Vegetable Soup

You will love this extremely healthy vegetable soup that will warm you up on cold winter days.

Vegetable Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 800 ml of vegetable juice
• 800 ml chopped tomatoes
• 15 g chopped fresh basil
• 4 g Thyme
• 2 carrots chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 3 zucchini chopped
• 150 g green beans chopped
• 3 garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• Pepper and salt
• 150 g pasta

INSTRUCTIONS
First, put the vegetable broth in a large saucepan, then add the chopped tomatoes, basil, thyme, carrot, celery, onion, zucchini, green beans, garlic and bay leaf.
Slowly bring the soup to low simmer and cook over very low heat for at least 45 minutes and up to an hour, or until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
Add the macaroni pasta with salt and pepper and turn the heat to a slightly low setting. Bake for another 10 to 20 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through.

Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Nutritional Value of Carrots

More than 85% of a carrot consists of water. About 10% is fiber and sugar, the remainder is small amounts of fat, protein, vitamins and minerals. It contains vitamin A precursor carotenoids, B3, B6, C and K vitamins and folic acid. The color of the carrot is related to the type of carotenoid found in it. The commonly known orange carrot contains ß-carotene (beta carotene). ß-carotene is a component with high antioxidant capacity. It gives a yellow-orange color to the food it is in. Carrot is one of the vegetables richest in ß-carotene. A carrot harvested in winter can contain up to 4.5-8 mg/100 g of ß-carotene. Carrots harvested in summer have less carotene value. A large carrot weighing 50-60 grams gives 35-40 calories of energy. Although the potassium and sodium content of the carrot is quite high, it contains phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and small amounts of iron and zinc.

What are the Benefits of Carrots

Carrots, which contain high levels of ß-carotene, have strong antioxidant capacity. Scientific studies show that ß-carotene is effective in preventing cancer. Men with a high consumption of carrots have a lower risk of prostate cancer. Women who regularly eat carrots have a lower incidence of breast cancer. Carrots are also beneficial in the prevention of lung cancer. Plasma ß-carotene levels may be reduced in smokers. Eating regular carrots to quit smoking and repair the lungs is effective in preventing lung cancer. In people who already have lung cancer, long-term β-carotene intake may cause the tumor to grow. Vitamin A and potassium are important nutrients for heart health. Carrots, which contain these in abundance, are therefore very beneficial for the heart. The plasma ß-carotene level is usually low in patients with coronary heart disease. Adequate intake of ß-carotene in the diet reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Carrots are also very effective on eye health. Xerophthalmia (dry eye) disease occurs in vitamin A deficiency. Carrots are very important in the prevention of this disease, as the beta carotene in carrots is converted into vitamin A in the body. People who eat enough and regular carrots have a low risk of developing cataracts. Getting children accustomed to eating carrots from a young age is important for them to have healthy eyes in the future. One of the most important benefits of carrot is that it is a suitable and nutritious vegetable for diabetics. Thanks to its fibrous structure, it prevents rapid rise in blood sugar. It has a low glycemic index. It is very useful for diabetics to balance blood sugar. The ß-carotene in carrots is very effective in preventing and treating diabetes-related complications. It is more beneficial for diabetics to eat large carrots with high fiber content instead of baby carrots with high sugar content.

Carrots contain soluble and insoluble pulp together. Soluble fiber feeds the beneficial bacteria in the gut and increases their numbers. Insoluble fiber helps to relieve constipation by facilitating the passage of feces (stool). Thus, carrots are also very beneficial for intestinal health. It is necessary to mention the effect of color difference on the benefits of carrot. Red and purple carrots have some additional properties thanks to their color pigments.

Purple Carrot Benefits

Purple carrot is also known as black carrot because of its dark, blackish color. The substance that gives it this dark color is anthocyanin, a powerful antioxidant. The benefits of black carrot are hidden in anthocyanin. Fresh black carrots can contain up to 1750 mg of anthocyanins per kilogram. Anthocyanin is known to be 3-4 times more potent than ß-carotene. Selenium, which is included in the structure of antioxidant vitamin E, is also abundant in black carrots.

Thus, black carrot creates a very strong barrier against free radicals that cause cancer and uncontrolled cell division in the body. Black (purple) carrot is the basic ingredient that gives color and flavor to turnip juice, which is a functional beverage. Therefore, most of the antioxidant capacity of black carrot, anthocyanin and other phenolic acids are present in turnip juice. Foods colored with black carrots are much healthier than foods with added black carrots, thanks to anthocyanins. Foods and beverages containing black carrots have an immune-boosting effect. Black carrots have a more bitter taste than orange carrots due to their phenolic compounds.

Red Carrot Benefits

The difference of red carrot from others is that it contains a different carotenoid called lycopene. Lycopene is the substance that gives fruits and vegetables their red color. Like other carotenoids, it has strong antioxidant capacity. Thanks to lycopene, red carrots are similar to tomatoes in their benefits.

The most important feature of lycopene is that it creates a natural barrier, especially against prostate cancer. It is important for both men and women as it also protects against breast cancer. In terms of antioxidant capacity, lycopene is stronger than ß-carotene. Therefore, it can be said that red carrot is more beneficial than orange carrot. Thanks to lycopene, red carrots are also important for skin health.

How to Consume Carrots

All carrots, regardless of color, contain carotenoids. Carotenoids are substances that are absorbed through fat in the intestine. Using carrots with meals, rather than consuming them alone, ensures that caronetoids are more absorbed in the intestines along with fat during digestion. Thus, the bioavailability of the carotenoid is increased. It is important that the oil that accompanies the carrot is olive oil, as vitamin E increases the absorption of carotenoids. Carotenoids are more effective at low temperature.

Therefore, carotene content of carrots grown in winter is higher than those grown in summer. It is appropriate to store the carrot in the refrigerator so that the amount of carotenoids does not decrease. Although the amount of carotenoids increases slightly in frozen carrots, the carotenoid content begins to decrease as the frozen state increases. Therefore, it is best to keep it fresh in a cold environment.

Another feature of carotenoids is that they lose their antioxidant capacity when they meet with acid. When carrots are used in salads, acidic ingredients such as lemon and vinegar should be added as soon as possible. This ensures the preservation of carotenoids not only in carrots, but also in other vegetables such as tomatoes and greens that make up the salad. Heat and oxidation are other factors that damage carotenoids. Frying carrots in oil can cause carotenoids to oxidize. The most correct way to consume carrots is to eat them raw or cooked until soft.

Benefits of Carrot Juice

When the juices of vegetables and fruits are squeezed, the vitamins and minerals in them are absorbed faster. Since a glass of carrot juice comes out of 4-5 carrots, it can be said that drinking carrot juice provides more vitamins and minerals than eating the carrot itself. 1 glass of carrot juice contains about 600 mg of potassium, 130 mg of sodium, 50 mg of calcium, 15 mg of vitamin C. It should be noted that the juice of squeezed vegetables and fruits will quickly increase blood sugar.

Squeezing the juice of the carrot accelerates the absorption of vitamins as well as the absorption of sugar. At the same time, it can seriously reduce the amount of fiber, which is very important for blood sugar balance and intestinal health. Although carrot juice is a storehouse of vitamins, it is not recommended to be consumed frequently by diabetics due to its high sugar and low fiber content.