Carrots

Health Benefits

                     Carrots are perhaps best known for their rich supply of the antioxidant nutrient that was actually named for them: beta-carotene. However, these delicious root vegetables are the source not only of beta-carotene, but also of a wide variety of other health-supporting nutrients.

Antioxidant Benefits of Carrots

             All varieties of carrots contain valuable amounts of antioxidant nutrients. Included here are traditional antioxidants like vitamin C, as well as phytonutrient antioxidants like beta-carotene. In most varieties of carrots, beta-carotene is by far the most plentiful antioxidant nutrient. It accounts for over 95% of all carotenoids in many carrot varieties. Other carotenoids typically present in carrots include alpha-carotene and lutein. Listed below are some of the more common antioxidant nutrients found in carrots:
includes:

• Carotenoids
• alpha-carotene
• beta-carotene
• lutein
• Hydroxycinnamic acids
• caffeic acid
• coumaric acid
• ferulic acid
• Anthocyanindins
• cyanidins
• malvidins

                  For anthocyanin benefits, you'll want to select red and purple varieties of carrots. In some studies, anthocyanin content is highest in what are often referred to as "black carrots." To the naked eye, these varieties can appear almost black in color, but they are actually very deep and dark shades of purple. But it's important to remember that carrots of all colors will provide you with great antioxidant support.

Cardiovascular Benefits from Carrots

In large-scale studies of food and health, carrots are often included among yellow/orange vegetables and analyze for their health impact. While these studies have not focused on carrots per se, they have still provided us with evidence about carrots and their cardiovascular benefits. In one large-scale study from the Netherlands, participants were followed for a period of 10 years and their meal plans were analyzed for fruit and vegetable intake in four color categories: green, orange/yellow, red/purple, and white. Among these four color categories, orange/yellow—and in particular, foods with deeper shades of orange and yellow—was determined to be the most protective against cardiovascular disease (CVD). Within this dark orange/yellow food group, carrots were determined to be the single most risk-reducing food. 


                Participants who had the least carrot intake had the least amount of CVD risk reduction, even though they still received risk-reducing benefits from their intake of carrots. However, participants who ate at least 25 more grams of carrots (with 25 grams being less than one-quarter of a cup) had a significantly lower risk of CVD. And the groups of participants who ate 50- or 75-grams more had an even more greatly reduced risk of CVD! We're not sure how any study could better demonstrate how easy it can be to lower CVD risk by making a food like carrot part of the everyday diet. In our website carrot profile, we use one cup (122 grams) as our standard serving size. So you can see how a single serving of carrots per day would actually exceed the highest level of benefits identified in this study.

Other Health Benefits from Carrots

We've seen health studies on carrots showing benefits across a wide range of areas, including not only cardiovascular health as described above, but also eye health, liver health, and cancer protection. These studies give us confidence in the ability of carrots to provide support for a wide variety of body systems. However, it is also important to note studies on carrots also have some limitations at this point in the research process. For example, researchers often analyze carrots as part of a larger food group (for example, yellow/orange vegetables) rather than focusing on them specifically. In addition, many of the studies that we have seen on the health benefits of carrots have been conducted using mice and rats rather than people, or depend on analysis of human cell lines in a laboratory setting.



                                      The ability of carrots to provide cancer-protective benefits has been and continues to be an active area of research on this root vegetable. Of special interest in this area are components of carrot called polyacetylenes. Carrots have the ability to take their fatty acids and convert them into molecules called polyacetylenes. These polyacetylenes include molecules like falcarinol and falcarindiol. Polyacetylenes provide carrots with protection from microorganisms, including fungi and bacteria, and they have also shown anti-cancer properties in lab and animal studies. Lymphocytic leukemia and colorectal cancer are two of the cancer types that have been studied in relationship to carrot polyacetylenes.
Studies on the benefits of carrots for eye health have not usually focused on carrots themselves, but on carotenoids as a group of nutrients and carotenoid levels in the bloodstream. However, we have seen some small-scale studies in which participants with greater carrot consumption had lower rates of glaucoma than participants with little carrot intake. (The term "glaucoma" refers to a condition involving damage to the optic nerve that is often associated with excessive pressure inside of the eye). Glaucoma-lowering benefits in one study were associated with two weekly servings of carrots. We have also seen several animal studies on risk of cataracts and intake of carrot extracts. One of these studies identified a specific phytonutrient in carrots—geranyl acetate— as a substance likely to be involved in cataract protection.
Over time, we expect to see more studies on humans and meal plans that include carrots, and we also expect to see a wide range of health benefits that extends across many body systems.

