Season: Summer carrots from June to November, home grown large carrots (main crop) available all year round
Summer, bunched carrots are my favourites – sweet and delicate, great for simply munching raw or grated into salads. The first of these to appear in spring come from Spain and have a particularly good flavour.
To cook summer carrots, there’s absolutely no need to peel here – just rinse them under a cold-running tap and cut off the stalks only, just a fraction above the end. This leaves the inside of the carrot intact and, I feel, preserves the flavour. Place them in a steamer, sprinkle with a little salt and steam for about 7 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a skewer but still retaining some firmness and bite. Serve plain, or I like them tossed in butter mixed with some chopped fresh tarragon leaves.
To cook winter carrots, these are available from storage all year round. My favourite way to cook them plainly is to scrape off the skins and cut them into 2 inch (5 cm) chunks, then place them in a saucepan with salt and enough boiling water to barely cover them. Give them about 20 minutes, or until tender but with a little firm bite in the centre, then drain and place them in a food processor and, using the pulse movement, ‘chop’ the carrots quite small, but don’t overdo it or you’ll have a purée. Quickly return them to the saucepan using a spatula to scrape them back in quickly, add a knob of butter and some freshly milled black pepper, then place them over a gentle heat and stir them around for a couple of minutes to get the heat back in. 1 lb (450 g) of carrots will serve 4.
FAQs
What Are Carrots? Carrots are root vegetables that were first grown in Afghanistan around 900 AD. Orange may be their best-known color, but they also come in other hues, including purple, yellow, red, and white. Early carrots were purple or yellow.
What are benefits of eating carrots? ›
Carrots are full of benefits—they may promote healthy vision, balance your blood sugar, help with weight management, lower your risk of cancer, regulate blood pressure, reduce heart disease, improve immunity, and boost brain health. You won't regret incorporating more of this vegetable into your diet.
Are carrots healthier, raw or cooked? ›
Carrots. Raw carrots are fine, but cooked carrots are better for you. Cooking carrots allows beta carotene, an antioxidant compound that gets converted to vitamin A in the intestine, to absorb more easily in the body, explains Beckerman.
Are carrots OK to eat everyday? ›
Is it okay to eat carrots every day? Eating carrots in moderation is good for your health. Eating carrots in excess, however, can cause a condition called carotenemia. This refers to yellowish discoloration of the skin because of the deposition of a substance called beta-carotene that is present in carrots.
What is the healthiest way to eat carrots? ›
Carrots are a versatile vegetable. People can eat them raw, steamed, boiled, roasted, or as an ingredient in soups and stews. Boiling vegetables can reduce or eliminate some of the vitamin content. Raw or steamed carrots provide the most nutritional value.
What is the healthiest vegetable? ›
Spinach takes the top prize as the healthiest vegetable because of its range of nutrients and benefits. Spinach contains numerous types of antioxidants that guard against cancer, heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes.
Are carrots good for blood pressure? ›
Carrots are high in plant-based compounds that may be involved in various health processes, such as managing blood pressure. A 2023 study found that the possibility of high blood pressure went down 10% for roughly every 100 grams of carrots (about 1 cup of grated raw carrots) eaten daily (23).
Are carrots high in sugar? ›
Unfortunately, they pack more sugar than their equally crunchy counterparts. One medium raw carrot contains nearly 5 grams of sugar and 31 calories, while a stalk of celery provides close to 0 grams (0.4, to be exact) of sugar and 7 calories. Red and green bell peppers contain less sugar than carrots, too.
What is the best time to eat carrots? ›
If you tend to overeat, then slice a raw carrot and eat it before your meals. Notice how it helps with portion control. “Carrots have potassium, which helps to balance the high levels of sodium associated with hypertension and keeps blood pressure under control.
Are carrots anti-inflammatory? ›
Carrots. Beta-carotene is one of the main reasons carrots made this list of anti-inflammatory foods. A powerful antioxidant, beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body. This vitamin is essential for your health.
The fiber in carrots (and any high-fiber vegetables, actually) acts like a natural vacuum cleaner in your gastrointestinal tract, picking up debris as it runs through your body. Carrots can also help keep gut cells healthy, supporting a decreased risk of illness and improving your health overall.
Are unpeeled carrots healthier? ›
The Unpeeled Truth
According to Emily S. Mohn and Elizabeth J. Johnson, scientists at Tufts University's Antioxidants Research Laboratory, “this root vegetable is perfectly safe to eat unpeeled.” In fact, the peels are very healthy for us, containing the highest concentrations of vitamin C and niacin in the carrot.
Why is carrot a superfood? ›
Carrots are a particularly good source of beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin K1, potassium, and antioxidants. Plus, they're low in calories. They also have several health benefits. They have been linked to lower cholesterol levels and improved eye health.
Can carrot help in weight loss? ›
In conclusion, are carrots good for weight loss? Carrots are indeed good for weight loss due to their low-calorie content, high fiber content, and various essential micronutrients. They can help create a feeling of fullness, support digestion, and contribute to a calorie deficit necessary for weight loss.
Are carrots high in iron? ›
Carrots are high in iron, particularly non-heme iron, as well as a good source of vitamin C. In addition they have Vitamin A and beta-carotene.
Does carrot help in hair growth? ›
They are packed with vitamin A and vitamin E, both of which help improve blood circulation on your scalp. This, in turn, promotes hair growth and protects you from premature greying. Try to add at least one glass of carrot juice in your daily routine if your goal is to get long and thick hair.
