Carrots Give your dinner a health kick with these tasty tips
Best to buy
Look for firm, bright carrots without cracks on the sides or sprouts where the green tops have been removed.
Cut & clean
If desired, peel just before cooking—or, to retain more juices and nutrients, try scrubbing instead. To preserve their natural sugars and sweet flavor, cook carrots in as little liquid as possible.
Power food
Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A.
Quick & easy recipe: veggie roast
Cut carrots diagonally and combine with diced turnips, potatoes, and onions. Toss with olive oil and rosemary, and bake at 400°F (200°C) until tender.
Also indexed as: Baby Carrots, White Carrots, Yellow Carrots
Preparation, uses, and tips
Scrub carrots just before cooking, and peel if desired. To preserve their natural sugars and sweet flavor, cook carrots in as little liquid as possible. Steaming and baking both help seal in the flavor. For a vegetable roast, cut carrots on the diagonal, combine with diced turnips, potatoes, and onions, toss with olive oil and rosemary, and bake at 400°F (200°C) until tender.
Buying and storing tips
Fresh carrots can be found in the produce section of health food stores and supermarkets. Carrots with the greens still attached have the sweetest flavor; make sure the greens are crisp and fresh looking. Look for firm, bright carrots, without cracks on the sides or sprouts where the green tops have been removed. Remove the greens about two inches (5.08cm) above the carrots and store, tightly sealed, for three to five days.
Varieties and forms
Besides the long, cylindrical, orange variety, carrots also come in stubby oval shapes, tender baby (bunched), and in white and yellow varieties that are harder to find but worth the search.
Nutrition Highlights
Carrots (raw), 1 medium
Calories: 33
Protein: 1g
Carbohydrate: 8g
Total Fat: 0g
Fiber: 2g
*Excellent source of: Vitamin A (9,734.12IU)
*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value. Foods that are a “good source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the Recommended Daily Value.
Copyright © 2008 Healthnotes, Inc. All rights reserved. www.healthnotes.com
Learn more about Healthnotes, the company.
Learn more about the authors of Healthnotes.
The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires June 2009.