Carrots

Yes. Carrots contain fiber to aid digestion and vitamin B6, an essential nutrient to power the growth and development of a baby’s body. A carrot’s superpower is its amazing amount of carotenoids, which are nutrients that convert to vitamin A in the body and support healthy vision.

Carrots come in many colors, and their nutrient density depends more on the quality of the soil in which they’re grown, rather than their hue. Dark orange carrots contain the most vitamin A, while the yellow, orange, purple, and red varieties offer specific plant nutrients that support the body. For example, purple carrots contain anthocyanin, which is a potent antioxidant, and red carrots contain lycopene for heart health.

You may have read that certain foods like carrots contain heavy metals from the soil they grow in. This is true, though you need not avoid carrots entirely. Root vegetables like carrots and potatoes (organic and conventionally grown) can contain trace amounts of arsenic, lead, and other heavy metals in the soil from pollution. This is more of a concern with puréed carrots because the additives baby food companies use can also contain arsenic and other metals but also because babies are likely to consume more of the vegetable in a purée form than they would munching on the whole food. To minimize exposure to heavy metals, refrain from offering rice cereal regularly to babies, serve a wide variety of foods, and opt for the whole food over jarred.

Yes. Carrots are a common choking hazard, particularly baby carrots and carrot sticks. To minimize the risk, cook carrot until soft and cut into age-appropriate sizes. As always, make sure to create a safe eating environment and stay within arm’s reach of baby at mealtime. For more information on choking, visit our sections on gagging and choking and familiarize yourself with the list of common choking hazards.

No. Allergies to carrot are rare, but they have been reported. People who are allergic to birch pollen may be allergic to raw carrots or experience Oral Allergy Syndrome (also known as pollen-food allergy). Oral Allergy Syndrome typically results in short-lived itching, tingling, or burning in the mouth and is unlikely to result in a dangerous reaction. Cooking the carrot can minimize the reaction.

As you would do when introducing any new food, start by serving a small amount on its own for the first couple of times. If there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the amount served over future servings.

It depends but it is generally safest to wait until closer to age two. Raw baby carrots pose a high choking risk because of their shape and firm texture. Like regular carrots, cooking baby carrots until soft minimizes the risk for babies and young toddlers. To minimize the risk further, slice lengthwise in halves or quarters. Never offer whole raw baby carrots to a baby and only offer raw baby carrots to toddlers when you are confident in the toddler’s chewing abilities, likely around age two.

Carrot chips (pieces of raw, coin-shaped carrot) are considered a challenging-to-chew food and as such are safest for more advanced chewers, closer to two years old or beyond.

Generally, yes. Nitrates are naturally-occurring plant compounds that may negatively affect oxygen levels in blood (methemoglobinemia) when consumed in great excess. But know that organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the European Food Safety Authority generally view nitrates in vegetables as not a concern for the vast majority of children. Know that the benefits of eating vegetables typically outweigh the risks of any nitrate exposure from vegetables.  

Babies who drink formula made with untested well water (which can be extremely high in nitrates) and those with health concerns or who are under 3 months of age (who should not be consuming solids) are more susceptible to the effects of nitrates. To reduce nitrate exposure, avoid consumption of untested well water and take care with purees. When possible, avoid homemade purees made with higher nitrate vegetables that are stored for more than 24 hours and commercial purees not consumed within 24 hours of opening. Higher nitrate vegetables include arugula, beets, carrots, lettuce, spinach, and squash, among others.

Carrots have a sweet vegetal flavor that works well in savory dishes and desserts alike, and are eaten raw, cooked, or preserved around the world. Dig into a region’s cooking culture, and you will likely find a unique version of carrot salad: there are carrots marinated in citrus with onion and garlic; tossed with chile, coconut, and mustard seeds; lightly roasted with oil and bold spices; fermented with cabbage and radish; pickled with herbs and peppercorns, and more.