Problems With Eating Lots Of Raw Carrots

Raw carrots make a convenient and healthy snack, but too much of even a good thing can cause you problems. Overindulging in raw carrots, which contain 3.4 g of fiber per cup, can cause intestinal problems and might interfere with nutrient absorption. Too many carrots can even change your skin color, an alarming but harmless effect.

Yellow Alert

Carrots contain carotene, a yellow pigment that is a precursor for vitamin A. Eating a large amount of vegetables high in carotene, such as carrots, might cause your skin to turn yellow. The color change is most noticeable in areas with an abundance of sweat glands, such as the palms and soles of the hands and feet. The color might also appear noticeably in the nasolabial folds around the nose. Vitamin A toxicity does not cause this harmless phenomenon, which will fade when you decrease your carrot intake. Cooking and mashing carrots actually increases the availability of carotene for absorption.

Gastrointestinal Distress

Carrots contain fiber, a necessary part of everyone's diet. Most Americans do not get enough fiber, consuming around 14 g of fiber per day, The recommended fiber intake varies by sex and weight, but should average around 14 g per day per 1,000 calories consumed, or around 35 g per day if you eat 2,500 calories per day, according to the Colorado State University Extension. While increasing fiber has benefits, increasing it too fast can cause stomach discomfort, including gas and bloating. Suddenly increasing your intake could cause symptoms; increase fiber gradually to avoid GI distress, and increase your fluid intake to 64 oz. per day, the Linus Pauling Institute recommends.

Constipation

Large amounts of fiber can cause constipation if you don't drink enough water at the same time. Intestinal blockages can even develop in severe cases. Drinking adequate amounts of fluid will help prevent constipation.

Vitamin and Mineral Absorption

Eating a large amount of foods containing fiber, such as raw carrots, could interfere with absorption of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium and zinc. Interference with vitamin and mineral absorption could lead to deficiencies, especially in young children. Most people who eat a high-fiber diet take in enough vitamins and minerals to prevent this problems.