For a while, my kids never had much use for carrots (other than for occasionally pretending to be Bugs Bunny). I didn’t buy them regularly, put them out, or try to make them taste good. When I learned about the curious popularity of carrots, though, and the surprising health benefits people get from eating them, I started making an effort.

Their benefits are so pronounced that the regions that originally cultivated carrots thought of them as medicine first and food second. Stop letting carrots fly under your radar and take advantage of these 5 curious benefits of eating pop culture’s most famous tuber.

 

1. Carrots Fight Cancer

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scientists have been analyzing carrots’ cancer-fighting capabilities for years. One study used carrot juice to kill cancer cells, while another found that high-carrot diets reduce the risk for prostate cancer. They’ve even been found to reduce a person’s risk for gastric cancer by a fourth.

If cancer runs in your family, a carrot diet could be a justifiable caution to fight the risk in yourself. For everyone else, fighting cancer is a bonus on top of all the other benefits carrots offer.

 

2. Carrots Improve Brain Function

 

 

 

 

 

 

When people feel groggy, they zap their brains with a dose of caffeinated coffee. I’m guilty of powering through some of my days on caffeine too. But the healthier alternatives to increased brain function we can find, the better off we’ll be. Turns out, carrots are pretty good at dispersing brain fog without any of caffeine’s negative aftereffects.

Their effect on memory and cognitive function, which comes from their high levels of antioxidants, is even more pronounced on people with age-related cognitive decline.

 

3. Carrots Keep Your Heart Healthy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carrots contain beta-carotene as well as those antioxidants I mentioned. Together they can substantially lower your risk for coronary heart disease, provided you eat them regularly.

Bad cholesterol or LDL has also been found to be lower in those who consume a diet that includes carrots. Since heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women, carrots could be your secret lifesaver.

 

4. Carrots Can Improve Your Skin Health

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beta-carotene is an effective vitamin for improving and maintaining healthy skin. Skin cells become damaged and die naturally, especially in the sun and wind. Premature aging related to rough skin treatment sounds like a nightmare.

Carrots can help you wake up from it by maintaining the youthful luster of your skin with its high dose of vitamins.

 

5. Carrots Really Do Help Your Eyes

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the last thing I’m listing because you already know this one. You’ve probably heard about eating carrots for your eyes since you were a kid. In World War II, the British hid the fact they had invented radar by suggesting that a carrot-rich diet gave their pilots superhuman sight.

The lie passed because of the fact that carrots contain beta-carotene and lutein, which keep your eyes healthy, protect them from the blue light emitted by your devices, and prevent them from degrading over time.

You may not become human radar, but the small amount of truth in that lie is that the cocktail of nutrients in carrots are as effective at keeping your eyes healthy as you’ve always been told.

 

The Takeaway

Carrots are sweet and they can be glazed or cooked down to be more appealing to picky kids. Of all the tuberous vegetables, they’re probably the most likely to be eaten happily by a big family. This is good news for conscientious parents, since carrots pack some amazing health benefits, in addition to being great for your eyes.

They can fight cancer, improve heart and brain function, and make your skin look younger. Carrots are fun to eat and easy to keep stocked in the fridge for a convenient snack on a busy day. Even kids like munching on baby carrots, so you have every reason to take advantage of their secret health benefits while giving your family a new favorite snack.