If you are having trouble with acid reflux? Heartburn is a burning feeling in the chest caused by stomach acid travelling up towards the throat (acid reflux). If it keeps happening, it may be called gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). Acid reflux may be aggravated by certain food and drink – such as coffee, tomatoes, alcohol, chocolate and fatty or spicy foods.

Recently I had a call at the office from a client requesting a recipe for vegetable soup without tomatoes or tomato juice as it was too acidic for her and this made me think that many people might like this information. May I suggest replacing tomatoes and tomato juice with CARROTS and carrot juice as you cook. This is a great substitution and the flavor change is surprising delicious and naturally sweet. Folks. I love tomatoes and encourage eating a rainbow of colors of fruits and vegetables everyday but, if you suffer from acid reflux you may want to try carrots instead of tomatoes in your next recipe.

Nutrition and Health Benefits of Carrots

Carrots contain many nutrients, including beta-carotene and antioxidants, that may support your overall health as part of a nutrient-rich diet. The carrot (Daucus carota) is a root vegetable often claimed to be the perfect health food. It is crunchy, tasty, and highly nutritious. Carrots are a particularly good source of beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin K1, potassium, and antioxidants. Plus, they’re low in calories. They also have several health benefits. They have been linked to lower cholesterol levels and improved eye health. What’s more, their carotene antioxidants have been linked to a reduced risk of cancer.

Carrots are found in many colors, including yellow, white, orange, red, and purple. Orange carrots get their bright color from beta carotene, an antioxidant that your body converts into vitamin A.

Nutrition facts

A carrot’s water content ranges from 86% to 95%, and the edible portion consists of around 10% carbs. Carrots contain very little fat and protein.

The nutrition facts for two small-to-medium raw carrots, or 100 grams (g), are:  Calories: 41, Water: 89%, Protein: 0.8 g, Carbs: 9.0 g, Fiber: 2.7 g, Fat: 0.1 g The carbs consist of starch and sugars, such as sucrose and glucose. They are also a relatively good source of fiber, with one medium-sized carrot (61 g) providing 1.9 g.

Carrots often rank low on the glycemic index (GI), which is a measure of how quickly foods raise blood sugar after a meal. Their GI ranges from 30 to 85, while the glycemic load ranges from 2.0 to 4.25. It’s the lowest for raw carrots, and higher for cooked ones. Eating low glycemic foods is linked to numerous health benefits and is considered particularly beneficial for people with diabetes.

Pectin is the main form of soluble fiber in carrots. Soluble fibers can lower blood sugar levels by slowing down your digestion of sugar and starch. They can also feed the friendly bacteria in your gut, which may lead to improved health and decreased risk of disease. What’s more, certain soluble fibers can impair the absorption of cholesterol from your digestive tract, lowering blood cholesterol. The main insoluble fibers in carrots are cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Insoluble fibers may reduce your risk of constipation and promote regular bowel movements.

Carrots are a good source of several vitamins and minerals, especially biotin, potassium, and vitamins A (from beta carotene), K1 (phylloquinone), and B6.

• Vitamin A: Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A. This nutrient promotes good vision and is important for growth, development, and immune function.
• Biotin: A B vitamin formerly known as vitamin H, biotin plays an important role in fat and protein metabolism.
• Vitamin K1: Also known as phylloquinone, vitamin K1 is important for blood coagulation and can promote bone health.
• Potassium: An essential mineral, potassium is important for blood pressure management.
• Vitamin B6: A group of related vitamins, B6 is involved in the conversion of food into energy.

The main plant compounds in carrots are:

• Beta carotene: Orange carrots are very high in beta carotene. The absorption is better if the carrots are cooked.
• Alpha-carotene: This is an antioxidant that, like beta-carotene, is partly converted into vitamin A in your body.
• Lutein: One of the most common antioxidants in carrots, lutein is predominantly found in yellow and orange carrots and is important for eye health.
• Lycopene: This is a bright red antioxidant found in many red fruits and vegetables, including red and purple carrots. Lycopene may decrease your risk of cancer and heart disease. Cooking carrots helps release lycopene and improves absorption.
• Polyacetylenes: Recent research has identified bioactive compounds in carrots that may help protect against leukemia and other cancers.
• Anthocyanins: These are powerful antioxidants found in dark-colored carrots.

Reduced risk of cancer

Diets rich in carotenoids may help protect against several types of cancer. This includes prostate, colon, and stomach cancers. Females with high circulating levels of carotenoids may also have a reduced risk of breast cancer. Carotenoids have been found to protect against lung cancer, but further research is needed  to confirm a correlation.

Weight loss

As a low calorie food, carrots can increase fullness and decrease calorie intake in subsequent meals. For this reason, they may be a useful addition to an effective weight loss diet.

Eye health

Individuals with low vitamin A levels are more likely to experience night blindness, a condition that may diminish by eating carrots or other foods rich in vitamin A or carotenoids. Carotenoids may also cut your risk of age-related macular degeneration.

