Carrots might just be the most versatile vegetable. And whether they’re raw or roasted, savory or sweet, you’ll get the same nutritional benefits from carrots.
“Carrots are budget-friendly, have a long shelf life, can be consumed raw or cooked, by themselves or mixed in a dish and are one of the most popular vegetables in America,” Debbie Petitpain, registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, tells TODAY.com.
That makes them a sustainable and accessible vegetable for many people. And that’s good news because these colorful veggies are full of healthy nutrients. Yes, they’ve got a ton of vitamin A, but carrots are also a plentiful source of fiber, vitamin C and antioxidants — and that includes those adorable baby carrots.
Carrot nutrition facts
A cup of chopped raw carrots contains:
- 52 calories
- 1 gram protein
- 0.3 grams fat
- 12 grams carbohydrates
- 3.5 grams fiber
You’ll find similar nutrients in baby carrots and carrots of different colors. But different colored carrots contain additional compounds, which give them their color and some unique health benefits.
Carrot benefits
If you know anything about the nutritional benefits of carrots, it’s that they contain a lot of vitamin A, which is helpful for vision health, skin health and immune function, Petitpain says.
Vitamin A is made up of alpha and beta carotene, and carrots contain a huge amount of beta carotene, registered dietitian Grace Derocha, tells TODAY.com. In just a half-cup serving of carrots, you’ll find nearly 9,700 IU of vitamin A, “which is already way over 100% (of your recommended dietary allowance),” adds Derocha, who is also a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Another way to think about it: “One 7-inch long root has only 35 calories, no fat and supplies 270% of the daily vitamin A and 10% of the vitamin C requirement,” Petitpain says.
Carrots come with other benefits, too, that may not be as well-advertised. They have a small amount of natural…
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