Carrots are crunchy veggies that offer various benefits. These root vegetables are extensively researched for their powerful nutritional profile. The most important nutrient is beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A in the human body.
However, excess intake of carrots has been linked to unwelcome effects. Some of those can be severe too. In this article, we will look at the side effects of carrots.
What Are The Side Effects Of Carrots?
1. May Cause Vitamin A Toxicity
In a case report, an individual who consumed excess of carrots was hospitalized on the grounds of abdominal pain. His liver enzymes were found to have elevated to abnormally high levels (1). The patient was diagnosed with a mild case of vitamin A toxicity. Levels of vitamin A up to 10,000 IU have been considered safe. Anything beyond that could be toxic (2). Half a cup of carrot has 459 mcg of beta-carotene, which is about 1,500 IU of vitamin A.
Vitamin A toxicity is also called hypervitaminosis A. Symptoms can include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, loss of hair, fatigue, and nose bleeding (3).
Toxicity occurs because vitamin A is fat-soluble. Any excess vitamin A not required by the body will be stored in the liver or fat tissue. This can lead to the accumulation of vitamin A over time and eventual toxicity (4).
Chronic vitamin A toxicity can affect multiple organ systems. It can inhibit bone formation, leading to weaker bones and fractures. Long-term vitamin A toxicity may also affect kidney function (5).
2. Can Cause Allergies
Though carrot alone is rarely responsible for allergies, it may cause reactions when consumed as part of other foods. In a report, the ingestion of carrot contained in an ice cream caused allergic reactions (6).
Carrot allergies may affect over 25% of individuals with food allergies. This could be associated with their allergy to specific carrot proteins (7). Individuals with pollen food syndrome are the most likely to be allergic to carrots (8).
Symptoms of carrot allergy include itching or swelling of the lips and irritation of the eyes and nose (9). In rare situations, carrot intake may also lead to anaphylaxis (6).
3. May Cause Flatulence
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Certain individuals may find carrots difficult to digest. This can get aggravated if you have too many of them, eventually leading to flatulence (or stomach gas) (10).
4. Might Be Unsafe For Infants
This has more to do with the size of the carrots. Carrot sticks carry the risk of choking infants (11). Hence, you may want to limit the amount of carrots you are giving to your infants. More importantly, make them into a paste.
5. Can Cause Skin Discoloration
Eating too many carrots can cause a harmless condition called carotenemia. This is caused by too much beta-carotene in your bloodstream, which makes your skin turn orange (12).
Carotenemia is highly unlikely unless you are on a restricted diet in which you are required to eat too many carrots for a long time. One medium carrot contains about 4 milligrams of beta-carotene. Consuming more than 20 milligrams of beta-carotene every day for a few weeks can cause skin discoloration (12).
These are the side effects of carrots you need to be wary about. But as discussed, eating too many of them in a day is a problem. Otherwise, they are among the healthiest foods you can snack on.
How Many Carrots Can You Eat In A Day?
One medium carrot contains about 509 micrograms (RAE, or retinol activity equivalent) of vitamin A (13).
The tolerable upper level of vitamin A to prevent toxicity is 3,000 micrograms RAE per day (14).
This equates to about five to six carrots. Do not to go beyond this. Sticking to three to four carrots a day should be the safe option.
Conclusion
Carrots are super-healthy. They are rich sources of antioxidants and help fight disease. But like most other foods, moderation is key. Have no more than three (or four, maximum) medium carrots on any given day.
Even if you consume carrot juice, keep the quantity in mind. A cup (236 grams) of carrot juice contains over 45,000 IU of vitamin A (15). This is way beyond the recommended amount. Try not to have more than half a cup of the juice at a time, and try not to take carrot juice every day.
Overintake of vitamin A, as we discussed, can be toxic to humans. In normal cases, this can only cause a slight orange tinge on the skin and is not harmful to health. An excessive overdose of vitamin A is unlikely to happen through regular amounts of food, but it may result from the intake of supplements.
