Another day, another TikTok health trend. This time, it’s carrot juice that’s being heralded as a golden elixir, with the #CarrotJuice hashtag getting well over 45 million views. Videos on the platform claim the juice is “gut healing”, “immunity boosting”, “hormone balancing” and can “leave skin glowing”. It’s enough to have you raiding Bugs Bunny’s lunchbox and making for the nearest Nutribullet.

But is this drink really the magic health potion TikTok believes it to be? We asked the experts to talk us through the real benefits of carrot juice and look at just how much we should be drinking to optimise our health. 

“Carrot juice is rich in vitamins A, C and K, as well as minerals like potassium and manganese. These nutrients are essential for overall health, our immunity and for supporting healthy skin, nails and hair,” certified nutritionist Adele Johnson tells Strong Women. “Carrots are also packed with antioxidants including beta-carotene, which may help protect cells from damage and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.”

The health benefits of this juice can be boosted with the addition of ingredients such as ginger and orange. “Ginger is known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-nausea properties, while oranges add vitamin C, boosting your immune system in a quick and convenient way,” adds Johnson.

To optimise the benefits further, it’s a good idea to select organic carrots for juicing. According to the Pesticide Action Network, carrots are one of the UK’s 12 most polluted fruits and vegetables due to their ability to absorb pesticides. If you can afford them, choosing organic might help to reduce your consumption of bug-killing chemicals.

Alexander Thompson, senior nutritionist at Holland & Barrett, believes consuming carrots in juice form is often a better option than eating them cooked. 

“Cooking carrots will result in some losses to vitamin and mineral content, although this effect can be mitigated by choosing cooking methods such as steaming, stir-frying or by adding a source of fat, such as vegetable oil or butter, to improve absorption of the vitamin A content,” he explains.

“Raw carrot juice retains the full vitamin and mineral content, but juicing strips away the beneficial fibre content.” 

And this is where social media’s carrot juice claims start to sound a little empty… 

“Whole carrots have been found to have a prebiotic role, meaning the fibre found within carrots is a good source of fuel for the beneficial bacteria that resides within the gut. Furthermore, black and purple varieties of carrot also provide plant compounds called polyphenols, which also provide prebiotic effects,” explains Thompson.

But this applies to fibre-rich whole carrots. As soon as you juice them, which removes almost all the crucial fibre, the related gut health benefits are almost entirely removed too. 

As for the TikTok claims that carrot juice is good for balancing hormones, Thompson reiterates the links with gut health: “In terms of supporting hormonal health, the prebiotic effects of the fibre in carrots helps to support a healthy gut microbiome, which may then help to support normal oestrogen levels. However, this effect is not exclusive to carrots and the best overall effects will be achieved through ingesting a wide variety of whole fruit and vegetables.”

When it comes to supporting hormones at other life stages, Johnson says that “while carrot juice is generally good for overall wellbeing, it may not have a specific effect related to hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle or perimenopause – drinking it won’t replace decreasing hormones”.

It looks like TikTok’s carrot juice fans have pounced on the health benefits of whole carrots and assumed they apply to carrots in any form. While raw whole carrots do contain the fibre needed to support hormones and gut health, this is missing in its juiced form – any claims that carrot juice does the same for our health as a whole carrot is a misleading leap too far. 

You may have heard scary stories about vitamin A toxicity, and while it’s true that a high intake can cause nausea, dizziness, blurred vision and severe headaches, it’s usually via certain medicines or supplements. The vitamin A from carrots is created by the body converting carotenoids into vitamin A – and as the body is able to regulate this, toxicity isn’t usually an issue where carrots are concerned.

However, too many carotenoids will have one particularly interesting effect. You may have spotted ‘the carrot tan’ trend on TikTok gaining millions of views. Like rabbits possessed, white TikTokers are chomping their way through bags of carrots and gulping down carrot juice on the regular to achieve what they believe to be a sun-kissed glow. 

While the vitamin content of carrots can help promote healthy skin, the ‘carrot tan’ these maniacs are chasing is actually a sign of beta-carotene overdose. Johnson explains: “Excessive consumption of beta-carotene can cause a condition called carotenemia, turning the skin orange-yellow – but this is not dangerous.”

Drink or crunch through a sensible amount and carrot’s high beta-carotene content can be particularly beneficial for eye health. “It can reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration and improve night vision, which many women note deteriorates in the menopause years,’ she adds. 

Both experts recommend carrot juice for its vitamin and mineral content, but that it should be considered as one part of a varied diet full of whole foods.

“Drinking carrot juice can be a tasty and easy way to get more of your weekly intake of nutrients, but it’s important to maintain a well-rounded diet containing a variety of fruits and vegetables,” says Johnson.

And Thompson is keen to stress the fibre point: “While carrot juice is a great way to get essential vitamins and minerals into your diet, the juice form can contain less fibre than eating the whole vegetable. Limit your intake of carrot juice to one small glass a day and make sure that you support this with plenty of other fruits and vegetables throughout the day too.” 

Images: Getty