The old adage is right. As the richest food source of beta-carotene, eating carrots is good for your eyesight. High in dietary fiber and antioxidants, vitamins C and K and potassium, this crunchy fresh vegetable is good for the rest of you, too. Snack on carrots raw, or shred them into your salads. Juice them for the classic health food beverage, and add them to casseroles, soups, breads, and muffins. Don’t forget carrot cake, where they partner beautifully with warm spices like cinnamon and cardamom and other sweet produce like pineapple and raisins. (So good it doesn’t even need a frosting, but if you prefer, go with the cream cheese option!)
Flavor Profile
- Root has a sweet, minty taste and crunch texture
- Carrot greens taste fresh, slightly bitter
How to Choose a Good One
- Look for roots that are firm, bright, relatively straight and smooth
- For highest beta-carotene, choose for the deepest, brightest color
- Avoid limp carrots and those that are forked or excessively cracked
- Green tops should be feathery and bright, not wilted
- If the tops are not attached, check the stem end; it should not be dark (sign of age)
- Larger carrots are usually sweeter (the sugars are concentrated in the core, which is larger in bigger carrots).
- Store in a plastic bag or wrapped in a paper towel (to reduce condensation) in the coolest part of the refrigerator for up to two weeks
- Cut off green tops before storing, and use these quickly. They don’t keep well and will draw moisture from the carrots if left intact
- Store carrots away from apples and pears, which will cause them to become bitter because of the ethylene gas they produce
- Some “baby-cut” carrots are mature carrots that have been cut down to small cylinder size. Unless organic, these are usually washed in a chlorine solution. Look instead for real baby carrots (organic when possible). (A real baby carrot is one that’s been grown to the baby size, before maturity. It will have a “shoulder” on it. Some varieties, like Thumbelina, are bred for this purpose)
- Because they’re peeled, baby-cut carrots are not as nutritious as mature, whole carrots
- One medium bunch of carrots equals about one pound
- One large carrot equals about one cup of shredded carrot
Peak Season
- Summer and fall
- Available year round from California
Nutritional Highlights
- Carrots are the richest source of vitamin A carotenes
- High in antioxidants
- Very good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, dietary fiber, and potassium
General Use
- Eat whole, julienned, grated, shredded, sliced, chopped
- Raw or cooked (steamed, fried, boiled, baked, roasted, glazed, candied)
- Crudités with dip
- Green salads and side salads, slaws
- Juice
- Soups and stews
- Baby food
- Cakes
- Breads and muffins
- Casseroles
- Marmalade
- Pickles
- Soufflé
- Pudding (Irish and English)
- Used extensively in Indian cooking (salads, vegetables and desserts)
- Baby carrots are a ready-to-eat snack
Complements
- Cayenne, coriander, salt, dill, chervil, tarragon, curry, mint, garlic, cumin, cilantro, black pepper, white pepper, ginger, paprika, cardamom, tarragon, parsley
- Honey, brown sugar
- Pasta
- Grains
- Raisins
- Green onions, potatoes, corn, cabbage, parsnips, celery root
- Lemon, orange, apple, pineapple
- Peanuts, cashews
