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Are too many carrots poisonous?
I was very concerned to read recently in your column that too many organic carrots would be poisonous. I have a juicer and usually juice about six medium-sized carrots with an apple. I drink this every other day and I now worried I may be doing more harm than good.
When I wrote that too much of anything - including organic carrots - would be bad for you, I was making the point that when it comes to good health, moderation and balance are sensible guidelines to follow. (I was writing, you may recall, in response to a reader who was concerned, quite rightly, about taking high doses of the immune-boosting herb echinacea for long periods of time without a break) I was not saying that organic carrots are toxic and I am sorry that a lot of readers misinterpreted this. I was simply saying that we can over-dose on anything that we eat or drink too much of, even the things we think of as being good for our health.
You are not going to overdose on the modest amount of carrots you are eating and indeed, you will be benefiting from the health-promoting betacarotene content which has a powerful antioxidant property in the body and so can help prevent against cellular damage.
Since you are so keen on juicing - which is an excellent way to get vitamins, minerals and other nutrients into the body quickly - you may find, especially if you suffer from any digestive disorders, that your system will benefit even more if you slightly warm your juices.
I agree, for example, with the Chinese system of eating which aims to support the stomach and digestive tract, especially during the cold months of winter, by making the food we do eat more easily digestible. To learn more about this way of eating, read The Tao of Healthy Eating by Bob Flaws (Blue Puppy Press, £11.99.).
If this captures your imagination, I suggest you then book onto one of Dr Shamim Daya’s excellent Food As Therapy workshops which not only explains how to eat this way in the West, using our own everyday ingredients, but how to incorporate health-promoting Chinese herbs which we might otherwise feel too nervous to use. These courses, run by a GP who now specialises in using food to heal, are excellent for anyone who suffers from digestive problems, especially Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) which is always exacerbated by cold food or juices.
*You can mail order Bob Flaws’ book from the Nutricentre on 0207-436 0422. For details of Dr Daya’s Food As Therapy one-day workshops, call The Food Therapy Helpline on 07000-388 388.