Carrots are a root vegetable that are available year-round at your local grocery store or farmer's market. They are full of vitamins A and C, and also have antioxidants that benefit the skin. Carrots can be eaten raw or cooked, and can be used to make salads, confections, casseroles and any number of food items. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, carrots can lose some of their vitamin content if peeled, but maintain most of their nutritional content if cooked.
Vitamin A
A half-cup serving of raw carrots contains 210 percent of your daily nutritional value of vitamin A, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA. Vitamin A, also known as retinol, contributes to healthy skin by forcing skin cells to turn over faster, bringing healthier cells to the skin's surface. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning the body stores it in fat tissues and ingesting too much can make you sick. According to MedLine Plus, vitamin A poisoning can occur in an adult if more than 25,000 international units are consumed each day. Symptoms of hypervitaminosis A can include blurred vision, bone pain, dizziness, headache, liver damage, nausea, yellow discoloration of the skin and vomiting.
Vitamin C
A half-cup serving of raw carrots contains 6 percent of your nutritional daily value of vitamin C, according to the USDA. Vitamin C is necessary for the growth and repair of all bodily tissues, including skin, and contributes to healthy cell turnover. This vitamin is also important in the production of collagen, which keeps skin elastic and gives it a youthful, robust appearance. Vitamin C is not stored in the body, so toxicity of this vitamin is rare. High doses can lead to digestion issues, however.
Antioxidants
Carrots are a good source of antioxidants, according to MedLine Plus. They contain vitamin C and beta-carotene, both of which are antioxidants. Antioxidants prevent damage by free radicals, which are a known cause of skin aging and skin cancers.
