During the dehydration process, 20 pounds of carrots are reduced to less than 2 pounds of dried carrots, making for a highly concentrated source of calories, vitamins, minerals and fiber in even a small serving. For example, each cup of dried carrots has about five times the calories and twice the vitamin A content as the same amount of fresh carrots. Dehydrated carrots may be eaten in their dried state as “chips,” or reconstituted in hot water before cooking.
Basic Nutrition
According to the Clemson University Cooperative Extension, 1/2 a cup of dried carrots equals 1 cup of fresh carrots. Each 1/2 cup serving of dehydrated carrots contains about 125 calories, 30 carbohydrates and 3 grams of protein. The serving has very little fat and no cholesterol. It has about 100 milligrams of sodium, or about 5 percent of the recommended daily amount.
Fiber
You’ll get about 35 percent of the daily dietary fiber you need from 1/2 a cup of dehydrated carrots. The highly concentrated food is higher in fiber than even twice as many raw carrots, which provide 15 percent of the daily value, or DV, for fiber. Dietary fiber helps lower cholesterol and promotes healthy digestion.
Vitamin A
The legendary relationship between carrots and good eyesight is due to the vegetable’s high vitamin A content. Vitamin A not only supports strong eyesight, it also strengthens your immune system. A 1/2 cup serving of dehydrated carrots contains 500 percent of the DV for vitamin A. An equivalent serving of fresh or cooked carrots, which equals 1 cup, also provides 4 to 5 days’ worth of vitamin A.
Vitamin C
Drying or cooking carrots destroys some of their vitamin C content. A 1/2 cup serving of dried carrots contributes 9 percent of the DV for vitamin A, compared to the 10 percent in 1 cup of cooked carrots. Fresh carrots are the best source for vitamin C, offering 13 percent of the DV per cup.
Vitamin K
You’ll get half of the vitamin K you need each day from 1/2 cup of dehydrated carrots. The vitamin supports blood coagulation, which prevents excessive bleeding from injury or from other health issues. Dehydrated carrots are significantly higher in vitamin K than even twice the amount of fresh or cooked carrots.
B Vitamins
The highly concentrated nature of dehydrated vegetables holds true in the case of the content of B-complex vitamins in dried carrots. Each 1/2 cup serving of dried carrots provides a good source of several B vitamins. You’ll get 20 percent of the B-6 you need from the serving of dehydrated carrots, as well as an average of 10 percent of the niacin, riboflavin and thiamin.
Minerals
Each 1/2 cup serving of dried carrots is significantly higher in minerals than twice the amount of fresh or cooked carrots. The serving provides more than 25 percent of the DV for potassium and 20 percent of the DV for manganese, as well as about 10 percent of the magnesium and phosphorus you need each day. Dried carrots are also good sources of calcium, iron, zinc, copper and selenium.
References
- HealthAliciousNess.com: USDA Nutrition Facts: Dehydrated, Raw and Cooked Carrots
- Clemson University Cooperative Extension; Drying Vegetables; P.H. Schmutz and E.H. Hoyle; May 1999
- Virginia Cooperative Extension; Using Dehydration to Preserve Fruits, Vegetables, and Meats; Renee Boyer and Karleigh Huff; June 2009
