There is a lot of talk about the so-called “super foods” that can do wonders to your health, beauty and wellbeing, because of the particular health benefits they possess. While a lot of people often associate those super foods with exotic (goji berries) and sometimes expensive foodstuffs, I am here to tell you that we are surrounded by “super foods” that are common, inexpensive, and actually often neglected.

The term “super food” has been misused in so many ways, and I honestly don’t like to use it. More often than not it has been used to market particular foods to consumers, for their superior nutritional properties. I agree that acai, quinoa, goji berries, and pumpkin seeds are really nutritious, but it kind of made all other fruits and veggies seem boring, and well, not so nutritious. This is what actually got me into writing this post. A lot of the common foods that we have here, locally grown, possess more nutritional qualities that you might be aware of.

One of those underrated foods that can be very beneficial, especially to the ladies, is the common carrot.

We all know that carrots are good for the eyes, but you might not know that carrots have the highest amount of beta-carotene (the precursor of vitamin A), among the common vegetables. The carotenoids contained in carrots make this orange veggie a true antioxidant, and as we know antioxidants are needed to fight the free radicals in our body, which can cause disease, and accelerate the signs of ageing.

Our body converts the beta-carotene in carrots in vitamin A, and this vitamin is needed for healthy skin and shiny hair.

So as you can see you don’t only have to eat your carrots to improve your vision, this veggie is also packed with beautifying properties!

I put carrots when I make lentils (I love them with some sweet potato), and I love a good carrot and cabbage salad! I find they go very well together with beets (I will come to beets in another post), and apple.  And of course I love them in a juice, I think the colour of carrot juice is truly amazing and energizing!

How do you like to eat your carrots?