Carrots, Carotenoids and Antioxidants
Let’s talk about… CARROTS (recipes at the end)
Carrots are known for their unique colors: orange, yellow, purple, etc. These colors indicate a high phytonutrient content, including carotenoids and anthocyanins, based on which color you buy. These phytonutrients are rich sources of antioxidants. Orange carrots are the most commonly found in foods and the grocery store. Their bright orange color indicates a high levels of the phytochemical and antioxidant, Beta-Carotene. Beta Carotene is a precursor to vitamin A, making carrots a rich source of the vitamin. In addition to beta-carotene, carrots contain the carotenoids alpha-carotene and lutein. However, beta-carotene makes up over 95% of carotenoids in orange carrots. Purple and red carrots also contain anthocyanins: cyanidins, malvidins, also present in berries. All of these phytonutrients have antioxidant properties. In addition to these antioxidants, carrots are also a good source of fiber (see my fiber post), vitamin K1 (bone health), vitamin C, and potassium.
You can actually eat too many carrots though! Excessive consumption of carotene-rich foods may lead to a condition called carotenemia in which the palms or other skin develops a yellow or orange color due to excessive levels of carotene in the blood. However, you would need to consume 20 to 50 milligrams of beta-carotenes per day for a few weeks to raise your levels enough to see skin discoloration. There is about 4 mg of beta-carotene in one large, fresh carrot. Therefore, you would have to consume about 10 large carrots every day or a whole bag a baby carrots every day for several weeks.[1]
What is an antioxidant?
Antioxidants are “free radical scavengers,” compounds that protect your cells from damage by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules produced by the body when food is broken down, we are exposed to tobacco smoke or radiation, or during periods of stress and inflammatory response. As a result, Antioxidants protect your cells during periods of body high stress and free radical formation such as in heart disease, cancer and other diseases. To summarize the mechanism, free radicals have an unpaired electron that makes them unstable. Antioxidants donate an electron to these free radicals to stabilize them, referred to as “quenching free radicals.” Antioxidants include vitamin C, E, carotenoids, flavonoids, and tannins (in tea and coffee). Plant-based foods are the best sources, i.e. eating foods that contain these compounds instead of taking a supplements.[2]
Health Benefits
Due to their role as antioxidants, carotenoids reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. Studies have found a strong correlation between dietary carotenoid consumption and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).[3] In another large-scale study from the Netherlands, participants were followed for a period of 10 years and their meal plans were analyzed for fruit and vegetable intake in four color categories: green, orange/yellow, red/purple, and white. The study found that foods with orange/yellow colors, especially darker shades, were the most protective against CVD. Within this group, carrots were singled out as one of the richest sources of these pigments in foods. Beta-carotene is also protective in eye health, liver health, and cancer. In cancer studies, research often focuses on polyacetylenes in carrots, especially falcarinol and falcarindiol. Carrots are able to convert fatty acids within them into polyacetylenes. Falcarinol and falcarindiol have been shown to reduce neoplastic lesions in the colon and decrease the growth rate of polyps, suggesting they could have a preventive effect on colorectal cancer.[4]
As mentioned, beta-carotene is a precursor of vitamin A. Therefore, given vitamin A’s role in eye health, beta-carotene is also protective in eye health. 11-cis retinal, the form of vitamin A used in vision, is required in night and color vision. 11-cis retinal combines with opsin protein in rod and cone cells of the eye to form rhodopsin. When light hits rhodopsin, 11-cis retinal is isomerized (changes its shape) to all-trans-retinal. This action sends a nerve impulse to the brain and allows for the perception of light.
Grocery Guide
When shopping, I like to buy fresh carrots, with the green tops attached. I find these have a sweeter taste and indicate they were picked more recently.
Here are some selection tips:
Color: Look for bright, rich colors. This can apply to shopping for any vegetable or fruit. The deeper the orange-color, the more beta-carotene is present in the carrot. However, there are such things as white carrots and they will appear lighter and are still a great choice!
