Roots and tubers · IFCT 2017
Carrot: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, raw orange carrot gives 33 kcal, 5.5 g carbohydrate, 4.2 g dietary fibre and 5423 micrograms of beta-carotene, according to IFCT 2017. That beta-carotene ranks 7th of 160 foods and 1st among roots and tubers, which is why carrot is India's most familiar source of vitamin A from a vegetable. It also ranks 3rd of 10 roots for fibre.
About carrot
Carrot, gajar in Hindi, Bengali, Marathi and Punjabi, gajjare in Kannada, gajjara gadda in Telugu and carrot in Tamil and Malayalam, comes in two main kinds in India. The long, deep red desi carrot of north Indian winters, sold in heaps in Delhi and Punjab from the cold months into early spring, is the one for gajar ka halwa. The orange carrot, the reference here, grows year-round in the Nilgiris, Karnataka and the hills, and dominates city markets.
IFCT 2017 compares the two. The red carrot is slightly richer, at 38 kcal, 6.7 g carbohydrate and 4.5 g fibre per 100 g, with more calcium and iron, 41 mg and 0.71 mg, against the orange carrot's 35 mg and 0.6 mg. Carrot turns up across Indian cooking: avial, kurma and bisi bele bath in the south, curd rice and kosambari, dalia and bajra khichdi, and gajar matar in the north.
What carrot brings to a meal
- 01
A top beta-carotene food
At 5423 micrograms per 100 g, orange carrot ranks 1st of 6 roots with a value and 7th of 160 foods for beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A for the eyes, skin and immune system.
- 02
Good fibre, few calories
Carrot has 4.2 g dietary fibre per 100 g, 3rd of 10 roots and tubers, with only 33 kcal. The red desi carrot gives a little more, 4.5 g.
- 03
Vitamin K1 and potassium
100 g carries 18.3 micrograms of vitamin K1 and 273 mg potassium. Carrot also has 52 mg natural sodium, 2nd among roots.
- 04
Some calcium and vitamin B6
Orange carrot gives 35 mg calcium per 100 g, 4th among roots, and 0.11 mg vitamin B6, about 5 per cent of a man's daily requirement.
Carrot nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 33 kcal | 2% | 2% |
| Protein | 0.9 g | 2% | 2% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 5.5 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 4.2 g | ||
| Free sugars | 3.2 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.5 g | ||
| Water | 87.7 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.09 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.02 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.27 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 24 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 35 mg | 4% | 4% |
| Iron | 0.6 mg | 3% | 2% |
| Zinc | 0.25 mg | 1% | 2% |
| Magnesium | 17 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Phosphorus | 43 mg | ||
| Potassium | 273 mg | ||
| Sodium | 52 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.08 mg | ||
| Selenium | 0.2 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 6.2 mg | 8% | 10% |
| Beta-carotene | 5,423 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.04 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.03 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.22 mg | 1% | 2% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.11 mg | 5% | 6% |
| Folate (B9) | 24 µg | 8% | 11% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.19 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 18.3 µg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Carrot: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/roots-and-tubers/carrot/
Where carrot sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 9 roots and tubers and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In roots and tubers | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dietary fibre | 4.2 g | 3rd of 10 | 98th of 182 |
| Beta-carotene | 5,423 µg | 1st of 6 | 7th of 160 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.19 mg | 3rd of 10 | 136th of 242 |
Every form of carrot in IFCT 2017
The tables analyse these separately. The figures above are for the row marked first.
| Form | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrot, orange (shown above) | 33 kcal | 0.9 g | 4.2 g | 0.6 mg | 35 mg |
| Red | 38 kcal | 1 g | 4.5 g | 0.71 mg | 41 mg |
How carrot is eaten
- Gajar ka halwa: grated red carrots slow-cooked in milk with ghee, sugar and cardamom, a north Indian winter ritual.
- Carrot kosambari: grated carrot with soaked moong dal, coconut, lemon and a mustard tempering, from Karnataka.
- Gajar matar, the simple winter sabzi of carrots and fresh peas with cumin.
- Diced into avial, kurma, bisi bele bath and pulao for colour and sweetness.
- Gajar mooli achaar, quick winter pickle of carrot and radish strips in mustard.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Avial (Kerala Mixed Vegetable Curry in Coconut-Yoghurt Sauce)
South Indian · Main course
Bajra Khichdi (Pearl Millet & Lentil Khichdi)
North Indian · Main course
Bisi Bele Bath
South Indian · Main course
Chettinad Vegetable Kurma
South Indian · Main course
Curd Rice (Thayir Sadam)
South Indian · Main course
Dalia (Broken Wheat Porridge)
North Indian · Breakfast
Cooked dishes that use it, with calories per serving
Calories in Chicken Chowmein
521 kcal in 1 plate of chicken chowmein.
Calories in Egg Fried Rice
424 kcal in 1 plate of egg fried rice.
Calories in Gajar ka Halwa
290 kcal in 1 bowl of gajar ka halwa.
Calories in Uttapam
174 kcal in 1 uttapam.
Calories in Vegetable Biryani
527 kcal in 1 plate of vegetable biryani.
Calories in Vegetable Chowmein
389 kcal in 1 plate of vegetable chowmein.
Calories in Vegetable Pulao
496 kcal in 1 plate of vegetable pulao.
Calories in Vegetable Upma
345 kcal in 1 plate of vegetable upma.
Before you plan around it
Beta-carotene is absorbed far better from cooked or finely grated carrot eaten with a little fat, such as a tempering of oil or ghee, than from a raw carrot stick. Eating a lot of carrot every day can turn the palms and soles yellow-orange; this is harmless and fades when intake drops. Raw carrot sticks are a choking risk for toddlers, so grate or steam them. Gajar ka halwa, for all its carrots, is a rich sweet of milk, sugar and ghee.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about carrot
Is carrot good for the eyes?
Carrot is rich in beta-carotene, 5423 micrograms per 100 g, which the body turns into vitamin A. Vitamin A is needed for normal vision, especially in dim light. Carrot supports that need; it does not correct short sight or other eye conditions.
Red carrot or orange carrot: which is better?
Per 100 g, the red desi carrot has a little more fibre, calcium and iron, 4.5 g, 41 mg and 0.71 mg, against 4.2 g, 35 mg and 0.6 mg in orange carrot. Orange carrot is the beta-carotene figure in IFCT 2017. Both are good; use red for halwa and either for everyday cooking.
Should carrots be eaten raw or cooked?
Both work. Cooking softens the cell walls and, with a little fat, makes the beta-carotene easier to absorb. Raw carrot keeps more crunch and vitamin C. A mix of salads and cooked dishes through the week is ideal.
Can people with diabetes eat carrots?
Yes. Carrot has 5.5 g carbohydrate and 3.2 g sugars per 100 g, with 4.2 g fibre, so it fits easily into meals. Gajar ka halwa is a different matter, being mostly sugar, milk solids and ghee.
Related foods and tables
Beet root
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Radish
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Sweet potato
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Pumpkin
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Papaya
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Dietary fibre content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by dietary fibre per 100 g.
Beta-carotene content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by beta-carotene per 100 g.
Vitamin E content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by vitamin e per 100 g.
All roots and tubers
10 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.