Carrots don’t contain vitamin A directly but supply beta-carotene, which the body converts as needed, explains Charu Dua, HOD, Department of Clinical Nutrition, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad. In raw carrots, beta-carotene is locked within tough plant cell structures, making it harder to absorb, while cooking breaks down these cell walls and makes it far more accessible to digestive enzymes. Since beta-carotene is fat-soluble, pairing carrots with a little healthy fat, like oil, nuts or curd, further boosts absorption. Raw carrots still offer valuable fibre and nutrition, so Dua recommends a mix of both, with lightly cooked carrots and a bit of fat giving the biggest edge for vitamin A availability.
Read more at Firstpost