In the quest for wellness, sometimes the most effective solutions are found in the simplest of ingredients. One such unsung hero in the realm of nutrition is the raw carrot. Often relegated to mere side dishes or snacks, raw carrots possess remarkable health benefits that are often overlooked. From aiding hormonal balance to supporting digestive health, incorporating a daily raw carrot salad into your routine could be the holistic solution you’ve been searching for.
If you’re struggling with hormonal symptoms such as PMS, cyclical headaches and migraines, mood changes in the second half of your cycle, bloating, changes in bowel movements, painful peridods, irregular cycles, heavy bleeding, hot flushes and night sweats…then chances are that your estrogen and progesterone ratios are out of balance. I see this so much in my practise, with women struggling with symptoms from teenage years all through to perimenopause and menopause. I wrote another blog post here about estrogen dominance which you can read here. This simple dish can help move the needle in the right direction and start to alleviate these symptoms. Sound too good to be true? Give it a try! I have so many clients who have seen improvements in their hormonal symptoms by including this simple salad into their diet every day.
I was first introduced to the benefits of a daily humble carrot salad by the works of Dr. Ray Peat. He is a biologist, thyroid expert and the person who I have learnt the most from when it comes to all things hormones. He first discovered the benefits of raw carrots when he noted that eating a raw carrot salad every day helped alleviate his migraines. Upon further research, he discovered that the fibre in the raw carrot binds to excess estrogens and endotoxins in the intestines, aiding the detoxification of these compounds through the gut.
There are interesting associations between vegetable “fiber” and estrogens. Because of my own experience in finding that eating a raw carrot daily prevented my migraines, I began to suspect that the carrot fiber was having both a bowel-protective and an antiestrogen effect. Several women who suffered from premenstrual symptoms, including migraine, had their serum estrogen measured before and after the “carrot diet,” and they found that the carrot lowered their estrogen within a few days, as it relieved their symptoms. (Source)
The fibre of the carrot has anti-microbial properties due to growing underground. Think about the carrots that sit forgotten at the back of your vegetable drawer – they will tend to go a little soft, but it takes a while for them to go mouldy and disintegrate, right? Now think about the bag of lettuce leaves you forgot in the fridge. They very quickly turn mushy and gross. The anti-bacterial properties of the carrot fibre mean that they don’t feed the gut bacteria, and therefore do not promote overgrowth of bacteria in the intestine, or endotoxins. Instead, they act like a gentle brush throughout the gut, keeping it nice and clear of bacterial overgrowth, endotoxins and excess estrogen.
How do you make it?
It couldn’t be simpler: ribbon 1 or two carrots lengthwise, then dress with coconut oil, vinegar and some good quality sea salt. The coconut oil has further microbial-modulating effects, making the salad even more effective. Consume daily on an empty stomach, either as a snack or at the beginning of a meal (ideally 10 minutes before eating). That’s it! Here’s the deal though: consistency is key with the carrot salad! The best effects are noted when this is consumed daily. If you – like me – like to meal prep for the week, you can also coursely grate about 400g of carrots, dress with extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and salt, and then store it in a tupperware in the fridge for a quick snack or starter. I usually recommend having about 100g a day. You can also ribbon the carrots and store them in a jar with water, then take out and rinse the correct amount each day, dress them with coconut oil, vinegar and salt, and consume. This method will ensure the carrots stay more crunchy.
But Linda, I’m so busy! Can I just eat a raw carrot? Yes, that also works, but to get the most benefit, you want to include the dressing, as this has further anti-microbial properties… plus it tastes better! You can also add other ingredients to change things up, such as grated beetroot, garlic or even raisins.
What not to do: do not cook, blend or juice the carrots. We want to keep the fibres as intact as possible to have that brushing effect in our intestines.
The benefits of the carrot salad go beyond hormonal health. It is also a great addition for people who struggle with digestive issues such as bloating and constipation. In fact, I had a client who struggled with decades of constipation, who was finally able to have a daily bowel movement by including the daily carrot salad into her diet. She has had such tremendous improvements that even when she goes on holiday, her first stop is the supermarket to buy some carrots!
Have you tried the raw carrot salad? Let me know how you got on! And if you are struggling with hormonal symptoms like the ones listed above and feel like you could use some more individualised approach, let’s chat! Click here to book a free 30 minute Zoom call with me and let’s discuss how a bespoke nutritional plan can help your hormones flourish!
Further quotes from Ray Peat about the benefits of the carrot salad (From the brilliant Functionalalps website):
“Endotoxin or other material absorbed from intestinal bacteria contributes to a variety of autoimmune problems, including thyroiditis (Penhale and Young, 1988). Combining an indigestible fiber, such as raw carrot, with mild germicides, such as vinegar and coconut oil, can improve the hormonal environment, while reducing the immunological burden.”
“Endotoxin formed in the bowel can block respiration and cause hormone imbalances contributing to instability of the nerves, so it is helpful to optimize bowel flora, for example with a carrot salad; a dressing of vinegar, coconut oil and olive oil, carried into the intestine by the carrot fiber, suppresses bacterial growth while stimulating healing of the wall of the intestine. The carrot salad improves the ratio of progesterone to estrogen and cortisol, and so is as appropriate for epilepsy as for premenstrual syndrome, insomnia, or arthritis.”
“While an excess of carotene can inhibit progesterone synthesis, a carrot salad (grated carrots, vinegar, coconut oil, and salt) can often help to normalize progesterone, apparently by protecting against intestinal absorption of bacterial endotoxin, and by helping to reduce the reabsorption of estrogen which has been excreted in the bile.
“One vegetable has a special place in a diet to balance the hormones, and that is the raw carrot. It is so nearly indigestible that, when it is well chewed or grated, it helps to stimulate the intestine and reduce the reabsorption of estrogen and the absorption of bacterial toxins. In these effects on the bowel, which improve hormonal balance, a carrot salad resembles antibiotic therapy, except that the carrot salad can be used every day for years without harmful side-effects. Many people find that daily use of the raw carrot eliminates their PMS, headaches, or allergies. The use of oil and vinegar as dressing intensifies the bowel-cleansing effect of the salad. Coconut oil is more germicidal and thyroid promoting than olive oil, but a mixture of coconut and olive oil improves the flavor. Lime juice. salt, cheese and meats can be used to vary the flavor.”
“Since the fiber [CARROT] will delay digestion and reduce absorption of other foods, I think it’s best to eat it between meals, usually in the afternoon.”
Resources:
Ray Peat ‘Natural Estrogens’: https://raypeat.com/articles/articles/natural-estrogens.shtml
Ray Peat on the benefits of the raw carrot: https://www.functionalps.com/blog/2012/09/28/ray-peat-phd-on-the-benefits-of-the-raw-carrot
