Bugs Bunny is on to something. His ubiquitous carrot is not only beneficial for "wascally wabbits," but for human beings as well. These orange root vegetables add a lot of color and nutrition to your plate, but they contribute little to your waistline. A half-cup of either raw or cooked carrots has just 25 calories and no fat.
Beta-Carotene
What carrots do provide is a lot of is beta-carotene, which is transformed into vitamin A in the body. Just a half-cup offers more than 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A, which benefits vision, eye health, the immune system and the skin. An antioxidant, beta-carotene fights free radicals, molecules that cause cell damage and are suspected in heart disease and cancer. Any amount of vitamin A obtained through the diet, whether from carrots or other colorful vegetables, is considered safe, though large doses of supplements can be harmful.
Falcarinol
Researchers from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in England, the University of Southern Denmark and the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences found that falcarinol, a natural pesticide compound in carrots, reduced the incidence of cancer in rats by a third. In the study, published in 2005 in the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry," rats that were given raw carrots as part of their diet, or whose diet was supplemented with the isolated compound falcarinol in the same amount, were less likely to develop tumors than the control group. Further study could lead to more tailored dietary recommendations, right down to the type of carrot to choose.
Vitamins C and K
Carrots are a good source of vitamins C and K, with a half-cup providing 9 and 10 percent of the daily recommended value, respectively. Vitamin C has benefits that are similar to those of vitamin A, including pumping up the immune system and battling free radicals. It also helps the body heal when wounded and furthers the absorption of iron. Vitamin K's most important job is to make sure your blood clots, preventing excessive bleeding and bruising.
Other Nutrients
A good source of fiber, which aids digestion, carrots provide about 7 percent of the daily recommended amount in just half a cup. They also contain a bit of protein and some B vitamins, particularly vitamins B6 and B1. The B vitamins are important in the production of red blood cells and also help the body turn food into energy.
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