Sweet, Crunchy, and Healthy Carrots
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Will carrots (how long do carrots last?) grow in winter? When are carrots in season? Keep reading to know these details.
With a planting season in Texas from July to November, the humble carrot is one of the few veggies that can be grown through winter and yields a staggered harvest from December to May. In fact, most of the harvest comes out around February which is why National Carrot Cake Day is usually held in the first week of February! If you're subscribed to CSA boxes you'll probably find a bunch of carrots and other winter seasonal fruits and vegetables when you open it this week.
Carrots are the powerhouse of what's in season in early February throughout Texas!
Picking the Perfect Carrots in Season
Now that you know the season for carrots, it’s time to pick the perfect carrots for your home cooked meals (how long do cooked meals last?). If you want the best carrots for snacking or for your winter stews, keep the following things in mind:
Look for carrots that are smooth, firm to the touch, and crisp, with a rich and deep color.
Fresher carrots have more intense pigmentation.
You can also see the carrot’s freshness by the color of its leaves. Fresher carrots have brighter green leaves.
Wilted leaves are a sign that the carrot has been sitting on the shelf for a while.
Avoid carrots that are excessively split, wilted, have begun to sprout, or have soft spots. Soft spots are a sign of decay. The coloring on a good carrot must be consistent from top to bottom. Dark coloring at the crown indicates that carrots are old.
And if you want the best carrots, pick the biggest ones in the bunch. This means that they have a longer growing time and the longer time they have to grow, the more sugar the flesh will have, leading to a sweeter, and tastier carrot.
Be careful when buying "baby" carrots. If you spot any with the leaves still attached then by all means, go grab them. On the other hand, "baby-cut" carrots are basically just regular carrots cut to look like baby carrots. Best avoid these as you don't know what the original carrot looked like and the quality may be suspect. If you want baby-cut carrots, better to buy fresh carrots and cut them yourself.
Want to find the freshest carrots in season? Find a local farmers market in the TexasRealFood Directory here.
Storing Carrots
Here's some quick tips on how to store carrots. Once you get home, cut off the leaves, and refrigerate the carrots in an unsealed plastic bag. You can store it at the bottom or inside a crisper. Keeping the carrots dry can help them to last longer. Try lining the bag with paper towels and change out damp towels once or twice a week. Do not put the carrots next to any fruits like apples, bananas, and pears, which would speed up its ripening process. With proper storage, carrots will last for about two weeks. If kept dried, they may last for over a month.
You may be tempted to wash these in-season winter vegetables before storing them, but don't do it!
Carrots may also be blanched and frozen to last up to eight months, but they will lose some nutrients and flavor. To do this, simply cut them down into manageable pieces (equally size and shape as to ensure proper blanching) blanch them, dry them with towels, lay them out in a tray to individually freeze them (to avoid clumping), and once totally frozen through, you can move them to a freezer-safe bag and store them in the freezer.
Pro Tip: Find other winter seasonal fruits and vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, and string beans and make your own ready-to-use vegetable mix!
The Many Health Benefits of Eating Carrots
Carrots are one of the most widely consumed vegetables not only in Texas, but also in the world. Not only are they a staple ingredient in many dishes, but they are also packed with numerous health benefits. In this article, we will explore the various nutritional benefits of carrots and why they should be an essential part of anyone's diet.
Carrots are Rich in Vitamins and Minerals
Carrots are rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. These essential nutrients help to keep your body functioning properly and can improve your overall health.
Vitamin A, also known as retinol, is essential for maintaining good vision and skin health. It also helps to boost the immune system, keeping you healthy and reducing your risk of infections.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps to protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals. It also plays a crucial role in maintaining a strong immune system, and can help to reduce the symptoms of colds and flu.
Potassium is an important mineral that helps to regulate blood pressure, keeping your heart healthy. It also helps to maintain proper fluid balance in the body, which is essential for proper kidney function.
Fiber is an essential nutrient that helps to promote healthy digestion, prevent constipation, and reduce your risk of developing heart disease.
Carrots Promote Weight Loss and Support Healthy Digestion
In addition to its numerous vitamins and minerals, Texas carrots are also low in calories and high in fiber, making them an excellent food for weight loss. The high fiber content in carrots helps to keep you feeling full, reducing the amount of food you eat, and ultimately leading to weight loss.
Carrots also contain a high amount of water, which helps to keep your digestive system hydrated and functioning properly. This, combined with their high fiber content, helps to prevent constipation and promote healthy digestion.
Supports Eye Health
One of the most well-known health benefits of eating carrots is their ability to support eye health. This is because they are rich in vitamin A, which is essential for maintaining good vision. Vitamin A helps to keep the retina and cornea healthy, reducing your risk of developing eye problems, such as macular degeneration and cataracts.
Boosts Immune System
Finally, carrots are also known to help boost the immune system. This is due to their high levels of vitamin C, which is essential for maintaining a strong immune system. Vitamin C helps to protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals, reducing your risk of developing infections and illnesses.
Bone Health and Carrots
While carrots are a nutritious food and a good source of vitamins and minerals, they are not particularly rich in calcium, which is a key nutrient for bone health. To maintain healthy bones, it's important to eat a balanced diet that includes a variety of foods that are high in calcium, such as dairy products, leafy green vegetables, and fortified foods. Vitamin D is also important for bone health, as it helps the body absorb calcium.
Beta Carotene and Carrots
Beta-carotene is a type of carotenoid, a pigment found in plants that gives them their red, orange, and yellow color. It is a precursor to Vitamin A, meaning it can be converted into Vitamin A in the body.
The name beta-carotene is derived from the Greek word "carotene," meaning "carrot," and the prefix "beta," which indicates the position of a double bond in the molecule's structure. This molecule is one of the most common carotenoids found in nature and is widely recognized for its ability to be converted into Vitamin A in the body.
Beta-carotene is found in many fruits and vegetables, including carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and leafy greens. It is known for its antioxidant properties and is believed to have various health benefits, including supporting eye health, skin health, immunity, heart health, and possibly reducing the risk of certain types of cancer.
In conclusion, carrots are an incredibly nutritious food that should be an essential part of your diet. With their high levels of vitamins and minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, they help to promote healthy digestion, support eye health, boost the immune system, and promote weight loss. So, make sure to include carrots in your next meal for a healthy diet!
Enjoying Carrots in Season in February
Carrots can be a great raw snack, I mean, in a pinch, peeling some carrots, cutting them into sticks, having a small bowl of ranch dressing and I'm good to go!
But their authentic sweet flavor shines through when cooked. They are one of the most versatile and fundamental ingredients in culinary recipes, used in fresh and cooked form for both sweet and savory recipes.
Before cooking, gently scrub them under cold running water to remove all the dirt on the surface. Next, trim the ends of the carrots and peel if desired. If you peel carrots, peel only one layer from the surface. Cut the bad spots with a small knife if necessary.
P.S. The peels work amazing for making stock or for composting so don't chuck them in the waste bin!It is important to note that a balanced diet should include a variety of fruits and vegetables, not just carrots. It is also recommended to consume a variety of colors, as different colors provide different nutrients. Aim to eat a rainbow of colors, including dark green, red, yellow, and orange, to get a wide range of nutrients.
Need some preparation ideas for carrots? Our Texas Mom Blogger has some pretty tasty ideas on how to prepare carrots in a way that boosts immunity here. P.S. They're not smoothie recipes!
For more information on this week's seasonal veggie, check out our TexasRealFood Promptuary entry on Carrots here.
