Although raw carrot slices go well with a dip, cooked carrots are softer and easier to chew. But that's not the only benefit of heating the vegetable. 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.
Your body has an easier time absorbing the carotenoids in carrots if you eat them cooked rather than raw. Cooking breaks down the vegetable's cell walls, making its nutrients more available. Of course, how you cook them matters—boiling vegetables can leach out nutrients, so it's better to steam, sauté, or roast.
Carrots are a versatile vegetable. People can eat them raw, steamed, boiled, roasted, or as an ingredient in soups and stews. Boiling vegetables can reduce or eliminate some of the vitamin content. Raw or steamed carrots provide the most nutritional value.
Another study showed both boiling and steaming increased levels of beta carotene. But try to cook carrots whole, as cutting can reduce nutrients by 25%. Wait and wash veggies just before cooking to preserve nutrients. In fact, cooking veggies whole is often the best choice to preserve nutrients.
With that said, some vegetables are more nutritious raw than when cooked. For example, cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts and bok choy contain a chemical called myrosinase.
Like all veg, an 80g serving of carrots – that's equivalent to about ½ a medium-sized carrot or 3 heaped tablespoons – counts as one of your 5-A-DAY. Carrots are packed with fibre, which helps to keep the digestive system healthy and helps to balance your blood glucose (sugar) levels.
“Overall, while removing the peel reduces some phytonutrients and small amounts of the vitamins and minerals in carrots, there is plenty of nutritional value left behind. Remember, the peel is only a small portion of the total vegetable.
They way we chew soft, cooked carrots will cause different flavours to be released, according to food scientist Lindsey Bagley. Furthermore, she says, "chemically, there are more sugars in a raw carrot than in a boiled carrot", which will have leaked sweetness into the cooking.
Is it okay to eat carrots every day? Eating carrots in moderation is good for your health. Eating carrots in excess, however, can cause a condition called carotenemia. This refers to yellowish discoloration of the skin because of the deposition of a substance called beta-carotene that is present in carrots.
The fiber in carrots (and any high-fiber vegetables, actually) acts like a natural vacuum cleaner in your gastrointestinal tract, picking up debris as it runs through your body. Carrots can also help keep gut cells healthy, supporting a decreased risk of illness and improving your health overall.
Thanks to the number of essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants packed into each carrot, many experts have elevated this humble veggie to “superfood” status. Here are some fun carrot facts to chew on.
Steamed carrots are a step up from boiled carrots, but they're still not one of our favorite cooking methods. The main reason to steam vegetables is from a health perspective. According to SFGate, steaming carrots prevents nutrient loss, increasing your intake of vitamin A, vitamin K, and potassium.
Carrots are rich in nutrients that promote your health. They contain antioxidants, which may help protect your cells from damage and prevent conditions like cancer and heart disease. Vitamin A, which is plentiful in carrots, is crucial to ongoing eye health.
"There is no need to peel carrots before eating—many people enjoy eating them with the skin on," says Alan Hilowitz, former communications director at Bolthouse Farms. "However, since carrots are grown in the ground, washing/scrubbing is important if you do choose not to peel," he adds.
Raw carrots, when properly stored will usually stay fresh for around 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge.
Lynn Blanchard, the Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen director, agrees that scrubbing is sufficient, but there are cases when peeled carrots are best. If you want a smooth puree for a soup or for baby food, then peeling would be the way to go, Blanchard says.
Eating carrots in the morning before a meal is good for health. It may help boost digestion. Also, the fiber in carrots can keep one satiated and prevent overeating.
As per various health sites, eating too many carrots for a prolonged period can discolour your skin and give it an orange shade due to the beta carotene present in it. Ideally, you should not consume more than 1 or 2 carrots in a day.