Carrots are a crunchy, sweet veggie that was likely a staple in your lunchbox growing up. These days, they may be more of a crudité, or a vessel for hummus or ranch dressing in your diet. But you might want to start munching on them more, because they’re total nutritional powerhouses. “The carrot is a root vegetable, typically orange in color, though purple, black, red, white, and yellow carrots exist,” says Grace Derocha, RDN, CDCES, MBA, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and National Spokesperson for The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Carrots are mostly water with some carbs. They also offer fiber and have very little protein and fat.”
Carrot nutrition facts
One serving of carrots (a half cup) has:
25 calories6 grams of carbohydrates2 grams of fiber3 grams of sugar0.5 grams of protein
Carrots are also a great source of important vitamins and minerals, according to Derocha. A half-cup can give you up to:
73% of your daily requirement of vitamin A9% of your daily vitamin K8% of your daily potassium and fiber5% of your daily vitamin C2% of your daily calcium and iron
Health benefits of carrots
You should definitely eat carrots every day, according to science. Here’s why:
1. Carrots are good for your eyes
“This is probably the best-known carrot superpower,” says Derocha. “They’re rich in beta-carotene, a compound your body changes into vitamin A, which helps keep your eyes healthy. And beta-carotene helps protect your eyes from the sun and lowers your chances of cataracts and other eye problems.”
2. Carrots can help with diabetes
“Lower carotenoids are associated with higher blood glucose and insulin levels,” says registered dietitian Jonathan Valdez, RDN, owner of Genki Nutrition and a spokesperson for the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Carotenoids also appear to help with decreasing the severity of insulin resistance.
3. Carrots can lower your risk of cancer
“Antioxidants have been proven to fight off harmful free radicals in your body, and that can make you less likely to have cancer,” says Derocha. “The two main types of antioxidants in carrots are carotenoids and anthocyanins. Carotenoids give carrots their orange and yellow colors, while anthocyanins are responsible for red and purple coloring.”
4. Carrots can help keep your skin healthy
“Vitamin A found in carrots can help with skin health, and the antioxidants are anti-carcinogenic,” says Valdez. “When applied topically, it can absorb the UV rays from the sun.”
5. Carrots can help your heart
“All those antioxidants are also good for your heart and can help lower cholesterol,” says Derocha. “The potassium in carrots can help keep your blood pressure in check.”
What to know about different colored carrots
While orange carrots are the OG, there are also other carrot colors. “The different colors for carrots (purple, red, white, orange and yellow) all have different levels of carotenoids and anthocyanins,” says Valdez. “Typically, your orange/yellow colors provide carotenoids, while your purple/red colors will be providing anthocyanins.” Here’s more on how they differ, according to Derocha:
Orange carrots are higher in beta-carotene, the antioxidant pigment that gives it the orange color. Eating too many can briefly turn your skin orange. These carrots are earthy and sweet. Most of the flavor differences in a variety of colored carrots can be most noticed in their raw state.Yellow carrots also contain beta carotene and lutein. Lutein, which is also good for your eyes. Studies have found that it can help with or prevent age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss in the U.S. Yellow carrots are less earthy and a bit sweeter than the other carrots. The sweetness really pops when they are roasted. Red carrots provide biotin, fiber, potassium, and vitamins K, B6 and C, along with essential mineral molybdenum. The trace element of molybdenum activates key enzymes in your body that help it get rid of certain toxins. Red carrots also have lycopene, which gives it their color. Red carrots taste very similar to orange carrots and are earthy and sweet.Purple carrots have more of the carotenoid anthocyanin, hence the purple color. Anthocyanins are thought to help protect the liver, reduce inflammation, and help regulate blood pressure. Usually, purple carrots are purple on the outside and orange on the inside. They are sweet like other carrots, and also have a peppery taste.White carrots lack color and pigmentation, but not nutrition. They contain fiber and phytochemicals that work in conjunction with nutrients to defend against diseases. Like other carrots, they also are earthy and have a sweetness to them.
What’s the healthiest way to eat carrots?
If you are looking to consume your carrots in a healthy way, you should actually cook them (and cook them whole). “Carrots provide more antioxidants when boiled or steamed than when eaten raw, according to a January 2008 report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry,” says Derocha. “In fact, researchers found that boiling carrots until tender increased the concentration of carotenoids by 14 percent. But try to cook carrots whole, as cutting can reduce nutrients by 25%.” And to get the maximum nutrient benefits from eating carrots, you actually don’t have to eat that much. “Since carrots are a key source of beta-carotene, the plant-based precursor to vitamin A, eating one large carrot a day (which is about ½ a cup of carrots), will give you double the daily value of vitamin A needed daily,” says Derocha. Next up: Health Benefits of Beets
Sources
Grace Derocha, RDN, CDCES, MBA, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and National Spokesperson for The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.Jonathan Valdez, RDN, owner of Genki Nutrition and a spokesperson for the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
