Temporarily removing sources of beta carotene from your diet typically resolves the issue.įinally, carrot juice has less fiber than whole carrots and contains natural sugars. While it’s not harmful, it can be alarming.
Pregnant women, older adults, young children, and those with compromised immune systems should avoid unpasteurized carrot juice.Īdditionally, drinking very large amounts of carrot juice may lead to carotenemia, a condition that turns your skin yellow-orange as a result of high blood levels of beta carotene ( 27).
Some carrot juices, especially freshly prepared varieties, may not have been pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria. While carrot juice is perfectly safe for most people, there are a few precautions to keep in mind. While regular carrot juice also has a low GI, you should be sure to drink it in very moderate amounts. Limited animal studies suggest that fermented and purple carrot juice improve blood sugar control. However, it’s important to keep portion sizes in check, as too much may spike blood sugar levels. Thus, carrot juice may be a good replacement for high GI fruit juices. Consuming low glycemic foods and beverages may help improve blood sugar management in people with diabetes ( 15, 16). It isn’t known whether regular carrot juice has similar effects.Įven so, carrot juice has a low glycemic index (GI) - a measure of how much a certain food increases blood sugar levels. Yet, these are very specific types of carrot juice. That’s because the juice contains probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that affect gut bacteria associated with diabetes ( 11, 12, 13).Īnother rodent study found that purple carrot juice boosts blood sugar control due to the anti-inflammatory effect of its anthocyanin pigments ( 14). In particular, studies in rats with type 2 diabetes show that fermented carrot juice decreases blood sugar and improves other related markers. However, more human research is needed.ĭrinking small amounts of carrot juice may help lower blood sugar levels. SummaryĬompounds in carrot juice have been shown to trigger cancer cell death in test-tube studies. Carrot juice should not be considered a cancer treatment. Overall, more extensive research is needed. Still, this was a short study with a limited sample size ( 10). While these results appear promising, few human studies are available.Ī 2-week study in 22 healthy young men found that drinking approximately 1.5 cups (330 mL) of carrot juice per day didn’t significantly affect biomarkers in feces related to colon cancer. One test-tube study found that treating leukemia cells with carrot juice extracts for 72 hours led to cancer cell death and stopped the cell growth cycle ( 9).Īnother test-tube study reported similar results but indicated that polyacetylenes - not beta carotene or lutein - are the main anticancer agents in carrot juice ( 8).
Specifically, polyacetylenes, beta carotene, and lutein from carrot juice extract may be effective against human leukemia cells ( 8, 9). Test-tube studies suggest that certain compounds in carrot juice may protect against cancer. SummaryĬarrot juice is a very good source of carotenoids, including beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which are vital for eye health and may protect against AMD. One analysis of 6 studies linked a high dietary intake of these compounds to a 26% lower risk of late AMD, compared with a low intake ( 4, 5). What’s more, carrot juice is an excellent source of lutein and zeaxanthin, two other carotenoids that accumulate in your eyes and shield them from damaging light ( 1).Ī high dietary intake of lutein and zeaxanthin may lower your risk of eye issues, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Several studies associate the intake of fruits and vegetables that contain provitamin A with a decreased risk of blindness and age-related eye diseases ( 3, 4). Specifically, 1 cup (250 ml) of carrot juice packs over 250% of the DV for vitamin A, mostly in the form of provitamin A carotenoids like beta carotene ( 1). Carrot juice contains high amounts of nutrients that benefit your eyes.