Carrots
As root vegetables that spread from the Middle East to Greece, Rome and later Europe, the earliest carrots were not orange, but multicolored.
Of course, carrots are full of carotenoids, the group of plant pigments of which beta-carotene is a member. They're also a source of disease-fighting flavonoids, and a fiber called calcium pectate which may lower blood cholesterol.
Glycemic Index=47
Glycemic Load=3
Antioxidant Score* (ORAC)=666 (raw) and 317 (cooked)
The Benefits
- Special diets: Autoimmune Paleo Diet, Elimination Diet, Gluten-Free Diet, Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free Diet, Grain-Free Diet, Low Acid Diet, Low FODMAP Diet, Low Histamine Diet, Low Starch Diet, Paleo Diet (Light), Paleo Diet (Strict), Pescetarian Diet, Primal Diet, Vegetarian Diet, Whole Food
- Excellent Source of: VitaminA, VitaminK
- Good Source of: Fiber, Potassium, VitaminC
- Preferences: No Fish, No Red Meat, No Pork, No Eggs, No Shellfish, No Gluten, No Nuts, No Seeds, No Soy, No Dairy, No Poultry, No Corn, No Yeast, No Peanuts, No Coconut, No Molds, No Citrus, No Pseudograins, No Nightshade, No Legumes, No Grains, Low Carbohydrate, Low Cholesterol, Low Fat, Low Sodium, Low Saturated Fat
Related Nutrients
Selecting and Storing
When selecting carrots, choose those that are firm and smooth. Avoid those with cracks or any that have begun to soften and wither. Remove carrot greenery as soon as possible because it robs the roots of moisture and vitamins. Store carrots in a plastic bag in the refrigerator's vegetable bin. Avoid storing them near apples, which emit ethylene gas that can give carrots a bitter taste.
