A carrot a day keeps bad hormones away! Here’s a raw carrot salad recipe for hormone balance!
High Hormones = Health Issues
Too much of anything is bad. The same applies to hormones. Excess hormones lead to a host of health problems.
Most of the time, it’s women who are affected by health issues caused by excess hormones, in particular,estrogen, the primary female sex hormone.
That’s because every single day, we are exposed to xenoestrogens or synthetic estrogen (chemical compounds that mimic estrogen when inside the body).
This is in form of makeup products, cleaning agents, plastics, pesticides sprayed on fresh produce and more.
Certain foods such as soy contain phytoestrogens (plant estrogen that can mimic the real estrogen in the body).
When there are high levels of estrogen in the body, it is very easy to find yourself suffering from irregular periods, heavy periods, ovarian cysts, severe PMS, hormonal acne and infertility.
Too much estrogen in the body has also been linked to cancers such as ovarian cancer, breast cancer and uterine cancer. Another thing excess estrogen can cause and worsen is fibroids and endometriosis!
Not just women, watch out – men can also be affected by high estrogen levels in their bodies which causes issues such as low muscle tone, high fat, having man boobs, erectile dysfunction and infertility.
Why Eat Carrots for Hormone Balance?
Eating raw carrots helps balance your hormones.
In Dr. Ray Peat’s hormone research, she says that eating a raw carrot saladimproves the ratio of progesterone to estrogen and cortisol, and so is as appropriate for epilepsy as for premenstrual syndrome, insomnia, or arthritis.
She also found that eating one raw carrot a day for three days in a row significantly reduced bad or excess estrogen in the body.
It turns out raw carrots have special fiber in them that bind to toxins in your intestines and transport them out of your body.
One of these toxins include excess estrogen floating in your body.
The liver is responsible for breaking down and detoxing toxins such as excess hormones and since hormones are cholesterol-based they are excreted in stool.
The fiber in carrots help by sticking to the excess hormones in the gut and carrying them safely all the way to the colon to be eliminated through bowel movements.
When you don’t have any fiber in your diet, you won’t be able to successfully eliminate excess hormone wastes stuck in your body. The excess can even get reabsorbed in the gut!
You need to include fiber-rich foods especially carrots, which have been shown to have unique fiber that helps flush out excess estrogen.
What about those with Low/Normal Estrogen Levels?
If you have low estrogen levels, eating carrots won’t lower it even further. In fact, including carrots in your diet has the chance of balancing your estrogen levels back to normal.
Likewise, if you have normal estrogen levels, don’t worry about carrots reducing them because there won’t be excess estrogen wastes in the gut for the fiber to bind to, in the first place.
How to Eat Carrots for Hormone Balance
It’s important to note that there is a certain way to eat carrots to benefit from their hormone-balancing properties:
The carrot must be raw.You can’t cook it or juice it as this will get rid of the unique fiber.
You have to eat it for at least 3 days for it to take effect. You can eat it the week before your periods or during ovulation to fight PMS!
It can get boring very quickly chomping on a carrot a day, so that’s why there’s an easy recipe I’m sharing that you can have as a side with your lunch or dinner every single day!
Raw Carrot Salad Recipe for Hormone Balance
Ingredients
Directions
- Wash your carrot and scratch off the skin using a sharp knife.
- Next, choose how you want to cut your carrots – you can simply chop it into circles, grate it using a cheese grater or use a spiralizer to make the carrots into a noodle-like form.
- Now place the chopped carrots into a bowl and add in ½ tsp olive oil, squeeze in juice from half a lemon, throw in a pinch of black pepper powder and enough salt to taste.
- Toss everything together and voila! Your carrot salad for hormone balance is ready to eat!
FAQs
The hormone-related health benefits of carrots may have to do with their fiber content. Since carrots are high in fiber, they can help support and improve gut health, which can indirectly aid hormonal balance. “Like most vegetables, carrots are high in fiber, which improves gut health," Forrester confirms.
What does raw carrot salad do? ›
Raw carrots, being fibrous, naturally promotes bowel regularity which positively affects digestion and elimination as well! Optimal liver and thyroid function Since the raw carrot salad assists in eliminating excess estrogens and endotoxins, this also reduces the heavy load the liver carries.
