“Baby carrots” are very popular. These are carrots in bite-size pieces packaged in one-pound bags that are sold in supermarkets and grocery stores. They are pre-washed, peeled, and cut into small two-inch segments.
Baby carrots are a convenient and huge time-saver. All you have to do is get them out of the bag, eat them with a dip as nutritious finger food or add them to a dish that you are cooking. A lot of people wonder, however, if they are as nutritious as regular carrots.
Baby carrots come from regular carrots. Labeled as “baby style” or “baby carrots,” these carrots are simply regular carrots cut into smaller pieces. Cut from a slimmer, slightly sweeter variety, they are basically the same as any regular orange carrot. They have the same nutrients.
They are not to be confused with the miniature carrots typically served in high-end fine dining restaurants. Miniature carrots are usually served whole with their green tops still intact for beautiful presentation. These smaller carrots are of a different breed. They are a bit less nutritious than the more common variety.
Baby carrots are rich in beta carotene, the pigment that gives carrots their rich, beautiful orange hue. Beta carotene is an antioxidant. It keeps your body safe from the damage that free radicals can cause. Research indicates that when you have a diet that includes beta carotene, you reduce your risk of cancer, particularly of the stomach, colon, and prostrate.
Carrots are also a source of Vitamin A which helps keep your eyes healthy, your skin vibrant and glowing, and your immune system strong and resilient.
Carrots contain vitamins, enzymes, and minerals that help keep your digestive tract healthy. They contain the alkaline element which helps cleanse and rejuvenate the blood. They are a good source of soluble fiber which helps reduce cholesterol and keep the heart healthy.
You get all these nutrients from baby carrots.
On the down side, you tend to lose the nutrients found in the skin. You need to refrigerate baby carrots. Because they are peeled, they lack the protection that the peel/skin provides. They have a shorter storage life than unpeeled carrots.
Research suggests, however, that baby carrots provide more antioxidants than unpeeled carrots. When you cut fresh produce, you “wound” them. The cells feel that they are being assaulted. Oxidative stress within the cells tends to increase. The body then synthesizes antioxidant molecules as a defense against the stress.
There is good reason to buy baby carrots. They are convenient and easy to prepare. And they have all the nutrients that regular unpeeled carrots have.
