It’s healthy and very neutral in taste. Carrot is now available all most throughout the year. But of course, the freshness and taste of carrot in winter is different from what you get in another season. Why carrot powder? How to make it? How to consume carrot powder? We will discuss every aspect of it in this blog. So read till the end.
Comparison of the nutritional value of carrot vs. carrot powder-
Table 1 below shows the approximate nutritive value of 100 g of the edible portion of carrot and carrot powder.
Generally, carrot contains 86% of moisture. After dehydration, the change in the moisture content in carrot powder makes a huge difference in the overall nutrient content.
The protein, carbohydrate, fiber, mineral, vitamin content increases many folds in its powder form.
10 g of carrot powder per day can meet the daily requirement (based on 2000 kcal diet need) of –
- 45% of beta carotene
- 10%of iron,
- 4% of vitamin C and
- 2% of calcium
Table 1: Nutritive value of Carrot vs Carrot powder (approximate value of 100 g of edible portion)
Nutrients | Carrot* | Carrot powder** |
Moisture | 86.0 g | 6% |
Energy | 48 kcal | 341 kcal |
Carbohydrate | 10.6 g | 79.6 g |
Protein | 0.9 g | 8.06 g |
Fiber | 1.2 g | 23.06 g |
Calcium | 80 mg | 212 mg |
Iron | 1.03 mg | 3.9 mg |
*Data Source – C Gopalan, Nutritive value of Indian foods, NIN, 2016
** Data Source –Label of packaged carrot powder
12 Benefits of carrot powder you can’t ignore –
It is loaded with nutrition –
Carrot Powder is the concentrated, dehydrated form of carrot. To prepare 100 g of carrot powder, you may need approximately 1-1.2 kg of carrot.
The powder is rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It’s a good source of folate, iron, niacin, choline, vitamin B6 and potassium.
Carrot is also a great source for many phytonutrients such as –(5)
- Beta carotene
- Alpha carotene
- Anthocyanin
- Lycopene
- Lutein
- polyacetylene
It may boost your immunity –
Carrot is rich in antioxidants and vitamin B6. it helps to fight against the free radicals in your body. It reduces inflammation. Thus regular consumption of carrot juice may boost your immunity, arrest early aging, and development of metabolic diseases.
It is good for eye health –
Carrot powder is rich in beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. These are essential for protecting the health of your retinal tissue. (1) These compounds are specifically important for preventing glaucoma, night blindness, and developing cataracts for older people. (2)(3)(4)
Thus having fresh carrot juice or using carrot powder may help you to improve and protect your eye health.
It may help to reduce blood pressure and improve heart health
Carrot powder is rich in potassium, which helps to regulate blood pressure better. Carrot is rich in antioxidants which further benefit heart health. Study shows, carrot juice helps to reduce systolic blood pressure by up to 5%. (6) Another study shows that drinking carrot juice may protect your heart by increasing the antioxidant status and decreasing the lipid peroxidation in the body. (7)
It may reduce inflammation and prevent cancer
There are multiple studies that show that beta carotene, lutein, and polyacetylene present in carrot juice helps to destroy leukemia cells and stopped further cell growth in the human body. (10) (11) (12)
Therefore having carrot juice regularly may help you to reduce inflammation, prevent and treat cancer to some extent.
It may improves liver health
There are several studies that suggest that the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of carrot juice help in protecting liver health specifically against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. (8)(9)
It helps to reduce weight
Carrot powder is low in calories, rich in fiber specifically soluble fiber, micronutrients, and also a decent source of protein. It is a kind of perfect formula for assisting in weight loss. Carrot drink also keeps you full for some time. Instead of nibbling on high-calorie junk or sugar-loaded drinks, try carrot drinks as mid-morning or evening drinks. (11)
It is good for controlling blood sugar level
Carrot has a low glycemic index. That means it does not shoot blood glucose levels very fast after consumption. Therefore a small quantity of carrot drink might be helpful for keeping the blood sugar level in control. The high fiber content, presence of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties might show this beneficial effect of carrot juice on type 2 diabetes patients. (12)
However, you must plan your entire diet well to control your blood sugar level.
Carrot powder may be beneficial for relieving constipation
Dehydrated carrot powder is rich in soluble fiber. This may help you to fix your constipation problem. Try having carrot juice in the morning on empty stomach for the desirable result.
