Newswise — Orange carrots are highly revered and regarded as “good for you” vegetables but a review from Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety describes carrots of the purple and red variety and suggest they offer just as much nutritional benefit.

The review published by the Institute of Food Technologists offers insight on the nutritional value of carrots of all colors stating that the greatest benefits of this food are the phytochemical content and fiber. Carotenoids are compounds that are responsible for the multi-hues of carrots ranging from yellow to orange and red. Anthocyanins give the purple carrots their bluish-red hue.

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin - Madison suggest that:

o Red carrots provide the antioxidant lycopene. o Yellow carrots may serve as an alternative bioavailable source of lutein.o Dark orange carrots have more concentrated beta carotene which might assist people who are at risk for vitamin A deficiency.o Purple carrots have similar bioavailability of beta carotene as orange carrots.

The review authors detail that carrots have an impact on overall health and disease prevention including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and satiety.

Carrots are a functional food that plays a role in optimal health according to lead author Sara Arscott. “Understanding the bioavailability of carrots nutrients will help researchers determine how to best help a population in need.”

To read the full study, visit: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/123287497/PDFSTART

About IFTThe Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is a nonprofit scientific society. Our individual members are professionals engaged in food science, food technology, and related professions in industry, academia, and government. IFT’s mission is to advance the science of food, and our long-range vision is to ensure a safe and abundant food supply, contributing to healthier people everywhere.

For more than 70 years, the IFT has been unlocking the potential of the food science community by creating a dynamic global forum where members from more than 100 countries can share, learn, and grow. We champion the use of sound science across the food value chain through the exchange of knowledge, by providing education, and by furthering the advancement of the profession. IFT has offices in Chicago, Illinois, and Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit ift.org.