Juicing carrots is a great way to enjoy the health benefits of this nutrient-rich vegetable. Some people prefer to peel their carrots before juicing, while others juice them unpeeled. So should you peel carrots before throwing them into your juicer? There are pros and cons to both approaches.
Pros of Peeling Carrots Before Juicing
Here are some potential benefits of peeling carrots before juicing:
- Avoids unpleasant texture – Carrot peels can give your juice an unpleasant, grainy texture. Peeling them first provides a smoother, more palatable juice.
- Removes pesticides – Peeling removes the outer layer of the carrot, which is where most pesticides collect. This can lower the pesticide content of your juice.
- Prevents crown contamination – The crown (top) of carrots grows underground and may harbor soil bacteria like E. coli. Peeling removes this potential source of contamination.
- Creates brighter, lighter juice – Carrot peels contain chlorophyll and other pigments that can make carrot juice darker. Peeling gives you a lighter colored, potentially more visually appealing juice.
Cons of Peeling Carrots Before Juicing
However, there are also some downsides to peeling your carrots:
- Reduces nutrition – The peel contains high concentrations of nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, and fiber. Peeling carrots can mean missing out on some of these key nutrients.
- Takes more time – Having to wash, peel, and prep carrots before juicing is more time consuming than just tossing them in whole.
- Creates more waste – Carrot peels account for about 13% of the vegetable’s weight. Peeling discards much of the carrot and creates more food waste.
Pros of Not Peeling Carrots Before Juicing
Here are some potential upsides to juicing carrots unpeeled:
- Saves nutrients – Leaving the skin on retains all the nutrients concentrated in the peel, like vitamin C, anthocyanins, phenolic acids, and antioxidants.
- Saves time – Just wash carrots briefly instead of having to scrub, peel, and trim. It’s much faster to juice carrots whole.
- Reduces waste – Juicing unpeeled carrots makes full use of the vegetable and cuts down on food waste.
- Adds fiber – The peel is the most fiber-rich part of the carrot. Leaving it on boosts the fiber content of your fresh juice for digestive and heart health.
Cons of Not Peeling Carrots Before Juicing
However, there are also some potential cons with leaving the peel on:
- Grainy texture – Fibrous strands from the peel can give your juice an unpleasant mouthfeel.
- Pesticide residue – Carrot peel may retain higher amounts of pesticide residue compared to the inner flesh.
- Dirt and microbes – Unpeeled carrots may transfer more dirt and microorganisms from the soil into your juice.
- Bitter taste – Carrot skins contain bitter compounds like polyacetylenes that can alter the flavor.
Tips for Juicing Unpeeled Carrots
If you want to juice carrots unpeeled to maximize nutrition and minimize waste, here are some tips:
- Scrub well – Use a vegetable brush under running water to thoroughly scrub unpeeled carrots of dirt.
- Trim tops – Slice off the very top of carrots where bacteria congregates.
- Buy organic – Choose organic carrots to avoid pesticide residue in the peel.
- Use a good juicer – A powerful juicer can break down peels better than a weaker model.
- Dilute and strain – Dilute thick carrot juice with other produce. You can also strain to catch fibrous bits.
- Balance flavors – Combine carrot juice with lemon, ginger or apples to balance any bitter notes.
Nutrition Comparison of Peels vs. Flesh
Here’s how some of the main nutrients in carrots compare in the peel vs. the flesh, per 100 grams:
| Nutrient | Carrot Peel | Carrot Flesh |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C | 10.3 mg | 5.9 mg |
| Vitamin K | 16.9 mcg | 13.2 mcg |
| Fiber | 8.8 g | 2.8 g |
| Potassium | 418 mg | 320 mg |
| Beta-Carotene | 7.44 mg | 8.35 mg |
As you can see, nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K, fiber, and potassium are often significantly more concentrated in the peel. Beta-carotene, the antioxidant that gives carrots their orange color, is higher in the flesh but still present in the peel as well.
Best Juicers for Carrots With Peels
If you want to juice carrots unpeeled, it’s best to use a powerful juicer that can effectively break down the skins:
- Twin gear juicers – Also called triturating juicers, these have twin augers that efficiently crush peels. Top brands are the Tribest Greenstar Elite and Super Angel Juicer.
- Slow juicers – Also called cold press or masticating juicers, these slowly mash produce. Good for carrot peels are the Omega J8006 and Kuvings CS600.
- Centrifugal juicers – At high speeds, these extract juice by shredding produce. Models like the Breville Juice Fountain Plus handle peels well.
Weaker centrifugal juicers may struggle more with tough carrot peels. But any decent juicer should be able to break them down well enough, especially if the carrots are scrubbed clean first.
Conclusion
So should you peel carrots before juicing them? It really comes down to your priorities:
- If you want maximum nutrition and minimal waste, juice them unpeeled.
- If you prefer texture and appearance, peel them first.
For the best of both worlds, try combining some peeled and unpeeled carrots in your juices. Scrub organic carrots well and run them through an efficient juicer. Dilute or strain the juice if needed to smooth out the texture.
Juicing both peeled and unpeeled carrots together gives you vibrant, smooth juice full of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. With a good recipe, you can enjoy the health benefits of carrot peels while still getting great flavor.