Description

The name "carrot" comes from the Greek word "karoton," whose first three letters (kar) are used to designate anything with a horn-like shape. (That horn-like shape, of course, refers to the taproot of the carrot that is the plant part we're most accustomed to consuming in the U.S.). The beta-carotene that is found in carrots was actually named for the carrot itself!


                          Even though U.S. consumers are most familiar with carrots as root vegetables bright orange in color, an amazing variety of colors are found worldwide for this vegetable. Here is a short list of some of the more popular carrot varieties, categorized by color:

• Orange Carrots
• Scarlet Nantes (especially valued for its sweetness)
• Danvers (often raised for processing)
• Camden (often raised for processing)
• Other popular varieties include Navajo, Sirkana, Top Cut and Inca
• Purples Carrots
• Indigo
• Maroon
• Purple Dragon
• Cosmic Purple
• Purple Haze
• Yellow Carrots
• Amarillo
• Sunlite
• Solar Yellow
• Yellowstone
• White Carrots
• Creme De Lite
• White Satin
• Lunar White
• Red Carrots
• Atomic Red
• Supreme Chateney
• Red Samurai

               
                In science terms, carrots belong to the genus and species of plant known as Daucus carota. This genus/species is part of a much broader plant family traditionally known as the Umbelliferae, but more commonly referred to in research as the Apiaceae family. Included alongside of carrots in this plant family are vegetables like parsnips and celery, as well as herbs and spices like caraway, coriander, cyumin, dill, fennel, and parsley.

History

Carrots are native to large sections of the world's geography, including Africa, Asia, and Europe. They have become naturalized to many other parts of the world and are widely cultivated as a food crop. On a global basis, over 40 million tons of carrots are grown each year. Among all countries, China is the world's top carrot producer, growing about 45% of the world's total crop. Uzbekistan and the Russian Federation account for about 9% of the world's total, and the United States for about 3.5%. However, many other countries play an important role in the commercial production of carrots, including the Ukraine, Poland, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Turkey, Italy, France, India, Canada, and Mexico.

                        Within the United States, California is by far the largest carrot-producing states. Other states playing a major role in U.S. production include Michigan, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.

                    U.S. consumers averaged about 5 pounds of carrots per person per year in 2014, or roughly ¼ cup of carrots per week. Despite this relatively low intake, however, carrots served as the 6th most consumed vegetable in the U.S. (following potatoes, tomatoes, onions, head lettuce, and sweet corn).

How to Select and Store

Carrot roots should be firm, smooth, relatively straight and bright in color. The deeper the orange-color, the more beta-carotene is present in the carrot. Avoid carrots that are excessively cracked or forked as well as those that are limp or rubbery. In addition, if the carrots do not have their tops attached, look at the stem end and ensure that it is not darkly colored as this is also a sign of age. If the green tops are attached, they should be brightly colored, feathery and not wilted. Since the sugars are concentrated in the carrots' core, generally those   
                         

           With larger diameters will have a larger core and therefore be sweeter.

 we encourage the purchase of certified organically grown foods, and carrots are no exception. Repeated research studies on organic foods as a group show that your likelihood of exposure to contaminants such as pesticides and heavy metals can be greatly reduced through the purchased of certified organic foods, including carrots. In many cases, you may be able to find a local organic grower who sells carrots but has not applied for formal organic certification either through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) or through a state agency. (Examples of states offering state-certified organic foods include California, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.) However, if you are shopping in a large supermarket, your most reliable source of organically grown carrots is very likely to be carrots that display the USDA organic logo.

