Factcheck this: carrots are more nutritious cooked

Question

Someone told me that they read in consumer reports that carrots are healthier when cooked. Is it true?

Comments

Carrots, one of the most popular vegetables, have many health benefits. This vegetable is most recognizable in orange, but can even come in other colors like purple and yellow. Carrots are very good for the human body for many reasons. First, they help our eyes. Second, they can help prevent cancer and other serious diseases. As an antioxidant, carrots fight off harmful free radicals. Third, they can help our hearts and blood pressure, as they contain many vitamins and minerals, in specific, potassium, which helps maintain blood pressure. Lastly, carrots are good for us as they contain fiber, fiber helps one stay at a healthy weight, lowering chances of disease. As carrots have many benefits, many debate, how should they be cooked? Many enjoy eating carrots raw while others enjoy eating carrots cooked. But, the healthiest way to eat carrots is by cooking them. Consumer reports state, the human body has an easier time absorbing the carotenoids in carrots if you eat them cooked rather than raw (WebMd). According to Live In Home Care, “Researchers found that boiling carrots until tender increased the concentration of carotenoids by 14 percent.” Cooking breaks down the vegetable’s cell walls, making its nutrients more available. While carrots are more nutritious cooked, it is important to be mindful of how you cook them. Boiling vegetables can leach out nutrients, and what you cook them in can add calories. While some prefer raw carrots, if one is looking to eat a type of carrot with the most health benefits, they will choose a cooked carrot.


https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/benefits-carrots

https://www.liveinhomecare.com/vegetables-that-are-healthier-for-you-cooked-than-raw/gardening/#:~:text=Carrots%20provide%20more%20antioxidants%20when,of%20carotenoids%20by%2014%20percent.

Answer 1

This is true. Carrots are better for you when they are eaten cooked rather than raw. While some Vitamin C may be lost during the process of boiling or steaming them, they are easier for our body to digest and get nutrients from when they are cooked. According to Farm Fresh Revolution, “cooking carrots releases the hidden pocket of good-for-you beta-carotene”. According to their website, eating raw carrots only allows for our bodies to receive three presents of its substance. When cooked they release about forty percent. This source is credible because it is from 2023. Another website called Liveinhomecare.com says that “carrots provide more antioxidants when boiled or steamed than when eaten raw”. Although cooking veggies can destroy some vitamins, another article by Scientific American agrees that “boiling and steaming better preserves antioxidants, particularly carotenoid”. Overall these sources determine that cooked carrots benefit us the most. These are all reliable sources because they are websites made by professionals.

Sources:

https://www.farmfreshrevolution.com/raw-vs-cooked-carrots-which-is-better/

https://www.liveinhomecare.com/vegetables-that-are-healthier-for-you-cooked-than-raw/gardening/

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/raw-veggies-are-healthier/ 

Comments

Nice work locating three sources that were not used for the claim and providing a thorough explanation. Well done.

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I really liked the use of the quotes in this one! It's helpful to hear the facts in the professionals' own voices, however I think it would be good to name or credit the individual "professionals" in question. Are the scientists, researchers, dieticians, or is the information just being gathered by a journalist? Especially since their status as professionals is why you find them to be credible. I'm curious!

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Nice work! I thought that this explanation shows that this article is indeed true as there are sources backing up your claim. I also thought the use of quotes in the fact check made it so that it is backed up with a lot of statistical evidence.

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I like how you incorporated multiple sources into your answer and did not just stick to one the entire time. I also appreciate that, when you were pulling information from a specific article, you stated which article you were pulling from. Not only did you use your own words, but you were also able to use direct quotes, which strengthened your argument.

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Nice work, you proved why you agree with the prompt very well. You provided where you got your evidence and why your evidence proves the claim that carrots are better for the human body when eaten cooked. The carrots being easier to digest is a very good point to explain why your topic is right. However, you do mention that there is a loss of vitamin C which can be seen as more harmful than beneficial. Also using direct quotes might add to your argument for this topic.

Answer 2

I think this claim is a bit exaggerated because there are so many research articles that have shown that when cooked carrots increase their nutritional value in one way and in other way they loose other things such as vitamins.  While researching, majority scientific articles that have shown cooking carrots increases certain carotenoids. Many researchers agree, however, that boiling vegetables like carrots is ideal for preserving their antioxidants. While cooking them can increase the nutritional value in some ways, it can also potentially impact its amount of vitamins like vitamin C. Overall, there is no claim that carrots are healthier when cooked, but we do know that in some ways their nutritional values can be enhanced and lack it other ways.

More information on scientific studies can be found through these links below.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/raw-veggies-are-healthier/

https://www.healthdigest.com/615028/raw-versus-cooked-carrots-which-one-is-better-for-you/

Answer 3

True. Carrots are nutritious regardless of if they are cooked or raw, but cooking the carrots can cause the carrots to become more nutritious.

