Are peeled carrots healthier?
Carrots are a popular vegetable that can be enjoyed raw or cooked. Many people prefer to peel their carrots before eating them, believing that peeled carrots are healthier than unpeeled ones. But is this really true? Let’s take a closer look at the potential benefits and downsides of peeling carrots.
Nutrient Differences Between Peeled and Unpeeled Carrots
At first glance, it may seem logical that peeled carrots are healthier because you are removing the outer layer where dirt, chemicals, and microbes could accumulate. However, peeling actually strips away some beneficial nutrients found in the carrot skin and immediately underneath it.
Carrot skins contain dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, and antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin. The highest concentration of phenolic acids, which give carrots their antioxidant power, is found in the outer layers. Peeling a carrot reduces its lutein and zeaxanthin content by 25%.
| Nutrient | Unpeeled Carrot (medium) | Peeled Carrot (medium) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 30 | 25 |
| Total Fat | 0.2g | 0.1g |
| Fiber | 2.5g | 2g |
| Vitamin C | 6mg | 4mg |
| Vitamin K | 13mcg | 9mcg |
| Potassium | 230mg | 195mg |
| Lutein | 256mcg | 192mcg |
As shown in the table, even peeling a single medium carrot reduces its fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, and antioxidant content. The reductions seem small per carrot, but they can add up over time.
Pesticide Residues on Carrot Skins
Many people choose to peel carrots because they worry about pesticide residues on the surface. Research shows mixed evidence on whether peeling significantly reduces pesticide levels.
One study found that peeling removed only 23-57% of the total pesticide residues on carrots. The residues had penetrated beyond the outer layers into the carrot flesh. Peeling also does not remove any pesticides that may have been absorbed into the plant tissues.
However, another study found that abrasion and peeling removed almost all traces of the pesticide chlorpyrifos from carrot surfaces. More research is still needed on this topic.
Overall, properly washing carrots is more important than peeling. Scrubbing with a vegetable brush removes more residues than peeling alone. If you are still concerned about pesticides after washing, then peeling may provide extra reassurance.
Peeling and Foodborne Illness
Food safety is another reason why some people prefer to peel their carrots. However, research does not show a consistent benefit.
One study found that abrasion and peeling reduced microbial contamination on carrots by around 90%. But another study found no significant difference in bacteria levels between peeled and unpeeled carrots.
Again, the more important factor is properly washing carrots to remove dirt and microbes. Peeling should not replace washing. If washed properly, the risk of foodborne illness from unpeeled carrots is very low.
Effects on Texture and Taste
Peeling carrots also affects their texture and flavor. Carrots start to lose moisture minutes after peeling, becoming softer and less crunchy. Enzymes activated by peeling cause structural changes over time.
In taste tests, panels found unpeeled baby carrots to be significantly crisper and more flavorful. The thicker and more heterogeneous skin enhanced flavor. Subjects described peeled carrots as softer, sweeter, and more uniformly tasting.
If you are eating carrots raw, such as with a dip or in salads, leaving the peel may provide a better crunch. However, for cooked dishes like soups and stews, the texture difference will be less noticeable after cooking.
Nutrient Loss During Cooking
Most cooked carrot dishes call for peeled carrots. But does cooking carrots after peeling cause a greater loss of nutrients?
Studies show peel removal does not significantly accelerate nutrient losses during boiling or other cooking methods. More nutrients are lost from the peeled carrot itself as it cooks.
For example, one study found that boiled peeled carrots lost 33% of their vitamin C versus 28% loss for unpeeled carrots. Both peeled and unpeeled lost over 90% of their folate during boiling.
Cooking often destroys the peel’s texture anyway, negating some of its potential benefits. So peeling before cooking does not seem to sacrifice much nutritionally. Just avoid overcooking to minimize nutrient loss regardless.
Peeling Methods
If you do choose to peel your carrots, the method makes a difference. Conventional peeling with a standard vegetable peeler wastes a lot of flesh along with the skin.
Other techniques like abrasion and scraping remove the skin with less flesh attached. This preserves more of the subsurface nutrients.
Abrasion involves rubbing the carrots with an abrasive material to erode the skin. Materials like baking soda, salt, or scouring pads all work. Simply scrubbing carrots with a washcloth also removes skin with minimal peeling.
Scraping uses a knife to shave off thin strips of skin rather than digging into the flesh. A study found that scraping removed just 5% of the total carrot weight compared to 14% from peeling with a standard peeler.
So if you want peeled carrots, abrasion or scraping is preferable to limit nutrient losses. But for maximum nutrition, just wash and eat them unpeeled.
Nutrition Differences in Raw Versus Cooked Carrots
| Raw | Boiled 5 mins | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 30 | 27 |
| Total Fat | 0.2g | 0.1g |
| Fiber | 2.5g | 2.3g |
| Vitamin C | 6mg | 4mg |
| Vitamin K | 13mcg | 9mcg |
| Potassium | 230mg | 215mg |
| Beta-carotene | 7mg | 6mg |
As shown in the table, boiling carrots causes some loss of water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C and B vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin K and beta-carotene are relatively stable during cooking. Fiber content also remains mostly unchanged.
Cooking softens the pectin and cell walls in carrots, making more carotenes accessible for absorption by the body. Some studies found increased blood levels of beta-carotene after eating cooked carrots compared to raw.
On the other hand, raw carrots provide more vitamin C and may have other beneficial enzymes and phytochemicals destroyed by cooking. As long as they are washed properly, raw carrots are also fine from a food safety standpoint.
Both raw and cooked carrots have a place in a healthy diet. Just don’t overcook them to maximize nutrient retention.
Downsides of Peeling
Beyond nutritional differences, here are some other downsides of peeling carrots:
- Peeling takes more time and work
- Peeling wastes food – more carrots needed to yield same usable amount
- Peelings add to food waste if discarded
- Skins keep cooked carrots intact; peeled carrots can break down more
- Peeled carrots may dry out and discolor faster without the skin’s protection
Convenience and minimal food waste are other good reasons to keep the peel on when you can. Washing and scrubbing whole unpeeled carrots takes less effort than peeling.
When Peeling Makes Sense
While unpeeled carrots are nutritionally superior in most cases, there are some instances where peeling them does make sense:
- When appearance is important – skins can look dried out or blemished
- When serving cooked carrots blended into smooth dishes like soups and purees
- When juicing carrots – the skin could clog up the juicer
- When the recipe calls for scraped or shredded carrots
- If the carrots are covered in wax, dirt, or other residues that washing does not remove
- If carrot skins irritate your digestive system
- If you strongly prefer the taste and texture of peeled carrots
In these cases, peeling carrots is fine. Just be sure to use minimal peeling to avoid excessive nutrient losses.
Conclusion
Peeling carrots has some benefits but causes significant losses of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants concentrated in the outermost layers. For maximum nutrition, it’s best to eat carrots unpeeled when possible after giving them a good scrub.
If peeling, use methods that remove minimal flesh like abrasion or scraping rather than deep peeling. Cook carrots with or without skins since nutrients are lost from the flesh either way during cooking. Consider saving peels for making stock or adding to compost instead of discarding.
While peeling carrots has some benefits in certain situations, for everyday eating of raw or cooked carrots, leaving the skin on provides more nutrients and less food waste. So take a pass on peeling for a healthier carrot snack or side dish.