Carrot smoothies provide vitamin A that boosts your immunity during cancer treatment. Photo Credit carrote juice image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com A carrot juice smoothie offers a concentrated, easy-to-digest source of beta-carotene, an antioxidant compound that your body converts to vitamin A. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, a diet rich in carrots and other foods that contain beta-carotene may reduce your risk of developing cancer. The immunity-boosting properties of vitamin A may protect you against secondary infections while you're going through cancer treatment.
Carrot juice has a mild, sweet flavor and blends well with other fruits and vegetables, such as apples, oranges, pineapple or beets. To make a carrot juice smoothie based on the guidelines of the American Cancer Society, or ACS, for high-calorie drinks, add 8 oz. of canned or fresh carrot juice to one scoop of vanilla ice cream or yogurt. For extra protein, include 1 to 2 tbsp. of powdered milk. Blend ingredients in a covered blender and serve chilled. To add thickness and texture, include slices of frozen fruit, such as bananas, peaches, strawberries, mango or papaya. Cancer treatment or the metabolic effects of the disease may give you an aversion to fats or dairy products, MedlinePlus notes. If you can't digest milk, substitute soy yogurt or ice cream. If you can tolerate fats and you're trying to gain weight, add regular yogurt instead of nonfat yogurt for extra calories.
The side effects of radiation or chemotherapy may limit your food choices. If you have pain with chewing or swallowing solid foods, vegetable smoothies can provide vitamins, minerals and antioxidant compounds, the National Cancer Institute notes. A chilled smoothie can soothe a sore throat and may be more digestible than solids when you're having nausea. If a loss of appetite or digestive complications restrict you to small meals or snacks, eat foods that are rich in protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidant nutrients like beta-carotene. Cancer can alter your metabolism, making you lose weight and muscle mass. If you're trying to gain weight and maintain lean muscle tissue, increase the calories and protein in a carrot juice smoothie by adding one scoop of protein powder, one tbsp. of wheat germ, one cup of regular yogurt or one scoop of powdered egg whites.
Beta-carotene is a plant-based pigment found in orange, red, and yellow vegetables and fruits. When you eat foods that contain beta-carotene, this pigment converts into vitamin A. The ACS states that although vitamin A may alter the effects of cancer cells, clinical research on the effectiveness of vitamin A for cancer treatment has been inconclusive. However, vitamin A does offer protection against secondary infections, which may compromise the outcomes of your cancer treatment and interfere with your recovery. Radiation or chemotherapy may weaken your immune system by damaging the the membranous linings of your mouth and nose, allowing germs to invade your digestive, respiratory or urinary tracts. Vitamin A helps prevent infections by maintaining the integrity of the cells that make up these linings, the ACS notes. A half of a chopped, raw carrot contains the equivalent of 1,793 IU of vitamin A, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.
ACS advises that you should get the recommended dietary allowance for vitamin A – about 2,310 IU or 0.7 mg for women and 3,000 IU for men – from dietary sources such as carrots rather than from supplements. Although beta-carotene may inhibit the effects of cancer when you consume it in food, beta-carotene may not provide the same benefit when taken in supplement form and may actually increase your cancer risk when you take it in high doses, the Linus Pauling Institute notes.
LIVESTRONG.COM Weight Loss Tools - All FREE! Calorie Tracker - Premium Workout Videos - Premium Meal Plans - Community Support LIVESTRONG.COM Most PopularComments
No comments:
Post a Comment