In summary carrots are a great snack — crunchy, full of nutrients, low in calories, and sweet. They’re associated with heart and eye health, improved digestion, and even weight loss. This root vegetable comes in several colors, sizes, and shapes, all of which are great additions to a healthy diet.

Carrot Juice Yields:  2 Cups

You can make fresh carrot juice in a blender, food processor or juicer which is delicious, nutrient-packed. All you need are carrots for a sugar-free, healthy juice that can be consumed alone or used in recipes as a substitute for tomato juice and just like that you have reduced the acidity.

Carrot Juice

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Equipment:  a Blender/Food Processor or Juicer.

Ingredients:  2.5 pounds raw carrots

How to make carrot juice with a Juicer:

1. Scrub/clean the outside of your carrots well and peel them as peeled carrot juice will be brighter and sweeter.
2. Chop the carrots to a size that fits the opening of your appliance and then begin to feed the carrots through the chute. Save your pulp for other recipes.

How to make carrot juice in a blender or Food Processor:

1. You’ll need a high-speed blender or food processor for this, to easily break up the tough carrot pieces.
2. Peel and chop the carrots into 1-2″ pieces, then add around 1/4-1/2 cup of water to the blender too (to help the carrots blend without diluting the juice TOO much).
3. Blend it until pureed into a thick smoothie consistency.
4. You may add to recipes or soups at this point or you may continue with this recipe to make smooth carrot juice to drink. You can do this through a sieve, using a spoon to help press the juice out. Alternatively, use cheese cloth band lightly squeeze it to get the juice out.
5. Don’t throw away the leftover fibrous juice pulp. Instead, add it to smoothies, baked goods (like carrot cake and muffins or crackers), broths, breakfast dishes like these carrot cake overnight oats, and other drink recipes. The pulp is also freezable to use over a longer period of time.

How To Store Carrot juice

Carrot juice is best consumed immediately for the highest amount of nutrients. Though you can store leftover carrot juice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days if needed. You can freeze carrot juice – though it separates when thawing so then it is best used for culinary uses like dressings and stocks.

For extra flavor and nutrients, you could experiment with different add-ins. Celery, cucumber, lemon/lime, apple, orange, pineapple juices would all complement the carrot well. You can also add herbs or spices like basil, mint, parsley, cinnamon, or cayenne pepper. Because of the high level of carotenoids in carrots, if you drink too much carrot juice, it can affect skin pigment and turn you orange! So I wouldn’t drink it daily.

Nutritional Information per 1 cup serving of juice:  Calories: 232kcal, Carbohydrates: 54g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 391mg, Potassium: 1814mg, Fiber: 16g, Sugar: 27g, Vitamin A: 94721IU, Vitamin C: 33mg, Calcium: 187mg and Iron: 2mg

Low-acid Chili       Serves: 4-5

Low Acid Chilli

• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 ½ cups carrot juice
• ½ lb. beets, peeled and diced, (may use canned beets, drained)
• 1 can dark kidney beans with juice and paste from can
• 1 can light kidney beans, drained, with paste from can
• 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 ½ tsp ground white pepper
• very generous grind of black pepper
• 3 Tbsp prepared horseradish

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat 1 ½ Tbsp oil over medium high heat.
2. Sauté onion several minutes until softened and starting to brown.
3. Add garlic and sauté about 30 seconds until aroma comes.
4. Remove to a bowl.
5. Add remaining 1 ½ Tbsp oil and ground beef.
6. Cook, stirring until all browned.
7. Add chicken stock and scrape any browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spatula.
8. Add onions and garlic back in.
9. Add in all remaining ingredients: carrot juice through horseradish.
10. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered, stirring occasionally for 1 hour. Enjoy!

Vegetable Soup without Tomatoes

Enjoy this veggie-packed soup as a cozy and warming lunch or light dinner! It’s so easy to make on the stovetop for kids and adults alike.

Vegetable Soup Without Tomatoes

Time: 40 minutes

1 Tablespoon olive oil

½ white onion diced

1 celery stalk diced

4 medium carrots peeled, diced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried parsley

2 garlic cloves minced or finely diced

2 medium sweet potatoes peeled, diced

1 cup broccoli diced

½ cup corn fresh or frozen

1 cup zucchini diced

2 cups vegetable broth

½ cup milk

⅛ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon black pepper optional

fresh parsley to garnish

Directions:

1. Drizzle olive oil in a large soup pot. On a low heat, sauté diced onion, celery and carrots for 4-5 minutes.
2. Add garlic, dried thyme, dried parsley, diced sweet potatoes, broccoli, zucchini and corn. Stir well and cook for 4-5 minutes.
3. Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, then pour in the milk. Cook the soup for 18-20 minutes, or until the vegetables and sweet potatoes are fork tender.
4. Ladle about a third of the soup into a blender. Blend, then pour back into the soup pot and stir well. Ladle into your bowls, garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!

Sources for this article NC Extension Food and Nutrition, Meds instead of Meds educational program. For more information about the Foods and Nutrition please contact Louise L. Hinsley, Extension Agent, Family Consumer Science at the Beaufort County Center of N.C. Cooperative Extension, 155 Airport Road, Washington, 252-946-0111.