:
• accelerates metabolic processes;
• rejuvenates tissues;
• activates collagen production and increases elasticity;
• moisturizes;
• evens out color and removes age spots.

Important! Cosmetic homemade products from carrots can not be kept on the face for more than 20 minutes - otherwise the skin may become stained.

The product is added to nourishing, moisturizing and whitening face and neck masks, freckle lotions, and is also used in oily hair care.

A selection of fresh and healthy carrots

When choosing a vegetable, you should pay attention to its appearance and, if possible, check the juiciness of the root crop. Using the following criteria, you can find the most suitable carrots on the counter:

• the root crop should be strong and fresh, without damage and traces of mold;
• the formation of growths can indicate both a plant disease and an excess of nitrate content;
• in the presence of tops, you should not take a vegetable with very dense greens. Such carrots may have a large core in which there is less juice;
• a carrot with a blunt tip is considered sweeter than one with a sharp ending;
• orange and red carrots contain the largest amounts of vitamin A, but juice from a yellow, white or purple vegetable will also be beneficial.

To check the juiciness, you can scrape the root crop a little: moisture will come out on a suitable instance immediately.

Did you know? Since the beginning of the 21st century, carrots have been ranked among fruits in the EU countries to remove the problem of importing Portuguese carrot jam, since the law allowed only fruit products to be classified as jam.

Methods for making carrot juice

On average, from 1 kg of carrots you can get about 500 ml of juice (depending on the juiciness of the original product).

The easiest way to make a drink is on a special juicer, which are presented in a large assortment in household appliances stores.

Video: Making carrot juice in a juicer

Having assembled and connected the machine according to the instructions, you can make juice according to this algorithm:

1. Root crops must be thoroughly washed using mechanical friction with a brush. The growth point should be cut off.
2. In the presence of an adult skin, it must be cut off with a peeler or scraped off with a knife.
3. Cut vegetables into slices, the size of which is described in the instructions supplied with the machine.
4. Install a container for juice and, if a large amount of juice will be squeezed, prepare an additional container.
5. Turn on the machine and load carrots with a special pusher.

Important! The orange cake remaining after cooking can be used to prepare vegetable fritters or baking, add to salads and first courses.

If there is no separate juicer, you can also make juice using a kitchen grinder (food processor) or a blender. In this case, the course of action is different:

1. Products are prepared in the same way as for a juicer.
2. Carrots should be cut into medium-sized pieces - up to 5 cm.
3. Using nozzles, you should prepare carrot puree as finely ground as possible.
4. Dilute the prepared puree with hot boiled water, mix and leave for 15-20 minutes.
5. Strain the drink through the smallest sieve. Or you can squeeze the juice from the puree using gauze, as described in the following method.

With the complete absence of electrical appliances, juice can be prepared using a grater and clean gauze. For this, you should also carefully prepare the carrots, and then perform the following steps:

1. Grate carrots on the smallest grater.
2. Spread 2-3 layers of gauze and put the mashed potatoes in the center.
3. Fold the gauze into a knot and squeeze the juice with your hands over the selected container.

Carrot juice goes well with fruit additives. Most often, combinations with apples, oranges, lemons and apricots are used. You can also use squeezed beets, cabbage and other vegetables.

How to take

The amount of drink for an adult can be up to 3 glasses of juice per day.

In order to benefit from carrot juice, you must follow these rules:

• drink juice 30 minutes before meals immediately after squeezing, on an empty stomach;
• It is optimal to drink an invigorating drink in the morning, and not in the evening or at night;
• There are several reasons at once for drinking a drink through a straw. A sharp effect of a large number of active components can overload the digestive organs, and on the other hand, the effect of coloring pigments on tooth enamel will decrease.
• for young children it is better to dilute the product with boiled water.

Important! In order for Vitamin A to be better absorbed, an addition of fats (preferably of animal origin) is necessary for a carrot product: you need to eat a spoonful of sour cream, butter, heavy cream or at least vegetable oil.

Home Storage Methods

Squeezed carrot juice quickly loses its beneficial properties due to oxidation in the open air. It is advisable to drink it immediately or slightly chilled.

The finished drink can be stored in the refrigerator for a day. It can also be preserved. However, heating to a high temperature leads to the destruction of many useful elements, so this method is used only with an increased yield of vegetables in its area.

A fresh product can be frozen if it is not possible to use it immediately. The greatest amount of vitamins will be preserved during quick freezing at –24 ° C.

Carrot juice is useful for the body of adults and children, and its accessibility and pleasant taste allow you to easily enter the drink into your daily diet.