Key Takeaways
\nBoth carrots and bell peppers are nutritious, but carrots are the clear winner for beta-carotene, delivering roughly four to five times more than red bell peppers per serving.Beta-carotene supports eye health, immunity, skin health, and chronic disease prevention, and it\u2019s especially abundant\u2014and more absorbable\u2014in cooked carrots.Bell peppers still earn a place on your plate thanks to their high vitamin C content and antioxidant benefits, making the two vegetables complementary rather than interchangeable.<\/p>\n
Carrots<\/a> and bell peppers<\/a> are both colorful and packed with vitamins and antioxidants that support everything from eye health<\/a> to immunity. But while they often get grouped together as nutrient-dense vegetables, they don\u2019t offer exactly the same nutrients. (There is some overlap, but the amounts differ.)\u00a0\n<\/p>\n When it comes to beta-carotene, the main precursor to vitamin A, one of these vegetables clearly comes out ahead. Below, we break down the most common health benefits of carrots and bell peppers, then take a closer look at their beta-carotene content. Plus, we’ll note why this nutrient matters, along with insights from registered dietitians along the way.\n<\/p>\n Destini Moody<\/a>, RDN, CSSD, LD, a registered dietitian, board-certified specialist in sports nutrition, and founder of The Athlete’s Dietitian Health Benefits of Carrots <\/p>\n Nutritionally, carrots are one of the most concentrated sources of beta-carotene in the produce aisle. The beta-carotene found in carrots (which is converted into vitamin A in the body) has the potential to prevent a variety of chronic diseases, according to Destini Moody, RDN, a registered dietitian and founder of The Athlete’s Dietitian. \u201cThese diseases include heart diseases and certain types of cancer.\u201d As an antioxidant, beta-carotene can help neutralize oxidative stress<\/a> in the body, which is a key driver in many of these inflammatory chronic diseases.\n<\/p>\n Eating carrots has many nutritional upsides like disease prevention, but the most well-established benefit is their connection to long-term eye health<\/a>. \u201cSufficient intake of beta-carotene has been shown to be preventative against eye diseases including cataracts, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy,\u201d says Moody.\n<\/p>\n Sufficient intake of carrots can also help you see better at night. \u201cVitamin A helps your eyes see clearly, especially in low light,\u201d says Lindsey Schoenfeld, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and co-founder of To Taste. \u201cIt\u2019s needed to make a light sensing protein in your eyes.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Beyond their beta-carotene content, carrots also contain a meaningful amount of fiber<\/a>. One serving provides about 2.6 grams (g), which helps slow digestion and supports steadier blood sugar levels. That fiber also feeds beneficial gut bacteria<\/a> and contributes to longer-lasting satiety.\u00a0\u00a0\n<\/p>\n One serving of carrots is around 85 g. According to USDA data, this amount of carrots provides the following nutrients:\n<\/p>\n Calories: 40.8 Health Benefits of Bell Peppers <\/p>\n Bell peppers are healthy in every color, but the beta-carotene content is highest in red bell peppers. This carotenoid has a unique ability to fight inflammation in the body by reducing oxidative damage, Moody explains. \u201cThis effect is twofold when you consider the lesser known fact that bell peppers are packed with Vitamin C<\/a>, another antioxidant micronutrient,\u201d she says. \u201cIn fact, a single red bell pepper contains three times more vitamin C than an orange, the poster child of the water-soluble vitamin.\u201d Together, these antioxidants help protect cells from stress that can contribute to inflammatory conditions.\n<\/p>\n Beyond inflammation support<\/a>, Moody explains that the unique carotenoids found in bell peppers may also help boost oral health<\/a>, especially in those with periodontitis. Research suggests that beta-carotene may help reduce oxidative stress in your gum tissue and support your mouth\u2019s immune response.\n<\/p>\n Additionally, the carotenoids and vitamin C in bell peppers can play a role in skin protection and repair. Beta-carotene supports skin cell turnover and helps defend against UV-induced oxidative damage, while vitamin C is essential for collagen production, wound healing, and maintaining your skin\u2019s elasticity.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n One serving of red bell peppers is around 85 grams (g). According to USDA data, this amount of red bell peppers provides the following nutrients:\n<\/p>\n Calories: 26.4 Which Food Is a Better Source of Beta-Carotene? <\/p>\n Beta-carotene is pretty abundant in both carrots and red bell peppers. \u201cRed bell peppers have way more of the antioxidant than orange, yellow, or green, with 1 cup of red bell peppers providing up to 2,420 micrograms (mcg),\u201d says Moody. \u201cHowever, carrots contain significantly more beta-carotene, with 1 cup of raw carrots providing 11,000 mcg.\u201d Cooking increases the content and the body\u2019s ability to absorb beta-carotene even more, Moody explains, with 1 cup of cooked carrots providing up to 13,000 micrograms.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Since food labels don’t typically list beta-carotene or vitamin A content, the exact amount is more of an educated guess. Schoenfeld estimates carrots to have between 10,000\u201310,500 mcg of beta-carotene, and red bell peppers to have\u00a0 between 2,300\u20132,600 mcg of beta-carotene per serving. Regardless, she still thinks red bell peppers are great to add to your diet,\u00a0 but they are not an excellent source of beta-carotene like carrots.\n<\/p>\n \u201cWhen comparing nutrients with Daily Values (DV) on food labels, carrots are an excellent source, providing 100%+ of the Daily Value for vitamin A. Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers provide 15-30% of the Daily Value,\u201d says Schoenfeld. \u201cDon\u2019t sell peppers short. Every bit adds up, and they also provide vitamin C<\/a>, another immune supporter.\u201d\n<\/p>\n How to Add More Carrots to Your Diet <\/p>\n You don\u2019t need to add a ton of carrots to your diet to get your daily required value of beta-carotene (one serving is enough), but if you\u2019re tired of simply eating baby carrots, here are a few other ways to enjoy them, according to Schoenfeld.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Roast your carrots<\/a> by tossing them with a little olive oil and your seasoning of choice. \u201cRoasting brings out the natural sweetness of the carrots and is a perfect addition to any meal.\u201d
\nLindsey Schoenfeld<\/a>, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist, professional chef, and co-founder of To Taste<\/p>\n
Protein: .79 g
Carbohydrates: 8.76 g
Fiber: 2.64 g
Vitamin C: 1.87 milligrams (mg)
Magnesium: 10.5 mg
Potassium: 238 mg\n<\/p>\n
Protein: .77 g
Carbohydrates: 5.65 g
Fiber: 1.02g
Vitamin C: 121 milligrams (mg)
Magnesium: 9.35 mg
Potassium: 181 mg\n<\/p>\n
\nTurn them into ribbons with a vegetable peeler. \u201cWith thinly shaved carrots, a sesame-soy vinaigrette, and crunchy toppings, it\u2019s colorful, nutritious, and easy to prepare.\u201d
\nAdd them to a stir fry<\/a>. \u201cHeat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add canola oil; use enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Once the oil is shimmering, add carrots and other vegetables, stirring continuously,” Schoenfeld says. “Top with stir fry sauce recipe made with a lower-sodium tamari<\/a> or soy sauce.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Key Takeaways Both carrots and bell peppers are nutritious, but carrots are the clear winner for beta-carotene, delivering…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":251349,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[103,61,60,446],"class_list":{"0":"post-251348","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-ie","10":"tag-ireland","11":"tag-nutrition"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251348","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=251348"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251348\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/251349"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=251348"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=251348"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=251348"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}