10 Benefits of Carrot Juice (Plus 3 Carrot Juice Recipes to Try)

You don’t have to go all in with juicing to enjoy the benefits of fruits and veggies in drinkable form. In fact, juices can be a very nutritious addition to a regular diet, provided you steer clear of the stuff that’s loaded with sugar. Case in point: Carrot juice—an oft-overlooked beverage that’s as good for you as it is tasty, and definitely deserves a place in your daily routine. Don’t take our word for it, though, just read our overview of the many science-backed benefits of carrot juice and you’ll be a believer soon enough.

Is carrot juice nutritious?

As you might have guessed, the answer to this question is an unequivocal ‘yes.’ Indeed, carrots are good for you, and carrot juice is as well. Specifically, a single eight ounce serving of carrot juice goes a long way towards meeting your body’s daily needs for potassium, as well as Vitamins C and K (15 percent, 23 percent and 31 percent, respectively). Even more impressive is the whopping dose of Vitamin A—255 percent of the Daily Value—that a glass of carrot juice delivers. This enormous serving of Vitamin A is owed to beta carotene, which, in addition to being the compound that gives carrots their orange color, is also an antioxidant-rich carotenoid that the body converts into Vitamin A. Finally, carrot juice also has a considerable amount of lutein and zeaxanthin—two other carotenoids that boast anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, as well.

What are the potential health benefits of drinking carrot juice?

The main nutrients in carrot juice are known to have a wide range of health benefits, including disease-fighting potential. As a result, you stand to reap some serious rewards when you start drinking carrot juice on the regular. Here are ten potential benefits to sipping this brightly-colored beverage.

1. It Can Improve Eyesight

You know how your mom used to tell you to eat your carrots because they’re good for your eyes? Well, she was right—and the same is true of carrot juice, our friends at WebMD tell us. Indeed, this study published in Clinical Interventions in Aging argues that lutein, zeaxanthin, beta carotene and Vitamin C all play an important role in combating oxidative eye damage and reducing the risk of age-related macular degeneration.

2. It May Help Make Your Skin Glow

You may already know that Vitamin C is a powerful skincare ingredient (you might even use a Vitamin C serum or moisturizer) and a recent study from New Zealand explains why. Per researchers, this potent antioxidant can ramp up the body’s production of collagen (i.e., that thing your skin starts to lose as you age) and even protect against UV-related damage. And sure, you could splurge on a fancy cream to improve your complexion with the stuff, but it’s a whole lot cheaper to gulp down some carrot juice instead (one serving contains 23 percent of your body’s daily needs, remember?).

3. It Can Help Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease

Per this 2013 review published in BMJ, adequate potassium intake plays a major part when it comes to regulating and maintaining healthy blood pressure and reducing the risk of stroke. For this reason, you may want to consider giving your heart a hug with a glass of carrot juice, which (as previously mentioned) will cover 15 percent of your body’s daily potassium requirement.

4. It Maintains Oral Health

Any dentist will tell you that carrots (and carrot juice) do good things for your pearly whites—namely, because they contain Vitamin C and keratins that research shows help strengthen, protect and repair tooth enamel, according to this study published in Matrix Biology.

5. It’s a Good Source of Energy

Staying hydrated is essential for maintaining a healthy energy level and carrot juice can help you accomplish this while providing your body with much-needed nutrients. Plus, one cup of the stuff has just 80 calories, which makes it an excellent choice whether you’re drinking it on its own for an afternoon boost or sipping it alongside a full size meal.

6. It May Help Improve Cognitive Functioning

Although more research is required to confirm, one study published in The American Journal of Medicine found that fruit and vegetable juices can improve overall cognitive function and reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists hypothesized that this is because of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds they contain. Bottom line: We’re not saying a cup of carrot juice will make you Mensa material—but it can’t hurt, either.

7. It Can Aid in Protecting the Liver

Another pretty neat thing about carotenoids is that these antioxidant-rich micronutrients have anti-inflammatory properties that are believed to improve the health of your liver—you know, the major organ that takes a beating every time you consume not-so-healthy stuff. Per this Emory University study, the lutein found in carrot juice is one of several carotenoids that shows promise as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

8. It May Reduce Cancer Risk

Preliminary test-tube research has indicated that various compounds found in carrot juice have an anticancer effect. In one study published in Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry, lutein and beta carotene were found to effectively slow the growth and even kill off leukemia cells. That said, a lot more research is needed to confirm any anticancer potential (so definitely don’t try to treat any disease with carrot juice).

9. It Can Help Boost the Metabolism

If your metabolism has been a bit sluggish, carrot juice might be just what the doctor ordered. In addition to Vitamins A and C, carrot juice also boasts a decent amount of B vitamins—specifically vitamin B6—which aid in the digestive process by helping to break down fat, protein and glucose.

10. It Can Help Regulate Blood Sugar

The jury is out on whether or not all kinds of carrot juice work to regulate blood sugar, but there’s some research that points to purple carrots as having promise in this regard. Still, if you’re concerned about your blood sugar, it’s worth noting that even basic carrot juice has a low glycemic index and is thus a healthy option when consumed in moderation.

What happens when you drink too much carrot juice?

So there you have it—carrot juice is a powerhouse of nutrients with a slew of health-boosting benefits. That said, you can indeed have too much of a good thing. In this case, the consequences of excess could actually give new truth to the age-old adage that “you are what you eat.” Yep, strange though it may sound, drinking too much carrot juice can, er, turn you orange— a condition known as carotenemia. Don’t worry, though, this awkward turn of events isn’t all that dangerous and can quickly be reversed if you back off the beta carotene for a bit. Other than that, the only risk of drinking too much carrot juice, or any juice for that matter, is that you might end up taking in too much sugar—particularly since the low fiber content of carrot juice means the sugars enter your bloodstream quite fast.

3 Carrot Juice Recipes to Try

Sweet and tangy pineapple teams with to fiber- and vitamin A-rich carrots and spicy ginger in this delicious concotion.

This mix of carrot, orange, nectarine and ginger is guaranteed to wake up the tastebuds in the morning.

Bring on the vitamins, folate and polyphenols with this delicious and nutritious beverage.