Carrots, Carrots, Carrots

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Dietetic Association

Nutrition Works.
Our goal is to make nutrition work for you !

Our Carrot logo reflects the basic tenets of good nutrition and good eating. Carrots are high in several key nutrients, taste good raw or cooked, and provide important health benefits. To learn more about Carrots, see the following links:

Origins
Health Benefits
Nutrition Facts Label
Nutritional Data
Beware of Carrot-Bashers

The Carrot

Botanical Name: Daucus carota sativa.

Origins

Carrots originated 3000 years ago in Central Asia and the Near East, slowly spreading into the Mediterranean area.

Originally, carrot roots were white, yellow, green, or purple in color (but not orange), and were first used as a medicine rather than as a food. Ancient Greek physicians prescribed carrot root and juices to treat cancer, indigestion, snake bites, and skin ulcers.

Although the exact origins of the orange carrot are not precisely known, it is believed orange carrots were first developed in the 1600s by the Dutch. All modern day carrots are directly descended from Dutch-bred carrots.

Carrots are a member of the umbelliferous family which includes celery, parsnips, caraway, fennel, dill, and chervil. They are generally eaten fresh, although they are also canned, frozen, and dried.

In the Middle Ages, the feathery leaves of carrots were placed in a woman's hair as decoration. Carrot juice was used to make butter a more appealing color.

Carrots were a popular crop grown by Early Colonial Americans. Thomas Jefferson raised several types of carrots in his Monticello garden.

Mini-peeled carrots, or baby-cut carrots, were first introduced in 1989. Baby carrots are not grown bit-size. They are bred to be long and slender and then are cut into 2-inch pieces and lathed to uniform width.

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Health Benefits

The plant pigment that gives carrots their vivid orange color is Beta-Carotene, which our bodies convert into Vitamin A as needed.

One carrot supplies enough Beta-Carotene to meet more than twice our daily requirement for Vitamin A. Carrots are also a source of fiber, potassium, and Vitamin C.

Beta-Carotene has important health benefits including reducing the risk of heart disease and some types of cancer.

Vitamin A is important for maintaining good eyesight, especially at night when it helps our eyes adjust to the dark. Vitamin A also helps fight infection, keeps skin and hair healthy, and supports bone growth and maintenance.

There's no need to worry about getting too much Beta-carotene in your food. If you eat more than you need, your body adjusts by absorbing less.

Nutrition Facts Label

Nutrition Facts Label

Nutritional Data

For 1 Raw Carrot (7-1/2 inches long)

Mean value per 72.00 grams edible part; 11.0% refuse 

Portions:  1/2 CUP SHREDDED = 55.00 gm, 

1 CARROT, 7-1/2 IN = 72.00 gm

4.0% Cals from fat,

9.7% Cals from protein, 

86.3% Cals from carbs.

Name	Unit	Amount	Male %RDA	Female %RDA
Food energy	KCal	30.960	1.1%	1.4%
Protein	Gms	0.742	1.2%	1.5%
Total lipid (fat)	Gms	0.137	0.1%	0.2%
Carbohydrate, by diff.	Gms	7.301	1.6%	2.2%
Total saturated fat	Gms	0.022	0.1%	0.1%
Total monounsaturated fat	Gms	0.006
Total polyunsaturated fat	Gms	0.055
Cholesterol	Mg	0.000	0.0%	0.0%
Sodium	Mg	25.200	5.0%	5.0%
Total dietary fiber	Gms	2.160	8.6%	8.6%
Vitamin A	Re	2025.360	202.5%	253.2%
Vitamin A	IU	20252.880
Ascorbic acid	Mg	6.696	11.2%	11.2%
Thiamin	Mg	0.070	4.7%	6.3%
Riboflavin	Mg	0.042	2.5%	3.3%
Niacin	Mg	0.668	3.5%	4.5%
Vitamin B6	Mg	0.106	5.3%	6.6%
Vitamin B12	Mcg	0.000	0.0%	0.0%
Folacin	Mcg	10.080	5.0%	5.6%
Potassium	Mg	232.560	11.6%	11.6%
Calcium	Mg	19.440	2.4%	2.4%
Phosphorus	Mg	31.680	4.0%	4.0%
Magnesium	Mg	10.800	3.1%	3.9%
Iron	Mg	0.360	3.6%	2.4%
Zinc	Mg	0.144	1.0%	1.2%
Pantothenic acid	Mg	0.142	2.8%	2.8%
Copper	Mg	0.034	1.7%	1.7%
Manganese	Mg	0.102	2.9%	2.9%
Ash	Gms	0.626
Water	Gms	63.209
Food energy	KJ	130.320
Lauric acid (12:0)	Gms	0.001
Myristic acid (14:0)	Gms	0.001
Palmitic acid (16:0)	Gms	0.017
Stearic acid (18:0)	Gms	0.001
Palmitoleic acid(16:1)	Gms	0.001
Oleic acid (18:1)	Gms	0.004
Linoleic acid (18:2/n6)	Gms	0.048	0.8%	1.0%
Linolenic acid(18:3/n3)	Gms	0.007	0.4%	0.6%
Phytosterols	Mg	8.640
Histidine	Gms	0.012	1.2%	1.5%
Isoleucine	Gms	0.030	3.7%	4.7%
Leucine	Gms	0.031	2.8%	3.5%
Lysine	Gms	0.029	3.0%	3.8%
Methionine	Gms	0.005
Cystine	Gms	0.006
Methionine+Cystine	Gms	0.011	1.0%	1.3%
Phenylalanine	Gms	0.023
Tyrosine	Gms	0.014
Phenylalanine+Tyrosine	Gms	0.037	3.4%	4.3%
Threonine	Gms	0.027	5.0%	3.1%
Tryptophan	Gms	0.008	2.8%	3.6%
Valine	Gms	0.032	4.0%	5.0%
Arginine	Gms	0.031
Alanine	Gms	0.042
Aspartic acid	Gms	0.099
Glutamic acid	Gms	0.145
Glycine	Gms	0.022
Serine	Gms	0.025

Protein Score:  89, 37% ideal. 

EAA score: 0.89. 

Limiting Amino Acid: Methionine+Cystine

Data source: USDA Nutrient Values Web Site


	Carrots, Carrots, Carrots!