Carrots are colorful, sweet, crunchy and nutritious. Carrots are a hearty root vegetable that are easy to grow in a variety of climates and that store well fresh for months. They're readily available and easy to cook, which makes them ideal to include in your diet on a regular basis.
Carrot Nutrition
One raw medium carrot has 25 calories, 0.5 g of protein and 6 g of total carbohydrate, which includes 2 g of fiber and 3 g of sugar. Carrots only have a trace amount of fat. One medium carrot contains 195 mg of potassium, or 6 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance, or RDA, and 10 percent of the vitamin K you need in a day. Carrots are a superior source of vitamin A. One medium carrot has 10,190 IU of vitamin A, which is 200 percent of the RDA.
Health Benefits
Carrots truly are good for your eyesight because of their high vitamin A content. Yet there's nothing special about getting vitamin A from carrots; any source of the vitamin will protect the eyes. Although getting enough vitamin A is important in maintaining normal vision, eating a lot of carrots will not improve your eyesight, according to DukeHealth.org. Carrots are also a good source of lutein and zeaxanthin, which may help prevent cataracts. There is strong evidence that a diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables lowers the risk for heart disease and stroke. Studies suggest fruits and vegetables high in carotenoids, such as carrots, may protect against mouth, throat and lung cancer.
Possibility of Excess Vitamin A
If you eat too many carrots, it is possible to overdose on vitamin A. Overeating carrots can cause skin to turn yellow or yellow-orange from an excess of carotene in the blood. This condition is called carotenemia, and although skin color and carotene levels usually return to normal in a few days, liver damage is possible. Those who drink large quantities of carrot juice are at highest risk. Eat a diet that contains a variety of fruits and vegetables for good health.
Add Carrots to Your Diet
Carrots go well with both sweet and savory foods. Enjoy carrots raw, steamed, grilled or roasted. Add them to soups and stews. Add grated raw carrots to salads, cole slaw and pasta or potato salads. Make carrot raisin salad or carrot cake. Juice carrots for a healthy drink or puree cooked carrots for use as the base for a creamy vegetable soup.
References
- DukeHealth.org: Myth or Fact: Eating Carrots Improves Eyesight
- USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory: Carrots, Raw
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes: Vitamins
- Harvard School of Public Health: Vegetables and Fruits: Get Plenty Every Day
- Vegetarian Resource Group: The Vegetarian Journal: Carrot Cookery
- World Carrot Museum: Carrots - Nutrition and Good Health- Part 1
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