Vegetables
Carrots
Nutrition facts
Serving: 1 carrot (70 g)
| Nutrient | Per serving | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 29 kcal | |
| Protein | 0.6 g | |
| Carbs | 6.7 g | |
| Fibre | 2 g | 7 % |
| Sugars | 3.3 g | 3 % |
| Fat | 0.1 g | 0 % |
| Saturated fat | 0 g | 0 % |
| Sodium | 48 mg | 2 % |
| Vitamin A | 585 µg | 65 % |
Values per serving, calculated from the USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy).
What the label does not say
- The “vitamin A” on the label is really beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A as needed: unlike preformed vitamin A (liver, supplements), no toxicity has been documented from carrots, only an orange tint to the skin when you eat a great many.
- Beta-carotene is better absorbed with some fat at the same meal: grated carrots with a fat-free dressing deliver very little of it.
Preparation
Roasted, steamed, or finely grated with an oil-based dressing, carrots deliver more beta-carotene than when eaten raw as is. Boiling loses some potassium and vitamin C to the water; steaming or roasting keeps them.
To mention to a professional
- If you react to birch pollen, raw carrot can cause tingling in the mouth (oral allergy syndrome), often absent when it is cooked; mention it to a professional.
Sources
- Carrots, raw
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (Carrots, raw)
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin A and Carotenoids fact sheet
- Rock et al., 1998 (Journal of Nutrition, beta-carotene bioavailability from raw and cooked carrots)
- Brown et al., 2004 (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, carotenoid absorption depending on dressing fat)
- Atkinson, Foster-Powell and Brand-Miller, 2008 (international tables of glycemic index)
- Ballmer-Weber et al., 2001 (carrot allergy and birch pollen)
Educational information: it does not replace the advice of a health professional, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or are breastfeeding.