                           Carrots are hardy vegetables that will keep longer than many others if stored properly. The trick to preserving the freshness of carrot roots is to minimize the amount of moisture they lose. To do this, make sure to store them in the coolest part of the refrigerator in a plastic bag or wrapped in a paper towel, which will reduce the amount of condensation that is able to form. Loss of some nutrients in carrots—for example, its vitamin C content—is likely to be slowed down through refrigeration. 

                                  They should be able to keep fresh for about two weeks. Carotenoids in carrots— including beta-carotene—tend to be well-retained if the carrots are properly stored. Carrots should be stored away from apples, pears, potatoes and other fruits and vegetables that produce ethylene gas since it may cause them to become more bitter in taste.

                                If you purchase carrot roots with attached green tops, the tops should be cut off before storing in the refrigerator since they will cause the carrots to wilt prematurely as they pull moisture from the roots. While the tops can be stored in the refrigerator, kept moist by being wrapped in a damp paper, they should really be used soon after purchase since they are fragile and will quickly begin to wilt.

                                            Here is some background on why we recommend refrigerating carrots. Whenever food is stored, four basic factors affect its nutrient composition: exposure to air, exposure to light, exposure to heat, and length of time in storage. Vitamin C, vitamin B6, and carotenoids are good examples of nutrients highly susceptible to heat, and for this reason, their loss from food is very likely to be slowed down through refrigeration.

The Nutrient-Rich Way of Cooking Carrots

All of the cooking methods we tried when cooking carrots, our favorite is Quick Steaming. Quick Steaming—similar to Quick Boiling and Healthy Sauté, our other recommended cooking methods—follows three basic cooking guidelines that are generally associated in food science research with improved nutrient retention. These three guidelines are: (1) minimal necessary heat exposure; (2) minimal necessary cooking duration; (3) minimal necessary food surface contact with cooking liquid.

                We think that Quick Steaming is a cooking method that gives carrots the greatest flavor. In fact, participants in a recent research study agreed with us. When study participants were asked to evaluate the flavor and overall acceptability of different carrot cooking methods, they significantly favored the flavor and overall acceptability of steamed carrots to boiled carrots. This preference was even expressed by participants who had always boiled carrots in their previous kitchen practices!

                   To Quick Steam carrots, fill the bottom of the steamer with 2 inches of water and bring to a rapid boil. Slice carrots ¼-inch thick and steam for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. For more flavor, toss carrots with our Mediterranean Dressing. (Looking for carrots with extra zing? Try our Carrots with Honey Mustard Sauce recipe.)

How to Enjoy

A Few Quick Serving Ideas

• Shredded raw carrots and chopped carrot greens make great additions to salads.
• Combine shredded carrots, beets and apples, and eat as a salad.
• For quick, nutritious soup that can be served hot or cold, purée boiled carrots and potatoes in a blender or food processor, and add herbs and spices to taste.
• Spiced carrot sticks are a flavorful variation on an old favorite at parties or at the dinner table. Soak carrot sticks in hot water spiced with cayenne, coriander seeds and salt. Allow to cool, drain and serve.

Individual Concerns

Carrots and Carotoderma

·         Excessive consumption of carotene-rich foods may lead to a condition called carotoderma in which the palms or other skin develops a yellow or orange cast. This yellowing of the skin is presumably related to carotenemia, which is a term that refers to excessive levels of carotene in the blood. The health impact of carotenemia is not extensively researched. Eating or juicing high amounts of foods rich in carotene,- including carrots - may result in body storage of excess amounts in the skin. If a person does develop carotenemia as a result of consuming very high amounts of beta-carotene through very high carrot intake, this condition typically disappears once consumption is greatly reduced. However, since we focus throughout our website on the pleasures and health benefits of the World's Healthiest Foods consumed in everyday amounts, we view this issue as an appropriate one for your healthcare provider rather than an issue involving your healthiest foods meal plan.

