Bugs Knows
By Dr. Mercola
The average American adult eats about 12 pounds of carrots a year, making them one of the most popular root vegetables in the U.S. (even though that works out to only about one cup per week).
Carrots were originally grown in central Asian and Middle Eastern countries, but they were viewed as more of a medicinal herb than a food.
Early carrots (some believe they may even date back to early Egypt) were not orange. Instead, they came in a variety of colors like purple, white, red, yellow and black. The orange carrots known and loved today are the result of cross breeding red and yellow carrots, which was done back in the 16th century.1
The word “carrot” has its origins in the Greek word “karoton,” as “kar” describes anything with a horn-like shape. Many believe carrots were named after beta-carotene, which is found in abundance in this vegetable.
However, the opposite actually holds true; beta-carotene was named after carrots.2 I generally recommend eating carrots in moderation because they contain more sugar than any other vegetable aside from beets.
“Different varieties of carrots contain differing amounts of these antioxidant phytonutrients. Red and purple carrots, for example, are best known for the rich anthocyanin content.
Oranges are particularly outstanding in terms of beta-carotene, which accounts for 65% of their total carotenoid content. In yellow carrots, 50% of the total carotenoids come from lutein.
You’re going to receive outstanding antioxidant benefits from each of these carrot varieties!”
8. Skin Health
Orange-red vegetables are full of beta-carotene. Your body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, which prevents cell damage and premature aging. Beta-carotene may also protect your skin from sun damage.
Researchers even found that carotenoids, which are found in high concentrations in carrots, impart a warm glow “sufficient to convey perceptible improvements in the apparent healthiness and attractiveness of facial skin.”21
9. Oral Health
Carrots help to clean your teeth by increasing saliva production. Eating them at the end of a meal may even help to reduce your risk of cavities.22
How to Store and Prepare Your Carrots for Maximum Nutrition
Carrots are great to eat raw, but if you enjoy them cooked, that’s a healthy way to enjoy them as well. One study even found that cooked carrots had higher levels of beta-carotene and phenolic acids than raw carrots, and the antioxidant activity continued to increase over a period of four weeks.
Root vegetables like carrots work well when fermented, and they’re delicious when added to homemade sauerkraut alongside cabbage. You can also juice them, but do this sparingly because of the high sugar content.
Adding carrot peels to a carrot puree also boosted antioxidant levels.23 Another option is to simply eat your carrots without peeling them, as much of their nutrition lies just below the skin. It’s important to choose organic carrots, especially when eating the skin.
Consumer Reports analyzed 12 years of data from the USDA’s Pesticide Data Program to determine the risk categories (from very low to very high) for different types of produce, and carrots came back at the high end for pesticide residues. Because of this, carrots are one food you should always try to buy organic.
As for storage, keep them in the coolest part of your refrigerator in a sealed plastic bag or wrapped in a paper towel, which should keep them fresh for about two weeks. Avoiding storing them near apples, pears or potatoes, as the ethylene gas they release may turn your carrots bitter.24
If you purchase carrots with the green tops still attached, they should be removed prior to storing them in the fridge (they’ll cause the carrot to wilt faster). However, don’t throw them away. Carrot tops are nutritious, too, and can easily be added to your fresh vegetable juice.
Also, you’re typically better off buying whole carrots instead of baby carrots — not only price wise but also health wise. Baby carrots, which are now one of the most popular carrot forms, were not invented until 1986 when a California carrot farmer created them to save some of the broken and misshaped carrots in his harvest.25
Baby carrots are not actually “baby” carrots at all but rather are less-than-perfect carrots that have been shaved down to a smaller size. Not only are baby carrots more expensive than whole carrots, they’re also typically given a chlorine bath to prolong shelf life.
Try This: Carrot Coconut Soup
Are you tired of eating plain carrots? Here’s another way to use carrots that will wake up your taste buds. This soup takes only about 30 minutes to make, but is packed with flavor and nutrition:
Visit Our Food Facts Library for Empowering Nutrition Information
If you want to learn even more about what’s in the food you’re eating, visit our Food Facts library. Most people are not aware of the wealth of nutrients available in healthful foods, particularly organic fruits and vegetables. By getting to know your food, you can make informed decisions about how to eat healthier and thereby boost your brain function, lower your risk of chronic disease, lose weight, and much more.
Food Facts is a directory of the most highly recommended health foods to add to your wholesome diet. Its purpose is to provide you with valuable information about various types of foods including recipes to help you maximize these benefits. You’ll learn about nutrition facts, scientific studies, and even interesting trivia about each food in the Food Facts library.
Remember, knowing what’s in your food is the first step to choosing and preparing nutritious meals each and every day. So visit our Food Facts library today to get started.
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Sources and References
- 1 Green Prophet June 30, 2010
- 2, 24 World’s Healthiest Foods, Carrots
- 3 British Journal of Nutrition / Volume 106 / Issue 10 / November 2011, pp 1562-1569
- 4 BMJ. 1990 Mar 24;300(6727):771-3
- 5 Int J Epidemiol. 1986 Dec;15(4):463-8
- 6 Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2004 Feb;13(2):260-9
- 7 Eur J Nutr. 2014 Dec;53(8):1615-23.
- 8 Int J Clin Oncol. 2013 Feb 5
- 9 J Med Food. 2011 Nov;14(11):1303-12
- 10 Journal of Gastric Cancer;Dec2015, Vol. 15 Issue 4, p256
- 11 J Agric Food Chem. 2005 Mar 9;53(5):1823-7
- 12 DukeHealth.org
- 13 Am J Ophthalmol. 2008 Jun;145(6):1081-9
- 14 Crit Rev Biotechnol. 2015 Jun 8:1-11
- 15 Biol Pharm Bull. 2006 Jun;29(6):1154-61
- 16 Br J Nutr. 2011 Sep;106(5):752-61
- 17 Br J Nutr. 2010 Oct;104(8):1190-201
- 18 J Ethnopharmacol. 1995 Jul 7;47(2):69-74
- 19 Phytother Res. 2003 Sep;17(8):976-9.
- 20 World’s Healthiest Foods, Carrots
- 21 Huffington Post March 8, 2012
- 22 Colgate, Oral Care Center
- 23 J Agric Food Chem. 2000 Apr;48(4):1315-21
- 25 US Department of Agriculture March 2007
- 26 WorldTBS ’s Healthiest Foods Carrot Coconut Soup
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