*Carrots are the root vegetables of the plant Daucus carota.

*Though the orange carrots are very famous, they come in many other colors – yellow, white, deep orange, red, pink, and purple. These colors are due to the presence of the pigments carotenoids and anthocyanins.

*Dehydrated carrots are carrots from which most of the moisture is removed.

*These carrots have extended shelf life (for several years), weigh less, easy to store, and are inexpensive than the fresh ones.

*They need to be rehydrated for about 15-20 minutes and then cooked. On rehydration, the weight and volume increases 2.5 to 3 times their dry weight.

*These are excellent as emergency foods, and widely used in army, military, hiking, etc.

*Rehydrated carrots do not have a crisp ‘snapping’ texture like the fresh ones but cooked carrots are almost similar to cooked fresh carrots. They taste great in soups, stews, etc.

*Buying and storage: Select good quality dehydrated sliced or chopped carrots. They keep very well for several months to several years when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. No need to refrigerate or add oxygen absorbers to the storage container.

Is it raw?

Yes and No.
*Yes, generally dehydrated carrots are raw.
*No, because sometimes commercially dehydrated carrots are sulphured. Make sure you read the label.

Health Benefits

1. Carrots are low in fats, sodium and absolutely no cholesterol.

2. They are very rich sources of beta-carotenes, which are the precursors of Vitamin A. Beta-carotenes are also powerful antioxidants.

3. These anti-oxidant beta-carotenes reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and various types of cancer.

4. Beta-carotenes also enhance the vision, especially night vision, and protect against macular degeneration and cataract formation in the elderly.

5. Carrots also contain another phytonutrient called falcarinol, which plays a very important role in reducing the risk of cancers.

6. Moderate source of Vitamin C, a natural water soluble antioxidant. It enhances the body's immune system, increases the elasticity of skin and blood vessels, and prevents bruising of the skin.

7. Good sources of Vitamin B6, which is very important in reducing the risk of diabetic heart disease, atherosclerosis, hypercholesterolemia, heart attack, etc by reducing the homocysteine levels in the blood.

8. They are low in sodium and have good amounts of potassium, and so help to maintain blood pressure and reduce water retention. Good amounts of potassium is also important for active muscles and nerves.

9. Moderate source of manganese, which is an essential cofactor in many enzymatic reactions in the body, especially in the production of energy and antioxidants defenses.