A recent study found that carrots may help regulate blood sugar levels and improve intestinal bacteria, and thus may be used to treat type 2 diabetes in the future and regulate blood glucose.
The study was conducted by researchers at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Southern Denmark, and was published in the journal “Clinical and Translational Science,” and written about by the Eurick Alert website.
The researchers found that carrots can enhance the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar and positively influence the composition of gut bacteria.
The effect of carrots on blood sugar and intestinal bacteria
The researchers studied the effects of carrots over a 16-week period using mice with type 2 diabetes. The mice were placed on a high-fat diet to mimic an unhealthy human lifestyle.
The mice were divided into two groups: one received a diet supplemented with 10% freeze-dried carrot powder, while the other received a diet without carrots.
Calories were matched in both diets, ensuring that the only variable was the bioactive compounds in the carrots.
The results showed that the group that received carrot powder showed an improvement in blood sugar regulation, as measured by glucose tolerance tests.
The glucose tolerance test measures the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar after consuming a specific amount of sugar.
In this study, mice were given a sugar solution, and their blood sugar levels were measured over time.
“Our study showed that carrots changed the composition of the gut microbiome (billions of microorganisms that live in the intestines, which play a crucial role in digestion and health), and that mice that ate carrots showed a healthy balance of intestinal bacteria,” said researcher Morten Kubik-Larsen, associate professor in the Department of Clinical Research. .
In addition, these mice had more bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). These small molecules that form when bacteria break down dietary fiber help regulate energy metabolism and blood sugar while supporting gut health.
How do carrots work?
Carrots contain biologically active compounds that enhance the cells’ ability to absorb sugar, thus helping to regulate blood sugar.
These bioactive substances derived from unsaturated fatty acids are also found in other vegetables of the carrot family, such as parsley, celery and parsnips.
“We see carrots as a potential component of future diet strategies for type 2 diabetes,” said co-researcher Lars Borskjaer Christensen.
Can carrots help humans?
The researchers are cautious about applying their findings directly to humans. “Our study used an animal model, and the next step is to conduct clinical trials in humans,” they said.
They added, “Such studies are expensive, and we are working to secure external funding to conduct a smaller clinical trial with carrots that contain relatively high amounts of bioactive compounds.”
Christensen says this may pave the way for larger clinical studies, including animal studies using pure bioactive compounds, thus proving the protective effects of carrots against type 2 diabetes.
Preliminary results from a similar study on the effects of carrots on colon cancer suggest that eating just 30-40 grams of raw or lightly cooked carrots daily can have beneficial effects.
According to the researchers, the concentration of bioactive compounds varies widely between carrot varieties.
However, the right variety can provide sufficient doses of these compounds without the need for concentrated products. For example, the Nightbird variety, a purple carrot, contains relatively high concentrations of bioactive substances.
Does the method of cooking carrots matter?
Cooking affects the amount of health-promoting substances, but they do not disappear completely.
“Even with prolonged frying or boiling, some bioactive compounds remain,” Christensen said. “However, raw or lightly cooked carrots appear to be the best option for retaining as many beneficial compounds as possible.”
What are biologically active compounds?
Bioactive compounds are organic chemicals of biological origin that influence physiological processes. Many are found in plants and fungi and can have beneficial or harmful effects on humans.
Some bioactive compounds from plants and fungi are used in medicines, while others in plant foods are thought to promote health and prevent disease.
Their effects depend on mechanisms of action, bioavailability and concentration in food, which can vary depending on crop variety, cultivation and processing.
The main bioactive compounds in carrots are falcarinol and falcarindiol, which are produced by vegetables to defend against fungal infections.
In addition to their antifungal properties, these compounds have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic effects.
Type 2 diabetes affects millions around the world, with numbers rising in Denmark and globally. In Denmark alone, the number of cases has more than quadrupled since 1996.
Treatment usually includes changes in diet and medications although many people experience side effects from common medications.
According to researchers from the University of Southern Denmark, Odense University Hospital and the University of Copenhagen who collaborated on the recently published study, carrots could provide a natural, side-effect-free way to complement existing treatments.
As of 2022, about 350,000 people in Denmark had diabetes, and 89% of them had type 2 diabetes.
Globally, more than half a billion people suffer from diabetes, with rates of type 2 diabetes increasing in most countries. This rise is due to lifestyle changes, increasing rates of obesity and aging populations.