According to Live in Home Care, "Carrots provide more antioxidants when boiled or steamed than when eaten raw, according to a January 2008 report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. In fact, researchers found that boiling carrots until tender increased the concentration of carotenoids by 14 percent." https://www.liveinhomecare.com/vegetables-that-are-healthier-for-you-cooked-than-raw/gardening/

The website you provided, which has high factual rating according to Media Bias Fact Check (https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/consumer-reports/), also says that boiling carrots can increase carotenoids by 14%, but if you fry them the carotenoids dip by 13%.

Another website, Prevention.com also says that the carotenoids will increase by cooking the carrots (https://www.prevention.com/food-nutrition/g20514153/5-veggies-that-are-healthier-cooked-than-raw/). 

Comments

Great work reviewing the claim's source! That is a valuable addition to your fact-check and makes it unique.

Answer 4

This is true. According to a 2008 article in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, boiling or steaming carrots preserves an antioxidant called carotenoid. This study does show that not all types of cooking carrots are equal. Frying carrots does not have the same nutritional benefits as steaming or boiling.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/jf072304b?searchHistoryKey=&prevSearch=boiling+frying+steaming

Comments

Good work finding a scientific source!

Answer 5

Yes, it is generally true that cooking carrots can increase their nutritional value. According to a study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, cooking carrots can increase their level of carotenoids, which are antioxidants that can help prevent certain diseases. Additionally, cooking carrots can make it easier for our bodies to absorb these carotenoids because the heat breaks down the plant's cell walls, releasing more of the nutrients.

However, it's important to note that the method of cooking can also affect the nutrient content of carrots. Boiling carrots can lead to some nutrient loss, while roasting or steaming them can help retain more nutrients. So it's worth considering different cooking methods to maximize the nutritional benefits of carrots.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8391696/

Answer 6

According to NDTV Food "it is believed that cooked carrots tend to be healthier and more nutritious. A study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry shows that boiling and steaming tends to preserve the antioxidant carotenoid found in carrots and zucchini. Simply put, the carotenoids found in carrots such as the beta carotene are more readily available to be absorbed by the body when they are cooked."

Long story short some vegetables loose nutrients when cooked but carrots don't! So, eat cooked carrots everyone! :)

https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/are-raw-carrots-more-nutritious-than-cooked-carrots-1770349 

Answer 7

Cooked carrots are more nutritious than raw carrots. Carrots contain beta carotene. Beta cerotene is a provitamin that our bodies convert into vitamin A. This nutrient increases hair growth, promotes eye health, and keeps our heart healthy. Beta cerotene is more readily available when carrots are cooked. It is easier for our bodies to absorb beta carotene after carrots have been cooked. Boiling and steaming tends to preserve the antioxidant cartenoid found in carrots. Therefore, I would say the claim is true.

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/food-news/are-cooked-carrots-more-nutritious-than-raw-ones/photostory/80198115.cms?picid=80198175

Answer 8

This claim is a little exaggerated in my opinion. According to an article from liveinhomecare.com, carrots that are cooked do provide more antioxidants that raw carrots, but overall they are just as healthy when they are raw. According to the article, "Carrots are the “go-to” food when it comes to eating healthy and losing weight because the orange vegetable is low in calories and rich in vitamins A, C, and K, calcium, iron, potassium, fiber, and other nutrients" this shows that carrots are healthy whether they are cooked or raw. 

https://www.liveinhomecare.com/vegetables-that-are-healthier-for-you-cooked-than-raw/gardening/#:~:text=Carrots%20provide%20more%20antioxidants%20when,of%20carotenoids%20by%2014%20percent.

Answer 9

According to an article posted by the Denver Health Medical Plan, while some raw vegetables provide the best nutrients, this is not the case for tomatoes, broccoli, and carrots. They elaborate that beneficial phytochemical are trapped in the cell wall of the vegetable until a heating method is applied. 

However, it’s important to understand that different heating methods lead to different nutritional results within a vegetable. Research published by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry showed that boiling carrots increased all carotenoids (antioxidants) by 14 percent. Both steaming and frying resulted in in a decrease in antioxidant value, with frying reflecting the worst decline. 

https://www.denverhealthmedicalplan.org/blog/3-vegetables-are-healthier-when-cooked

Antioxidants are crucial within an individual's diet as they are compounds in foods that scavenge and neutralize free radicals that can cause damage to other molecules (DNA, lipids, protein) within the body. It is true that carrots are healthier when cooked, but research shows this is only applicable with the boiling heating method. Other heating methods such as air frying, and baking have not yet been supported. 

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/antioxidants

Answer 10

Carrots are better for you cooked than raw. This is because when they are cooked, your body has an easier time breaking down carotenoids. When cooked, it also breaks down the vegetable cell walls, gaining more nutrients. Depending how they are cooked will also have an impact. Boiling is not recommended if trying to gain the most nutrients out of the consumption of carrots.

https://www.consumerreports.org/fruits-vegetables/are-carrots-good-for-you-a8868966758/#:~:text=Your%20body%20has%20an%20easier,steam%2C%20saut%C3%A9%2C%20or%20roast.