The Benefits of Eating Raw Carrots for Hormone Health

It’s easy to forget about the powerful nutrients found in root vegetables. Pantry staples like potatoes and carrots are tossed into soups and school lunch bags but otherwise don’t get much time in the spotlight.

That’s a shame because raw carrots are one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, especially for reproductive-aged women.

Not only that but raw carrots are easily accessible for most families. They’re inexpensive at the farmers’ market or grocery store and can be easily grown in a backyard garden.

Raw carrots are packed with antioxidants and unique fibers that bind and flush endotoxins and excess estrogen.

For women who experience heavy periods, headaches, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and cramping due to estrogen dominance, this is especially helpful.

Let’s explore all the benefits of eating raw carrots and learn to harness this superfood for better hormone health.

The Benefits of Eating Carrots

There are so many good reasons to regularly include carrots in your diet. Here are just a few…

• Healthy Antioxidants — Beta-carotene (found in orange carrots) is a powerful antioxidant that helps rid cells of free radicals. It’s also known for its skin benefits, nourishing the skin from the inside out, with added sunburn protection.

• Liver Support — One study showed that carotenoids found in carrots can slow the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The powerful detox benefits of carrots can also help take pressure off the liver, especially in cases of estrogen dominance.

• Endotoxin Flush — Dr. Ray Peat was the first to popularize the idea that raw carrots bind to and gently flush endotoxins. This is incredibly helpful for women who have been exposed to toxins or who need support flushing excess estrogen.

• Microbiome Support — The fiber in carrots acts as a prebiotic, feeding the diverse microbiome in the gut. Microbiome health is associated with weight management, hormone health, and steady insulin levels.

Carrots prove that you don’t have to buy expensive superfoods and exclusively green veggies to stay healthy. We can enjoy so many health benefits from eating this powerful root veggie that most of us already have at home.

Raw Carrot Benefits vs. Cooked Carrot Benefits

There’s really no wrong way to eat carrots.

• When cooked, carrots release lycopene, making them easier to digest and absorb.

• Raw carrots are better for flushing endotoxins and supporting the microbiome. This is the ideal way to consume carrots for women’s health and hormone balance.

If you don’t eat carrots regularly, it’s best to start with a recipe you enjoy. You can slowly work your way up to a raw carrot salad or a snack of raw carrots and hummus.

Unique Carrot Benefits for Women’s Hormones

Raw carrots are one of the best natural resources to relieve estrogen dominance.

In the hormone cycle, estrogen levels peak during ovulation and drop soon after. They’re at their lowest during the menstrual cycle.

The problem is, estrogen is eliminated through the liver during this phase. For women who have an overloaded liver (due to environmental toxins), it becomes nearly impossible to eliminate excess estrogen.

Instead of exiting the body, estrogen hangs out in the bloodstream. It can offset other carefully balanced hormones, trigger insulin resistance, and even get stored in fat cells. Estrogen dominance is also a trigger for period symptoms like heavy bleeding, mood swings, sore breasts, bloating, and brain fog.

This is where raw carrots can be helpful. They contain a unique fiber that binds to endotoxins, gently flushing them out of the system. This makes the liver less overloaded and allows estrogen to exit seamlessly after ovulation.

How to Add More Carrots to Your Diet

Eating raw carrots as a snack with homemade veggie dip or hummus is a fantastic way to include them in your diet. It’s not the only way, though. If you don’t like to eat carrots plain, don’t count the veggies out entirely. There are tons of different ways to consume raw carrots, like…

• Raw carrot salad

• Coleslaw with raw carrots

• Salad topping

• Carrot juice

• Asian-style crunchy cucumber and carrot salad

• Sweet and spicy carrot salad

• Fermented carrots with dill or ginger

My Favorite Raw Carrot Salad for Hormone Balance

For hormone support, I recommend eating raw carrots a few times a week. You can have more during the luteal phase for extra detox benefits. Over time, eating plain carrots can get a little bland, though. And it’s easy to fall out of good habits when you get tired of a vegetable.

That’s why I created my raw carrot salad recipe. It’s easy to pair with meals or eat as a snack throughout the day. It can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to a week.

Here’s how to make my favorite raw carrot salad recipe…

Ingredients:

• 2 carrots (rinsed but not peeled)

• 1 tsp of raw apple cider vinegar

• 1 tsp of organic coconut oil (melted)

• ½ tsp of raw honey

• ½ apple

• 1/4th tsp Icelandic sea salt

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, raw honey, and salt. Grate the apples and carrots using a grater tool or hand grater. Add the grated carrot and apple to the mixing bowl, then toss until thoroughly combined. Enjoy!

Good Hormone Health Is a Skill

With so many endocrine disruptors and toxins in our environment, it’s difficult to protect our hormones. I’m constantly talking with women who experience hormone-related infertility, unexplained weight gain, brain fog, and general discomfort during their menstrual cycle.

Good hormone health is no longer a guarantee.

It’s a skill we have to cultivate.

It requires careful attention to nutrient-dense foods, environmental pollution, and nervous system regulation. If we want healthy hormones in our modern world, we have to be intentional about it.

This is why I created my free micronutrient guide—to help women embrace nutrient-dense foods (like raw carrots) for optimal hormone health and vibrancy.

Download the Free Micronutrient Guide

About the Author:

Katie Braswell is a holistic nutritionist focused on optimizing women’s health at all stages of pregnancy and motherhood. She believes women’s health recommendations are drastically behind the times and has made it her mission to change that—using real food and ancestral methods that help women regain vibrancy and wellness. Her continued education has led her to graduate from the Lily Nichols Prenatal Nutrition Institute and the Fertility Academy.