THE RAW CARROT SALAD
Today I'm diving into everything you've ever wanted to know about the raw carrot salad and how it works to support the liver (and SO much more!). This is a good one, so pour a cup of tea, get cozy and read on. I think the winter is an amazing time to add in this new habit if you're not already doing so. Lower sun exposure and more time indoors can impact our metabolic health and thyroid function. This is a great way to support all of it.
Looking at the background of the raw carrot salad, Dr Ray Peat was a huge advocate of the humble carrot as a powerhouse functional nutrient:
"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."-Ray Peat
The Raw Carrot Salad:
✨Supports Liver Health
✨Boosts Digestion
✨Eliminates Endotoxins
✨Supports the Thyroid
✨Promotes Digestive Regularity
✨Supports the GI tract
✨Removes excess Estrogen
If I haven't got you convinced just yet, read on my friends!
Liver health is supported because the carrot fibres aid the GI tract in the elimination of excess estrogens and endotoxins. One of the main roles of our liver is to remove toxins from the body. When the liver is under a lot of pressure due to daily exposures to toxins in our food system, beauty products, cleaning products, heavy metals in our air and water (I could go on)… then it has a hard time keeping up with the need for detoxification. When we can support this process, the liver is freed up to do its other primary job – HORMONE CONVERSION. The majority of our hormone conversion takes place in the liver.
Thyroid: Roughly 80% of the body's T4 (a thyroid hormone) is converted to T3 in the liver. This is very important for optimal thyroid function and for our cells to be able to respond appropriately to the circulating hormones. I recently also learned that T3 is responsible for regulating autophagy – something people are really hyped up about. If you ask me, all of the intermittent fasting to support autophagy is only beneficial if you have OPTIMAL thyroid and liver health. So, taking up some of the burden of detoxification from the liver will allow this hormone conversion to happen more effectively. As thyroid conversion is supported, metabolism, cognitive function, energy, autophagy, hair/skin/nails are all improved too!
Have you heard of Estrogen Dominance? What about the following symptoms:
PMS/PMDD, breast tenderness, fibroids, cyclical acne, moodiness, menstrual migraines/headaches, hot flashes, frequent UTI's, anxiety, endometriosis… Obviously this condition of excess estrogen in the body wreaks havoc on many women! The carrot fibre has the unique ability to bind to estrogen in the intestines and safely remove this excess in the bowels. – Here's also how the salad also keeps you regular, as all the fibre speeds up motility in the digestive tract. Therefore less bloat, constipation, & digestive upset.
Endotoxin Clean Up: Lipopolysaccharides are bacterial toxins that can become harmful if they enter the bloodstream. Normally they are housed in the GI tract, but in the case of leaky gut or infection, they can cause inflammation and other health issues. The carrot fibres again have the unique ability to bind up these endotoxins and safely remove them via stool.
Gut Health: Carrots are both anti-microbial and anti-fungal, so we've got the added benefit of being able to prevent bacterial and fungal overgrowth in the intestines. Our hormone health is directly related to gut health because the gut houses roughly 75% of our immune system. If this is altered, autoimmune conditions can ensue leading to hormonal imbalances. Our gut is also responsible for helping to regulate blood sugar balance which is critical for hormone balance.
HOW I MAKE MY DAILY SALAD:
2 full sized organic carrots, peeled lengthwise into ribbons
¼ tsp apple cider vinegar
¼ tsp olive oil or coconut oil
& sprinkle of sea salt
As you may have seen on instagram, I like to prep mine in advance. You can store 6-8 fully peeled carrots in a glass container, covered with filtered water in the fridge for approx. 3 days!
WHAT'S THE BEST TIME FOR A CARROT SALAD?
The ideal timing is between meals, but I don't sweat it too much. As long as you're getting it in daily, you're going to see some amazing shifts and benefits!
Let me know if you give this a try. Enjoy!!
