Superfood: Carrots

Carrots ARE good for your eyesight—it’s not just a myth. Carrots contain beta carotene, a pigment that converts vitamin A in the body and helps improve vision. The beta carotene in carrots is also an antioxidant that can help reduce the risk of certain cancers.  In addition to the beta carotene, carrots are a good source of fiber, potassium and vitamin C. Try carrot recipes like Steamed Carrots with Garlic-Ginger Butter and enjoy the versatility of this super vegetable. 

Filled with toasted walnuts, shredded carrots, and all the spices found in carrot cake, these light buttermilk pancakes are a guilt-free breakfast pleasure that provides disease-fighting vitamin A as well as heart-healthy and monounsaturated fat.

Get a daily dose of vitamin A from carrot juice plus calcium from the yogurt when you sip on this easy smoothie. It’s an easy way to have a nutrient-packed breakfast or snack.

Pump up the protein in this vitamin-packed salad by combining shelled soybeans and shredded carrot.

Sweet carrot balances the bitter notes from radicchio and Belgian endive and also helps protect you from infections because of the high beta carotene content of carrots.

The sweetness in this salad comes from nutrient-packed carrots, pineapple and raisins, and makes it a delicious match for lean meats like grilled pork tenderloin.

Because this dish contains no beaten egg whites, it is not a true soufflé, but it gets this name because of its light airy texture. It’s similar in color and flavor to sweet potato casserole.

Carrots and sweet potatoes are two of the top sources of the antioxidant beta carotene (which converts to vitamin A), so get a double dose of disease-fighting power with this spiced soup.

A mere 2 tablespoons of heavy cream adds amazing richness to this carrot soup without adding a lot of fat.

In this light version of a traditional carrot cake, the fat is reduced by using a decreased amount of butter, replacing some of the whole eggs with egg whites, using less sugar, and substituting reduced-fat cream cheese for full-fat cheese in the frosting.

Ground oats add fiber to this flavorful cake recipe and the fat content stays low because some of the oil is replaced with baby food carrots.

Start your morning off with a muffin that's not only packed with vitamin-packed carrot, but also fiber, iron, and vitamin E.