Carrots: Now 25 Percent Healthier

by Rebecca Flint Marx (Subscribe to Rebecca Flint Marx's posts)
Posted Jun 17th 2009 5:00PM
Filed under: Vegetables, Health & Medical

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Photo: Brettf/Flickr

File under Common Sense: A new study finds that carrots cooked whole have 25 percent more cancer-fighting power than carrots that are chopped up before they're cooked.

Why? More cutting means more surface area. And more surface area means more exposure to cooking water, which leaches out the carrot's nutrients. Among those nutrients is falcarinol, an anti-cancer compound.

That discovery should come as no surprise to anyone who's ever eaten carrots that have been boiled within an inch of their life: the more they're cooked, the less flavor they retain. So it follows that if flavor can be lost, so can nutrients.

The scientists who conducted the study at England's Newcastle University also made the connection between lost nutrients and flavor, noting that the whole-cooked carrots also tasted better because they retained more of their natural sugars.

Better health and better flavor: a win-win situation, cloaked in a flattering shade of orange.

Tags: anti-cancer, carrots, falcarinol, newcastle university, NewcastleUniversity, study

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

6-17-2009 @ 7:23PM

BraH said...

And if they're going into a stew, what if you drink the broth? Or eat cooked vs. raw? How much is lost if you skin them? Is it more efficient or cost effective to take falcarinol pills? Inquiring minds want to know, Newcastle!

6-18-2009 @ 9:40AM

Astin said...

Then microwave them. Microwaving cooks the whole thing simultaneously, so it can be done quicker, with less nutrient loss. Stovetop/oven cooking cooks from the outside-in, so once the inside is cooked, the outside is sapped.

6-18-2009 @ 12:32PM

LinC said...

That begs the question -- can't I just eat 25% more cooked carrots to make up the difference? With carrots the additional calories would be minimal. Or just snack on them raw to start with.

I would be more interested seeing in a nutritional comparison between mature carrots and peeled "baby" carrots.

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