Native to Europe and Southwestern Asia, Carrots are a beloved and budget-friendly root vegetable. Varying in shape, size and colour, they are highly nutritious, tasty and around R12 to R20 per kilo – making them a no-brainer addition to your groceries. They’re also available year-round and work for both summer and winter dishes (and everything in between). Find out how you can make the most out of this budget veggie below.
Everything you need to know about carrots
Daucus carota, a.k.a the carrot, is a root vegetable grown and cultivated the world over for its sweet crunch and myriad health benefits. They also come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours:
- Organic/homegrown/conventionally farmed: organic and homegrown carrots tend to produce varying shapes (some oblong, super long and thin or short and stout), whereas conventionally farmed produce the consistent shape we all see in the supermarket
- Sizes: Carrots are available in different sizes at the store, mainly fully grown, small/baby carrots (cultivated before fully grown), and processed carrots that can be in the shape of small to medium balls or stubs (like cocktail sausages)
- Colours: We have the Dutch to thank for the bright orange carrots, but before they were genetically modified, these root veggies grew in a variety of colours (now known as ‘heirloom carrots’), including purple, yellow, red, white and black
Health benefits
We all know the story of how they’re great for eye health, but carrots have a lot more to them than that:
- Low in calories and fat
- High in water, carbohydrates and protein
- Ranks as a low glycemic food (especially good for people with diabetes)
- Excellent source of beta-carotene (an antioxidant that your body converts into vitamin A)
- High in fibre
- Contains vitamin K1 (promotes bone health and coagulates blood), vitamin A (important for vision, growth, development and immunity), and vitamin B6 (helps convert food into energy)
- Contains potassium (aids blood pressure management)
- Contains biotin (important role in fat and protein metabolism)
- Filled with antioxidants (like alpha-carotene, lutein, lycopene, polyacetylenes, and anthocyanins)
These nutrients not only improve eye health and help maintain blood sugar levels, but studies have shown that carrots can lower cholesterol levels, and their carotene antioxidants may help reduce the risk of cancer.
Carrot recipes we love
Carrots can be used with almost any other veggie and meat, can be served on their own, and even work in sweet dishes! Try your hand at some of our favourite carrot recipes below and enjoy all that they have to offer:
1. Roasted baby carrots with Zhoug
2. Moroccan harvest platter with spice-roasted carrots, lamb and millet
Moroccan harvest platter with spice-roasted carrots, lamb and millet
3. Roasted potatoes, carrots and zucchini
4. Roasted carrots with chilli and cumin yoghurt dressing
5. Carrot cake sticky toffee pudding