Nutritional Profile

·         Carrots are perhaps best known for their beta-carotene content. (The nutrient beta-carotene was actually named after the carrot!) While they can be an outstanding source of this phytonutrient, carrots actually contain a fascinating combination of phytonutrients, including other carotenoids (especially alpha-carotene and lutein); hydroxycinnamic acids (including caffeic, coumaric, ferulic); anthocyanins (in the case of purple and red carrots); and polyacetylenes (especially falcarinol and falcarindiol). Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids). In addition, they are a very good source of biotin, vitamin K, dietary fiber, molybdenum, potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. They are a good source of manganese, vitamin B3, , vitamin B1, panthothenic acid, phosphorus, folate, copper, vitamin E and vitamin B2.

What's New and Beneficial about Carrots

• Carrots were one of the vegetables examined in recent research on foods rich in beta-carotene and bone health. More specifically, intake of yellow/orange and green vegetables was evaluated to see if greater intake was related to greater bone mass. Interestingly, participants who ate at least one serving per day of yellow/green vegetables had healthier bone mass than participants who ate less than one serving per day. In addition, participants who ate less than one serving per day actually had low bone mass that might serve to put them at risk for bone-related health problems. What was most striking to us about this study was the relatively small amount of yellow/green vegetables associated with bone benefits. We were reminded about how much can be accomplished with relatively small changes in a meal plan, especially changes that incorporate foods as rich in beta-carotene as carrots.

• Many people are familiar with a whitish type coating that can form on peeled carrots—especially baby carrots—called "white blush." A recent study has helped us understand why this "white blush" occurs. When carrots are peeled, the process of peeling takes away the outermost protective layer of the carrot root. Without this outermost protective layer, the carrot has more difficulty retaining its full degree of moisture and becomes more easily dehydrated. This dehydration sets the stage for the "white blush" that we see. In addition, to help protect itself from damage following the loss of its outermost layer, the carrot may create a new protective layer of phenols, and this new phenol-based layer contributes to the appearance of "white blush." Once re-immersed in water, however, the carrot cells can absorb some of the moisture that has been lost after peeling, and this rehydration of the carrot can also help restore its orange color. While we have yet to see research showing increased health benefits from the peeling of carrots, we like knowing that the "white blush" on carrots reflects a natural response to dehydration and the synthesis of phenolic substances, rather than a cause for concern.

• Throughout our website, we recommend selection of certified organic foods as a way to reduce risk of unwanted contaminants and increase the chances for nutrient richness. A recent study comparing conventional versus organically grown carrots has added to the evidence for greater nutrient richness from organic growing methods. In this study, levels of carotenoids, phenols, and vitamin C were compared in organic versus non-organic carrots, with greater amounts being observed in all three categories for the organic version.

• Carrots are a vegetable commonly enjoyed in both raw and cook form. While we like the idea of both raw and cooked carrots in a healthy meal plan, we were also glad to see a new study on the impact of cooking on minerals in carrots. In this study, one of the methods chosen for cooking was a relatively short steaming time of 6-7 minutes. Our Quick Steaming method for carrots uses this same approach to carrot cooking with a somewhat shorter period of time (5 minutes). Six different minerals (potassium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium) were evaluated in this study, and the average mineral loss for all six was less than 25% after 6-7 minutes of steaming. (Since our Quick Steaming time is somewhat shorter, we would also expect a somewhat lower percentage if our 5-minute time was used.) We like the idea of retaining over 75% of these carrot minerals when carrots are steamed. Especially for people who greatly prefer cooked over raw carrots, this level of mineral retention makes the consumption of quick-steamed carrots highly worthwhile.

Recommendations

While carrots can be enjoyed in a wide variety of colors—from whites and yellows to reds and purples, the most commonly consumed carrots in the U.S. are orange in color. For this reason, we recommend an approach to carrots that treats them as a vegetable in the yellow/orange category. (For more details about yellow/orange vegetables, please see our Vegetable Advisor.) As a minimum daily goal for vegetable intake from the yellow/orange group, we recommend 1/2 cup per day. A more optimal intake level would be one cup per day. Of course, alongside of carrots, vegetables like sweet potato, yellow summer squash, and yellow corn can contribute to your daily yellow-orange total.