MEDICINAL PLANTS

The carrot is a biennial plant root and red-orange fusiform, that we all know being a regular food product in every household. It is a cultivated plant that has many varieties of root can be long, cylindrical, round, orange, yellow or red clearly, is grown in orchards, gardens or open countryside. It also grows spontaneously in the dry hills or meadows, but in these cases it is a distinct variety, distinguishable by presenting a dark flower in the center of his head. The carrot has been known since ancient times, both as a vegetable and herb.

FLOWERING

The carrot flowers from May onwards and the fruits ripen in summer and autumn. The root is collected between June and October, depending on the area, and the fruits in late September.

APPLICATIONS

At the root of the cultivated plant is about 85% water, 0.3% of nitrogenous materials, up to 11% of various sugars (most notably glucose and sucrose) and very small amounts of fiber and essence. In essence we find a leaf and two alkaloids in the fruit, meanwhile, you can also find small amounts of other alkaloids, and some substance. But most important-and what more you use this plant, is its high content of vitamins C, B1, B2 and especially carotenoids (an essential part of vitamin A), are they responsible for the carrot that the known for its ability to enhance visual acuity and night vision. The root is remineralizing, diuretics, vitamin, ophthalmic, astringent and healing. The seeds have properties snacks, carminative, diuretic and galactógena. Carrot juice is a well known remedy against tonsillitis in children. And the fruits are sometimes added to herbal teas to produce an anthelmintic effect. It also has applications as a cosmetic, in fact, beauty mask made with fresh juice or pulp of carrots grown on the epidermis exerts a calming and invigorating. Furthermore, we must not forget that serves to strengthen and maintain the tan, hence the custom of eating lots of carrots before and after going to the beach. In ancient times used a variety of carrots, gardening, roasted and ground as coffee substitute.

ADMINISTRATION

Without doubt, the best way to manage this plant is naturally: peeled and washed and eaten raw or in salads, soups, cooked rice, etc.. However, at the pharmacy this plant is available in different dosage forms.
Pearls. 325 mg. Each. They take 4 to 6 beads on the main meals.
Carrot juice. Among 100/500 d. C. The day, it may be diluted in a little water or milk.
Decoction. 1 / 2 pounds of carrots in 1 quart of water boiled for 20 to 30 minutes, is ground, add water until complete re-liter, along with a small spoonful of salt. This must be taken as the only food for 2 or 3 days, the duration of diarrhea.

SUMMARY

FAMILY: Umbelliferae
HABITAT: It is grown in gardens
FLOWERING: May
PART USED: Roots and seeds
CASTILIAN: Zanahoria, cenoria
CATALAN: Pastanaga, bufanoga
BASQUE: Arbigorri, pastanaga

USES

Fort remineralizing, Diuretic Moderate, Antidiarrheal Moderate.