Carrots are popular for a reason. Not only are they tasty, but they are the best vegetable source of pro-vitamin A carotenes and an excellent source of antioxidant compounds. Although eating a carrot will provide you with some nutrients no matter what, there are a few things you can do to maximize the health benefits when eating this vegetable.
Step 1
Choose the carrots with the deepest color. The more vivid the color, the higher the level of beta-carotene. Avoid selecting carrots that are cracked or forked.
Step 2
Preserve the freshness of the carrot before eating. Cut off the green tops to the carrots before storing them in the refrigerator. Place them in a plastic bag and store them in the coolest part of your refrigerator away from apples, pears, potatoes or other vegetables or fruits that produce ethylene gas.
Step 3
Cook the carrots. Unlike some other vegetables, carrots become more nutritious when cooked. This is because cooking breaks down the carrot's tough cellular wall and thus makes it easier for your body to absorb its nutrients.
Step 4
Chop or grate the carrots. This also helps your body absorb the beta-carotene in the carrots better.
Step 5
Eat the carrots with a little fat, such as a vegetable dip, butter or salad dressing. The carotenoids in the carrots are fat soluble, so eating them with fat helps the body absorb more of the nutrients.
Tips and Warnings
- Drinking raw carrot juice is another healthy way to get the nutritional benefits of carrots.
- Carrots are healthy, but only in moderation. Eating excessive amounts of carrots, or drinking excessive amounts of carrot juice, can lead to vitamin A poisoning.
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