Feel: select carrots that are solid, not limp, rubbery, excessively cracked or forked.
Green tops: Make sure they look bright, fresh, and feathery. If they are wilted and sad looking, I would look for another bunch.
How to Serve
You can eat carrots raw or cooked. I like to slice fresh carrots for a snack anytime. If the carrots are organically grown, you don’t need to peel. Right before eating/slicing, you just lightly scrub the carrots under warm water with a brush or with your hands. If the carrots are not fresh or are not grown organically, I suggest peeling them in order to avoid the risk of exposure to unwanted pesticides and other contaminants. You can also cook carrots in so many different ways. I like to sheet pan roast them in the oven, incorporate them into soups, or peel them into ribbons on salads.
Storage Tips
1. Cut off the green tops:
If you purchase carrot roots with attached green tops, the tops should be cut off before storing in the refrigerator since they will cause the carrots to wilt prematurely as they pull moisture from the roots.
2. Minimize moisture loss:
Wrap carrots in paper towels (my preference) or store in a plastic bag that is open on one end—you want to limit the supply of oxygen but not cut it off, otherwise the carrots will become dehydrated and wilt. You also want to avoid moisture in the bag because water availability is what causes rot.
Whenever food is stored, there are four basic factors that affect their nutrient composition: light exposure, heat exposure, air/oxygen exposure and length of storage. For example, carotenoids, vitamin C, and vitamin B6 are highly susceptible to heat. Therefore, nutrient loss is reduced by refrigerating foods rich in these nutrients.
Fun fact: Carrots should be stored away from apples, pears, potatoes and other fruits and vegetables that produce ethylene gas since it may cause them to become more bitter in taste.
Here are two delicious recipes for cooking carrots!
Sheet Pan Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
1 bunch of fresh carrots (any color you want)
Olive Oil
Salt + Pepper
Other spices you desire
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F
Trim Carrot greens (you can leave 3-4 inches for esthetics)
Select fresh carrots
Wash and scrub carrots (don’t peel)
Place Silpat or foil on baking sheet
Arrange carrots on the baking sheet, try not to overlap them
Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper (can add other spices that you like: Turmeric, cayenne, etc.; to introduce sweetness, you can add 2 tsp of maple syrup and rub it into the carrots)
Use hands to mix the oil mixture all over the carrots
Cover the baking sheet with foil and place on top shelf of oven
Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the carrots are softened (This will vary based on freshness, the less fresh the longer they take)
Uncover and cook uncovered for another 10-15 minutes until the carrots are browned and form a slightly crisp skin
If they are not browning, you can broil for 5-8 minutes but watch closely so they don’t burn.
Carrot ginger soup
This recipe is a warming, spicy (from the ginger) soup that you can eat anytime of year: warm enough for winter but light enough for summer! I adapted this from the Love and Lemons cookbook. In my version, I add extra ginger and provide an easier variation on how to cook it.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onions
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 heaping cups chopped carrots
1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 to 4 cups vegetable broth
Sea salt and fresh black pepper
1 teaspoon maple syrup, or to taste (optional)
coconut milk for garnish, optional
dollops of pesto, optional
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and a generous pinch of salt and pepper and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add the smashed garlic cloves (they’ll get blended later) and chopped carrots to the pot and cook about 8 minutes more, stirring occasionally. When short on time, I will just threw the carrots, ginger, and garlic into a food processor and quickly pulse them into smaller pieces so I don’t have to chop them up my myself.
Stir in the ginger, then add the apple cider vinegar, and then add 3 to 4 cups of broth, depending on your desired consistency. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the carrots are soft, about 30 minutes. If you use the food processor way, your carrots may seem soft from the start but still cook for 30 minutes.
Let cool slightly and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add maple syrup, if desired.
Serve with a drizzle of coconut milk, a dollop of pesto, or toasted pumpkin seeds, if desired.
References:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=21
https://www.jscimedcentral.com/JSMAtherosclerosis/JSMAtherosclerosis-1-1002.pdf
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28197615