It is great for skin health
Beta carotene, lutein, lycopene, and vitamin C present in carrot powder helps to give an antioxidant effect. It protects your skin from oxidative stress and free radicals. It also helps in collagen formation. Therefore premature aging, wrinkles, dark spots, etc may be prevented by regular intake of carrot drinks. It may improve your skin health and bring a natural glow. (13)(14)
It’s convenient for regular use –
Imagine peeling and grinding carrot every morning for your vegetable juice. Does it sound doable for every day? Mornings are one of the busy hours in almost every household. Therefore you need some convenience to match your time with your health goal.
It is like an instant drink. All you need to do is take a teaspoon of powder and stir in water. That’s all, the basic carrot drink is ready.
Generally good in quality –
As I always mention – be an informed and aware consumer. Carrot powder available in the market is mostly a single-ingredient product. That means it contains only dehydrated carrots and nothing else. No preservatives, artificial colors, sweeteners, or additives are added to this powder. Therefore you can be assured of the quality of the powder. However, don’t forget to check the ingredient list.
It’s pocket friendly –
There is a various range of carrot powder available in the market. It may cost starting from rupees 60 to 220/- for 100g. You may pick any as per your choice.
You may think that you will get a kilo of carrot in just rupees 35-40/-. Then paying this much for only 100 g may sound very expensive.
Remember, to get 100 g of carrot powder you may need 1 – 1.2 kg of fresh carrot. Then also consider the hassle of making it into powder. So the cost is not that high comparing the convenience and health benefits you are going to avail.
Does carrot powder really work?
Don’t expect overnight magic from any food. That happens only in advertisements. It takes about 2-3 weeks to see a result. Therefore patience is the key here.
You may or may not feel any visible difference. However, good food will always give you some benefits that you may not even realize immediately.
How to make carrot powder at home?
Making it at home is not a complicated process. However, it’s time-consuming for sure. If you are planning to prepare the powder at home, consider the following steps –
- Wash the carrots well under running water and clean the soil and dirt.
- Soak the water using a clean kitchen towel.
- Peel the carrots.
- Grate it well using a mechanical grater.
- Spread the grated carrot on a clean plate.
- Keep it under the sun for few days for drying.
- Do check the carrot in between to ensure complete drying.
- Once fully dried, pour the carrot flakes in a grinder and grind it.
- Your carrot powder is ready.
- Collect and store it in a clean dry glass jar.
- Store it in a cool dry place or in your refrigerator for long term use.
How to use carrot powder?
The easiest possible way to consume carrot powder is to add 1 tsp of it in a glass (250 ml) of water and stir as an instant drink.
If you want to take your drink to a next level, consider adding fresh orange juice to it. You may also think of adding any other fresh fruit juice like pineapple, watermelon, mosambi, lemon to it for better taste. Add a pinch of rock salt and black pepper. You may add a few drops of ginger juice to it for a special punch.
You can also add the powder to your smoothie or yogurt or in soup.
You may also try to add it while making dough for roti/ paratha or in the idli/ dosa batter.
Many even prefer adding the powder in the pancake or muffin batter.
If you are a hummus fan, you can consider adding it to hummus as well.
When to take carrot powder?
If you are planning to take carrot powder for health reasons, consider taking carrot juice in the morning on empty stomach. As mentioned above, you can add any other fresh fruit or vegetable juice along with it.
This can also be taken as a mid-morning drink.
For bringing variety in diet and to increase the fiber content of the diet, you can add the powder with any dish (roti/ paratha/idli/ dosa/ pancake/ soup/ yogurt/smoothie/ hummus, etc) for breakfast/ lunch/ snack or dinner.
Can you take it every day?
You can consume carrot powder every day. Take 5 g (1 teaspoon) of it as a drink or in other preparation. Don’t consume it in excess. This may cause stomach ache because of its high fiber content.
Who should avoid taking carrot powder?
Carrot powder is high in potassium, an important element to regulate blood pressure. Thus if you are struggling with low blood pressure, you may avoid taking it on a regular basis.
As it is high in potassium, patients with kidney problems should not take it.
If you are allergic to carrots, needless to say, you must avoid them. You may experience nausea, stomach ache, headache, etc after having it.
Where to buy carrot powder?
Now a day, It is easily available online as well as in your nearby health store. The price range varies between rupees 60-220/- for 100 g of powder.
Pro tip: Always check the ingredient list before buying. There should be only one item – carrot powder – in the ingredient list or should mention 100% of pure carrot powder on the package.
Looking for carrot powder online? Check this link –
ALSO, READ – 15 health benefits of beetroot powder
Bottom Line –
Raw vegetables have their own health benefits. Making fresh juice every morning may be difficult in your busy morning. Dehydrated carrot powder is an instant drink, travel friendly, and great for health benefits. Try carrot powder and consume it the way you want.