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Vegetables

Carrots

Carrots are crunchy, mildly sweet root vegetables that can be eaten raw or cooked. Orange carrots are particularly known for their beta-carotene content; they also contain fibre.

Food7 sources
Hand-painted illustration of three orange carrots with short leafy tops.

Carrots are the edible storage roots of the cultivated carrot plant. Besides familiar orange varieties, they come in yellow, purple and white. You can enjoy them as a crunchy snack, grate them into salads or use them in soups, stews and roasted vegetable dishes. Their mild sweetness also works well in cakes. Nutrient amounts are listed per 100 g with a source reference, distinguishing between raw and cooked carrots.

Carrots: crunchy and versatile

Carrots are the edible storage roots of the cultivated carrot plant. You can snack on them raw, grate them into salads, or use them in soups, stews and roasted vegetable dishes. Their mildly sweet flavour also works well in cakes.

Colour and nutrients

Alongside orange varieties, carrots also come in yellow, purple and white. Orange carrots are particularly known for their beta-carotene; carrots also contain fibre.

Nutrients

Safety information

  • Contraindication

    Carrot allergy

    Carrots can cause allergic reactions, including pollen-related cross-reactions. If you have a carrot allergy, avoid the forms that trigger symptoms and seek specialist advice. Pollen allergy alone does not mean you need to avoid carrots. [1][2]

  • Caution

    Cooking does not guarantee allergy tolerance

    Cooked foods are often better tolerated in pollen-food syndrome. However, if you have a carrot allergy, do not rely on cooking alone to make carrots safe: discuss suitable preparations with your allergy specialist. [2][3]

  • Side effect

    Very high intake can discolour the skin

    Eating very large amounts of carrots or drinking a lot of carrot juice over time can turn the skin yellow-orange. This carotenodermia is generally harmless and reverses when intake is reduced; it is not vitamin A poisoning. [4]

  • Caution

    Prepare safely for babies and young children

    Hard carrot pieces can be a choking hazard for babies and young children. Cook carrots until soft and choose shapes and textures suited to your child’s eating skills. Avoid hard, round pieces and supervise your child while eating. [5]

  • Caution

    Adapt the texture for swallowing difficulties

    Raw carrots can be difficult to eat safely if you have swallowing difficulties. Prepare them according to your prescribed texture requirements; simply cutting them into smaller pieces may not be enough. [6]

Frequently asked questions

Can you eat carrots raw or cooked?

Yes. You can eat carrots raw or cooked.

What are orange carrots known for?

Orange carrots are particularly known for their beta-carotene.

Do carrots contain fibre?

Yes. Carrots contain fibre.

Are the same nutrient values used for raw and cooked carrots?

Nutrient values should distinguish between raw and cooked carrots.

  • Broccoli

    Broccoli is a usually green vegetable in the cabbage family, with tender florets and an edible stalk. It is known for its vitamin C, folate and fibre content.

  • Potatoes

    Potatoes are the edible, starch-rich tubers of the potato plant. A versatile staple, they can be boiled, baked, mashed or used in a wide range of dishes.

  • Spinach

    Spinach is a green leafy vegetable. The food consists of the edible leaves of the plant Spinacia oleracea.

  • Tomatoes

    Tomatoes are juicy fruits used as vegetables in cooking. You can eat them raw or cooked. Nutritionally, they are known for their high water content and the red carotenoid lycopene.

Sources

  1. 01Bundesinstitut für RisikobewertungAllergien: Die wichtigsten Fragen und Antworten auf einen BlickOpen source
  2. 02Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation TrustPollen food syndromeOpen source
  3. 03Dietary Interventions in Pollen-Related Food AllergyPubMed 30332840Open source
  4. 04EFSA Journal · 2024Scientific opinion on the tolerable upper intake level for preformed vitamin A and β-caroteneOpen source
  5. 05NHSPreparing food safely for babiesOpen source
  6. 06Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation TrustSafer Swallowing AdviceOpen source
  7. 07ANSES – French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety – Ciqual French food composition table · 2025Carrot, raw (CIQUAL 20009)Open source