Environmentally, carrots also have one of the lowest carbon footprints of all fruits and vegetables.
10 Science Informed Reasons to Include Carrots in Your Dog’s Diet:
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- Rich Source of Healthy Vitamins and Minerals – carrots are a good source of several vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin A (from beta-carotene), biotin, vitamin K (phylloquinone), potassium and vitamin B6.
- Promotes Good Vision, Important for Growth, Development and Immune Function – carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A supports these health benefits. Lutein – one of the most common antioxidants in carrots, predominantly found in yellow and orange carrots and is important for eye health. (15, 23)
- Supports Fat and Protein Metabolism – Biotin one of the B-vitamins, formerly known as vitamin H. It plays an important role in fat and protein metabolism. (16)
- Promotes Bone Health and Blood Coagulation – Vitamin K1 also known as phylloquinone, is important for blood coagulation and can promote bone health. (17, 18)
- Important for Blood Pressure Control – Potassium an essential mineral, is important for blood pressure control.
- Supports Efficient Conversion into Energy – Vitamin B6 a group of related vitamins that are involved with the conversion of food into energy.
- May Help Protect against Leukaemia and Cancer Cells – recent research has identified bioactive compounds, Polyacetylenes, that may help protect against leukaemia and cancer cells. (1, 25, 26)
- Lowers Blood Cholesterol – high blood cholesterol is a well-known risk factor for heart disease. Intake of carrots has been linked to lower cholesterol levels. (12, 13)
- Supports Weight Loss – carrots, as part of meals, can increase satiety and decrease calorie intake in subsequent meals. (33)
- Environmentally Friendly – carrots have a small carbon footprint, amongst the lowest of all fruits and vegetables at just 0.5 kg CO2-equivalent per kg of food compared to lamb at 26.45 kg CO2-equivalent per kg of food. (30)