Botanical: Daucus carota
Family: Umbelliferae (carrot)
Other common names: Philtron, Bird's Nest, Bees' Nest, Wild Carrot, Garden Carrot,

Bird's Nest Weed, Bird's Nest Root, Devil's Plague, Queen Anne's Lace*

*Important note:  Carrot should never be confused with poisonous hemlock, which is also sometimes referred to as Queen Anne's Lace.

Poor eyesight?   Carrot is loaded with carotene that is very helpful for improving vision, especially night vision.   Carrot is an extremely easily digested food and also benefits the digestive system, easing colic, heartburn, hiccups, flatulence and gastrointestinal distress.  Highly nutritious Carrot is now a very popular ingredient in health drinks and diets designed to fight malignant diseases, and its potent antiseptic and diuretic properties also help to relieve urinary and bladder infections and eliminate kidney stones and gravel.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein by Herbal Extracts Plus is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

History:
Carrot is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant that is believed to be a native of the seacoasts of southeastern Europe, the Mediterranean region and western Asia, but now grows wild and cultivated throughout the temperate regions of the world.  The plant produces an edible globular or long taproot in the first growing season and has been considered an important vegetable crop in Europe, North Africa and many parts of Asia since at least classical times.  It is interesting to note that the familiar orange carrot is eaten mainly in Europe and North America, but Asian varieties range from orange, to white, dark red, yellow and even purple (Afghanistan).   It was the Dutch who, in the 1500s, developed the orange Carrot, when they cross-bred yellow and purple varieties.  The wild and cultivated varieties possess the same medicinal applications, but careful cultivation produces a fleshier, tastier root than its wild, spindly counterpart.  Carrot may be found growing by the sea or in waysides, farmland, fields, roadsides and other open places, and it thrives in loose, sandy, well-drained, alkaline soil in sun or partial shade, possibly growing to a height of three feet; the cultivated variety is usually grown in heavily manured and fertilized loam or peat. Carrot is a deeply penetrating root with several lateral rootlets and produces erect, hairy stems that branch into bipinnate leaves that give the appearance of an umbrella or bird's nest and frequently bears a tiny, bright red or deep purple flower.   Carrot's botanical genus, Daucus, is derived from the name bestowed on it by Galen, the Greek physician at the court of Marcus Aurelius (second century A.D.), who wished to distinguish the Carrot from the Parsnip.  One of Carrot's common names, Queen Anne's Lace, is said to symbolize a drop of blood that Queen Anne (1665-1714) shed when making lace.  Carrot was well known to the ancients and mentioned by both Roman and Greek writers, who frequently called it by different names, and it has long been an extremely important food and medicinal herb. The early colonists brought Carrot seeds with them from England (where it had been widely eaten as a very nourishing vegetable).  The roots, leaves and seeds are used in herbal preparations, and Carrot is also used as an animal feed, a dye for cloth or other foods (mostly butter), a substitute and enricher for coffee, and an ingredient in perfumes.  The oils are included in wrinkle creams (the carotene is said to stimulate cell renewal), and Carrot is also made into an appetizing jelly and jams.  Some of the constituents included in Carrot are large amounts of crystallizable and uncrystallizable sugar, carbohydrate, gluten, albumen, essential oil, potassium, pectin, malic acid, tannins, and it is rich in carotene.

Beneficial Uses:
Carrot has been used for centuries as an effective diuretic, and as such, it has helped to eliminate excess water retention and relieve edema (the accumulation of fluid in tissues that produce swelling). The increased urine flow also benefits the kidneys, purifying them and flushing out toxins, stones, gravel, calculus, uric acid and other obstructions that cause chronic kidney and gallbladder diseases. This flushing action also helps to relieve gout and arthritic conditions, which are caused by accumulated toxins (uric acid, etc.).

As a potent antiseptic (in addition to its diuretic qualities), Carrot is considered a fine urinary antiseptic that relieves bladder and urinary infection, including cystitis.

Carrot is well known as a nutritious food that is great for the eyes.  The high carotene content provides the material for the body to make vitamin A, which is essential for proper vision, especially night vision.

Carrot is a very easily digested food, and more importantly, it also aids the digestive and gastrointestinal tracts. It is said to prevent putrefaction in the intestines and relieve gastrointestinal catarrh.  As an aid to good digestion, Carrot is said to soothe the digestive tract and relieve flatulence, windy colic, hiccough (hiccup), stomach acidity, heartburn and indigestion.

The tannins in Carrot act as an astringent, and this action helps to treat diarrhea.  The additional antibacterial qualities have also made it useful in treating dysentery.

Carrot is considered an aperient, a substance that exerts a mild laxative action without purging.  This mild stimulating action helps to relieve constipation and encourages the elimination of intestinal waste, as well as the expulsion of intestinal worms, including roundworm.

As a uterine stimulant, Carrot is believed to be effective in promoting the onset of delayed menstruation in women.  This action also stimulates uterine contractions, and as such, should not be used during pregnancy.

Carrot is known to be one of the most nutritious and healthful vegetables and is included in many wholesome and nourishing juices, and recent studies have made it a popular ingredient in diets that are designed to fight malignant diseases or as a healthful supplement for cancer patients.

The carotene in Carrot is believed to stimulate cell renewal, and it is interesting to note that Carrot is an important ingredient in facial oils and wrinkle creams to improve the look and health of the skin.

Recommended Dosage:
Take two (2) to three (3) capsules, three (3) times each day with water at mealtimes.

Contraindications:
Pregnant women should not use Carrot, as it is a uterine stimulant, and excessive use (many times the recommended dosage) is not recommended.

Capsule Size:
We use only 100% Gluten-free, Vegetable Cellulose "00" capsules for all of our encapsulated products. (click here for size comparison)

• Carrot - Botanical Powder -- Approximately 600 mg. each.
• Carrot - Botanical Extract 4:1 -- Approximately 600 mg. each.