Healthy or Not? Carrots

By New Jersey Bariatric Center Staff | October 16, 2019

Some of you may be wondering why I’m writing an article with carrots as the subject of healthy or not. Too often when discussing vegetables, people say that carrots are too high in sugar so they avoid them. I’m here to tell you about the many benefits of eating carrots.

First, let’s take a look at the nutrition facts for one large carrot:

Carrots vs Other Vegetables

One large carrot has 7g carbohydrates (3g of naturally occurring sugars). When looking at other vegetables like 1 cup of string beans (2g of naturally occurring sugars) and 1 large celery stalk (1g of naturally occurring sugars), their sugar content is comparable to carrots.

If we compare the naturally occurring sugar in 1 large carrot to 1 large banana (8”-9”), a banana has around six times more naturally occurring sugars (17g) than carrots.

Nutrients

Vitamin A: 1 large carrot meets the recommended daily allowance for Vitamin A which has many benefits including:

Preventing macular degeneration, cataracts, and night blindness.
Supporting cell growth
Supporting a healthy immune system
Playing a role in normal function and maintenance of organs like your heart and lungs

Fiber: 1 large carrot provides 2g of fiber, this can help:

Reduce constipation
Improve regularity
Reduce cholesterol levels
Reduce blood glucose levels
Increase feelings of satiety

Antioxidants: Carrots are rich in antioxidants such as carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and lutein) which can help:

Your immune system
Protect against free radicals
Lower the risk of developing cancer and heart disease

The next time you think about making carrots to accompany a meal or to have as a part of your snack, know that you’re consuming a great source of Vitamin A while also consuming fiber and antioxidants.