Nutritional and Health Benefits of Carrots and Its Seed Extracts: A Review

Abstract

Carrot is a root vegetable rich in bioactive compounds such as carotenoids, flavonoids, polyacetylenes, vitamins, and minerals, all of which possess numerous nutritional and health benefits. Genotype colors of carrot root flesh, environmental conditions, and the storage conditions influence the amount and type of bioactive compounds present in carrots. Besides lending truth to the old adage that carrots are good for eyes, carotenoids, polyphenols and vitamins present in carrot act as antioxidants, anticarcinogens, and immunoenhancers. Anti-diabetic, cholesterol and cardiovascular disease lowering, anti-hypertensive, hepatoprotective, renoprotective, and wound healing and anti-ageing skin benefits of carrot have also been reported. The cardio- and hepatoprotective, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic effects of carrot seed extracts are also noteworthy. This article reviews the nutritional and health benefits of carrots and their seed extracts.