I'm sure many of you have been told from an early age that carrots improve your eyesight because of the beta carotene. Well that's not entirely true. Even though carrots ARE a prime source of beta carotene. It's the beta carotene that, when consumed in excess rather than moderation, can cause more harm than good.
You see, your body converts carotene into Vitamin A. Vitamin A is a top player in eye health and is responsible for good and bad eye sight. Many of the diseases and eye illnesses result from a Vitamin A deficiency. But before you go on a "What's up Doc" carrot eating marathon, too much Vitamin A is toxic to your body.
Hypervitaminosis A is a fancy way of saying you've taken in too much Vitamin A. This causes, amongst other things, liver problems, hair loss and jaundice. Remember being told if you eat too much of something you'll turn into it? In the case of jaundice, you'll turn into a carrot or squash...at least the same color.
For those kiddies reading this, no use trying to tell your moms and dads that I've told you veggies are bad. I'm not saying that at all. Just eating in moderation is the way to go!
Little known carrot fact: Carrots are a highly refined version of the weed, Queen Anne's Lace and are native to Afghanistan. Who'd have thought?
