Carrots are one of the most popular vegetables due their versatility. They can be found in various shapes, sizes, and colors at your local farmer's market. I believe that there is much truth to the old saying "you are what you eat." It is for this reason that I choose the carrots that are not straight, but have character.
To keep your carrots fresh, it is best to cut the tops off the carrots and store in the refrigerator. It is best to store in the crisper away from apples and pears.
Nutritionally, carrots are best known for their vitamin A content. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin, which means that consuming carrots with a fat source will aid in vitamin absorption. In adequate vitamin A leads to deficiency. Vitamin A deficiency has been linked to night blindness, a decreased resistance to infections, failure to reproduce, and more. Vitamin A may reduce the symptoms of an iron deficiency anemia when combined with iron supplementation. Vitamin A has also been used therapeutically for menorrhagia, psoriasis, dry eyes, wound healing, and more. Talk to your doctor before making changes in your supplementation due to the risk of toxicity.
