Does A Raw Carrot Salad Balance Your Hormones? And Is It Safe To Eat During Pregnancy?
Have you seen the Raw Carrot Salad trend? It started on TikTok and the hashtag #rawcarrotsalad has 32.3 million views to date, but what is it?
The raw carrot salad was developed by Doctor Ray Peat who suggests that there is a unique fiber in raw carrots that helps to bind excess estrogen in the body and eliminate toxins, essentially helping with hormone imbalances. TikTok videos about the recipe – which includes 1-3 carrots, a teaspoon of high-quality oil, a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, and sea salt – claim that the salad is also good for digestive health and reducing acne breakouts.
We’re addressing these claims and dishing on the truth about eating raw carrot salads.
Does eating raw carrot salad balance your hormones?
Your hormones can be all over the place during pregnancy, so we understand why the idea of balancing them with a simple meal can be enticing.
The biggest claim on TikTok is that a raw carrot salad can “balance your hormone”s and therefore reduce symptoms associated with hormone imbalance. Ray Peat, the biologist mentioned in lots of TikTok’s about the raw carrot salad, reported that women who ate a “carrot diet” had decreased blood estrogen levels and reduced premenstrual symptoms and migraines. There are currently no scientific studies or publications to support this claim.
Are there any benefits of eating a raw carrot salad?
Well, carrots themselves have nutritional value – but that’s about it as far as the benefits of eating raw carrot salad is concerned.
The top health benefits of carrots are:
Carrots are rich in vitamins and minerals
Vitamin A
Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A. This nutrient promotes good vision and is important for growth, development, and immune function. During pregnancy, vitamin A is important for fetal bone and teeth formation.
Biotin
Plays an important role in fat and protein metabolism. Biotin is also a crucial nutrient during pregnancy, as it’s important for embryonic growth. Other natural sources of biotin include egg yolks, nuts and nut butters, soybeans, whole grains, cauliflower, and bananas.
Vitamin K1
This vitamin helps to make proteins that are needed for blood clotting, helping wounds heal, and building bones.
Potassium
This is important for blood pressure control. During pregnancy, potassium helps maintain the balance of fluid and electrolytes in your body’s cells. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, you need more potassium than usual - around 2,900mg per day -but lots of foods contain this vitamin, so you’ll likely get enough from your diet.
Vitamin B6
This vitamin is involved in the conversion of food into energy. During pregnancy, vitamin B6 plays a part in growing baby’s brain and nervous system. Some other sources of vitamin B6 are whole-grain cereals, bananas, nuts, and beans.
2. Carrots can help support immune function and reduce the risk of illnesses
Carrots are rich in plant compounds called carotenoids. Carotenoids have antioxidant properties that have been linked to improved immune function and reduced risk of illnesses including heart disease and some types of cancer.
Carrots are a good source of vitamin A, and some research studies suggest that vitamin A consumption may decrease the risk of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer in some women. Another study suggested that carotenoids could also protect against lung cancer, although more research is needed to confirm this correlation. Carotenoids are also good for your skin and support healthy aging, and support mucosal membranes.
3. Carrots really do help your eyesight
Carotenoids also play an important role in eyesight (remember that old wives' tale that carrots help you see in the dark?). Research shows that people with low levels of vitamin A are more likely to experience night blindness, and this can be treated by eating foods high in vitamin A or carotenoids.
4. Carrots are a good source of soluble and insoluble fiber
When you think of fiber in your diet, you likely associate the benefits with having regular bowel movements & reducing constipation – which is often needed during pregnancy & postpartum! Carrots have insoluble fibers including cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, which may reduce risk of constipation.
Carrots also have soluble fibers, the main soluble fiber in carrots is Pectin. These soluble fibers can help lower blood sugar levels by aiding the digestion of sugar and starch. Certain soluble fibers can also impair the absorption of cholesterol from your digestive tract, lowering blood cholesterol.
Why a cooked-carrot salad might be better.
Cooking methods can alter the nutritional value in foods, but overall, cooking your vegetables will help your body access the most nutrients available! Heat helps break down the carrot’s cell walls and allows carotenoids to be more easily absorbed by the body. Steaming vegetables in either a conventional oven or microwave oven can help your body more easily absorb the most nutrients possible.
A 2008 study found that carrot’s overall antioxidant levels were increased by boiling or steaming vegetables. A 2021 study found that steaming or microwaving carrots for around 10 minute maintained minerals like potassium and sodium in carrots.
Are there any downsides to eating raw carrot salad?
As with any food, carrots should be eaten in moderation and as part of a balanced and varied diet. As a standalone meal, the raw carrot salad will not give you the nutritional value you need, especially during pregnancy.
On top of that, the consumption of excessive amounts (for example, eating 10 carrots a day for a few weeks) of foods rich in carotenoids, like carrots, can cause a condition called carotenemia, a condition in which your skin turns a yellow-orange color due to the high carotene levels in your blood.
Other foods that are rich in carotenoids include:
Squash
Sweet potatoes
Pumpkins
Grapefruit
Bell peppers
Green vegetables like broccoli, kale, and spinach, may contain carotenoids.
Carotenemia is typically a harmless condition that resolves after excess carotenoids are eliminated from the diet.
Is it safe to eat raw carrot salads during pregnancy?
There’s nothing unsafe about the ingredients in the raw carrot salad, so eating one won’t pose a risk during pregnancy. However, during pregnancy, it’s important to pair a carrot salad with foods that will give you the energy and nutrients you need. If you want to bulk out the salad then look to include a good mix of macronutrients — protein, healthy fats, and smart carbs to balance the meal out and get enough calories to support you and baby.
The bottom line: should you be eating raw carrot salads?
There’s no evidence that the TikTok raw carrot salad balances hormones as it claims to, and in fact, it’s not a balanced and nutritious meal in itself, whether you’re pregnant, postpartum, or at any other stage. The nutritional benefits of this TikTok salad come from the carrots — which can be incorporated into a much more balanced and nutritious meal plan.
Head to Baby2Body to get your week-specific meal plan and recipes so you can feel healthier during pregnancy and ensure you’re getting the nutrients you need.
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