What time of day should I eat raw carrot salad? ›
Dr. Peat found that estrogen levels can be reduced by consuming a simple carrot salad once or twice per day, ideally with breakfast and/or lunch. The carrot salad doesn't just detoxify estrogen, it also removes endotoxin from bad bugs and is antifungal.
What are the benefits of carrots in menopause? ›
Through incorporating regular carrot servings into your diet, they can be of service in counteracting this stress through their antioxidant properties. Not only can carrots help to increase antioxidant defence capacities, but they can also help to reduce the impact of some menopausal symptoms.
How to flush excess estrogen? ›
Foods that lower and decrease and flush excess estrogen levels quickly include cruciferous vegetables, flaxseeds, soy, green tea, berries, and other foods. Estrogen is essential for the proper functioning of the female reproductive system, but having too much can lead to various issues.
Can I eat carrot salad every day? ›
Unless you're eating carrot salad all day, everyday, it's unlikely that this small amount of fiber from carrots alone will make a significant difference to your health. In fact, adults need an average of 25-35 grams of fiber per day from various sources to promote good digestive health.
What happens when you eat raw salad everyday? ›
Increase in intake of fiber
The primary ingredients in most salads, which include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, beans, nuts, and seeds, are high in fiber. Research has demonstrated that fiber can help with heart disease and diabetes, as well as support healthy bowel movements and feelings of fullness.
How long does it take to digest raw carrots? ›
And then there are the slow ones: carrots, beetroot and other root vegetables are normally digested in about 50 minutes. What's more, there are also starchy root vegetables, such as potatoes, which, along with butternut squash, artichokes, sweet potatoes, corn etc., take up to 60 minutes to digest.
What foods to eat to balance hormones? ›
"Our hormones like healthy fats, like olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds, as well as ample fiber from fruits and vegetables and quality proteins like eggs, fish and meat," says Melissa Groves Azzaro, RDN, LD, PCOS, hormone and fertility dietitian at The Hormone Dietitian.
Is it OK to eat raw carrots before bed? ›
Carrots are the perfect healthy nighttime snack because they are convenient, flavorful, nutritious, and low in calories. You can eat as many sticks as you want, since one baby carrot contains only four calories. I have to warn you that dipping your baby carrots in hummus can add many calories.
Consuming raw veggies first thing in the morning might cause bloating, gas, and pain in the abdomen. Vitamin C is abundant in citrus fruits like oranges and tomatoes, which is healthy for your skin and immune system. Yet, tart fruits are known to promote stomach acid production.
Can carrots balance hormones? ›
Can raw carrots actually help regulate your hormones? Not necessarily. In an interview with CNBC, Melissa Groves Azzaro (a registered dietitian nutritionist who specializes in hormone balance, fertility and PCOS) partially debunks this nutritional benefit.
What does carrots do for the female body? ›
Carrots are full of benefits—they may promote healthy vision, balance your blood sugar, help with weight management, lower your risk of cancer, regulate blood pressure, reduce heart disease, improve immunity, and boost brain health.
Does apple cider vinegar increase estrogen? ›
Apple cider vinegar balances acid/alkaline levels in the body, allowing good bacteria to flourish in your microbiome. Your microbiome houses the estrobolome, where excess estrogen is processed and eliminated from your body, preventing estrogen dominance.
Which vegetable is best for hormonal imbalance? ›
Cruciferous Vegetables
"Cruciferous veggies, especially broccoli and broccoli sprouts, are superstars at helping our livers metabolize estrogen in an efficient and healthy way," says Barmmer. Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage and bok choy are cruciferous vegetables too.
Are carrots good for your PH balance? ›
Some examples of alkaline foods are: Fruits, such as apples, cherries, pineapple, avocado, bananas, apricots, and cantaloupe. Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli, beets, asparagus, leafy greens, garlic, carrots, and cabbage.
Are carrots good for female fertility? ›
Ovulation is a crucial step in conception; carrots can help promote ovulation. The beta-carotene in carrots can regulate the menstrual cycle and stimulate the release of an egg from the ovary. Carrots can also improve the quality of cervical mucus, essential for sperm to reach the egg.
Do carrots help with hormonal acne? ›
Raw carrots are a great way to support your hormonal acne and hormone health in general.
