Mini-Carrot

(Scientific Name: Daucus carota)

Selection Information

Usage: Eating fresh, salads, cooked, stir-fry, stews, soups, puree, juicing.

Selection: Also called Baby or French carrots, good quality mini carrots will be firm, smooth-skinned, straight-shaped and well-colored with no blemishes. The deeper the orange coloring of the carrot, the higher the beta carotene content.

Avoid: Avoid carrots that are wilting, soft or are split or growing thin hair-like roots. Those with large green areas at the top or that have dark blemishes or brown coloring of any kind are also undesirable.

Storage: Trim the tops off baby carrots before storing them. You can eat the tops, but they take moisture and nutrition from the baby carrot during storage and they can only be stored a few days. You can store mini carrots in your refrigerator's crisper drawer for a few weeks if placed in a perforated plastic bag.

Seasonal Information

Mini Carrots are available year-round from California.

Mini-Carrot Nutritional Information

Serving Size: 1 ounce (28g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 10	Calories from Fat 0
	% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0	0%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 22mg	1%
Total Carbohydrate 2g	1%
Dietary Fiber 1g	3%
Sugars 1g
Protein 0g
Vitamin A 77%	Vitamin C 1%
Calcium 1%	Iron 1%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Source: PMA's Labeling Facts

Mini Carrots are low Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. They're also a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Potassium and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin K and Manganese.

Carrot Tips & Trivia

Carrots belong to the parsley family. They originated in Afghanistan, cultivated originally for medicinal purposes utilizing the seeds which are produced in the second year of this biennial plant. (Marketable roots grow in a single season.)
The use of carrots spread westward, introduced into England from Holland in the 15th Century. At that point, carrots were coveted for their tops, and no well-dressed English gentlewoman would be seen without lacy carrot leaves decorating her hair.