Who doesn’t love a good carrot? These tasty and nutritious vegetables can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. You can have them cooked or steamed, eaten as a side dish, fresh in salads or on a raw vegetable relish tray, as a sweet and creamy juice, or even as carrot cake! Not only can you enjoy the roots but you may use the fresh greens in any recipe where you would use parsley. In fact, carrots are in the same family of Umbellifers as celery, parsnips, cilantro, dill, and parsley.

Carrots come in many different sizes and colors. They can be white, yellow, purple, red, and more commonly the classic orange color. The orange variety of carrots are very high in beta carotene. This antioxidant is what is converted into vitamin A.

According to WebMD, just a half-cup serving of carrots can provide up to 73% of your daily requirement of vitamin A and is also a good source of vitamin K, potassium, vitamin C, calcium, and iron.

When most people think of the health benefits of consuming carrots, they think of the eyes. This is because vitamin A and beta-carotene help protect your eyes from the harmful wavelengths from the sun and lowers your chances of developing cataracts and other eye problems.

The antioxidants found in carrots have been proven to help fight the harmful effects of free radicals that cause cancer. These antioxidants are also important for good heart health.

The vitamin C in carrots play an important role in helping your immune system fight infections.

The fiber in carrots can also help relieve constipation.

There are many health benefits to be had from eating carrots. If you haven’t tried a fresh garden-grown carrot harvested in the fall or winter, give it a try. I’m sure you will agree they are the best carrots you’ve ever had!