Carrots Calories & Nutrition Facts Calculator

A 100g serving of raw carrot contains approximately 41 calories, 0.9g protein, 9.6g carbohydrates, 0.2g fat, and 2.8g dietary fiber ^[1]. One medium raw carrot (61g) provides just 25 calories, making carrots one of the lowest-calorie vegetables commonly consumed.

Boiled carrots are slightly lower in calories than raw — about 35 calories per 100g — because they absorb water during cooking, which increases their weight without adding energy. Roasting without oil concentrates the sugars and nutrients, increasing the value to roughly 55 calories per 100g ^[1].

Approximately half of the carbohydrate content in carrots comes from natural sugars (mainly sucrose, glucose, and fructose), which gives carrots their characteristic sweetness ^[2][3]. The remaining carbohydrate is primarily dietary fiber — including both soluble and insoluble forms — which contributes to the feeling of fullness without adding significant calories.

Carrots are best known for their exceptionally high beta-carotene content — a carotenoid pigment that gives them their orange color and serves as a precursor to vitamin A in the body. One medium raw carrot (61g) provides roughly 509 µg of vitamin A activity (as RAE), which is more than half the daily recommended intake for most adults ^[1][2].

Beyond beta-carotene, carrots deliver a useful profile of micronutrients per 100g raw: 320 mg potassium, 5.9 mg vitamin C, 13 µg vitamin K1, 19 µg folate, and 12 mg magnesium ^[1]. They are also a source of polyacetylenes — bioactive compounds that are the subject of ongoing nutrition research ^[2][3].

The carotenoid content varies significantly by carrot variety. Orange carrots are highest in beta-carotene, while purple carrots are rich in anthocyanins, yellow carrots contain more lutein, and red carrots have higher lycopene levels ^[3][5]. For standard nutritional logging, this calculator uses orange carrot values as the baseline.

From a calorie-to-nutrient perspective, carrots rank among the most nutrient-dense vegetables available. At only 41 calories per 100g, they deliver substantial amounts of vitamin A, fiber, and potassium — three nutrients that many dietary patterns fall short on ^[1][2].

A review in the *Journal of Food Science and Technology* described carrots as 'one of the important root vegetables rich in bioactive compounds like carotenoids and dietary fibers with appreciable levels of several other functional components' ^[2]. The review highlighted that carrot consumption has increased steadily due to recognition as a source of natural antioxidants.

For food journaling purposes, carrots are notable for their fiber-to-calorie ratio: 2.8g of fiber per 41 calories (100g raw). This gives them a fiber density of about 6.8g per 100 calories — significantly higher than most fruits and comparable to many legumes.

Carrots are the leading dietary source of beta-carotene in Western diets ^[2]. Beta-carotene is a provitamin A carotenoid, meaning the body converts it into active vitamin A (retinol) as needed. One molecule of beta-carotene can yield two molecules of retinol in the body, though the actual conversion efficiency varies by individual ^[2][3].

The total carotenoid content in carrot roots ranges from 6,000 to 54,800 µg per 100g depending on variety, growing conditions, and maturity ^[2]. The most abundant carotenoid is beta-carotene, which accounts for the majority of the vitamin A activity logged in this calculator.

An important factor for beta-carotene bioavailability is food preparation. Cooking carrots — particularly boiling or steaming — breaks down cell walls and makes beta-carotene more accessible for absorption. Research shows that cooked carrots deliver more bioavailable beta-carotene than the same amount eaten raw ^[2][4]. Additionally, consuming carrots with a small amount of fat (olive oil, butter, or in a meal containing fat) further increases carotenoid absorption.

The calorie and macronutrient differences between raw and cooked carrots are modest, but the micronutrient bioavailability shifts significantly. Raw carrots retain more vitamin C (5.9 mg vs 3.6 mg per 100g), while boiled carrots have higher bioavailable beta-carotene because heat softens the cellular matrix that traps carotenoids ^[1][2][4].

Boiling does leach some water-soluble nutrients — potassium drops from 320 mg (raw) to 235 mg (boiled) per 100g, and folate decreases from 19 µg to 14 µg. Steaming preserves more of these nutrients because the carrots don't sit in water. For vitamin C retention, steaming (4.5 mg) is better than boiling (3.6 mg) ^[1].

Roasting without oil concentrates nutrients by evaporating water, which is why roasted carrots show higher values per 100g for calories (55), fiber (3.8g), and vitamin A (1,100 µg RAE). For accurate logging, select the variant that matches your actual cooking method in this calculator.

Carrots provide a useful amount of dietary fiber — 2.8g per 100g raw and up to 3.8g per 100g roasted ^[1]. The fiber in carrots includes both soluble fiber (primarily pectin) and insoluble fiber (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) ^[2].

The crude fiber composition of carrot roots has been reported as approximately 71.7% cellulose, 13.0% hemicellulose, and 15.2% lignin ^[2]. Soluble fiber from carrots can contribute to the viscosity of digestive contents, while insoluble fiber adds bulk. Both types support consistent digestive function.

For individuals tracking daily fiber intake, two medium raw carrots (122g) provide about 3.4g of fiber — roughly 12% of the 28g daily target recommended by the FDA. Adding carrots as a snack or side dish is a simple way to increase fiber entries in a food log.

Follow this sequence: (1) select your carrot type (raw, boiled, steamed, roasted, etc.), (2) choose a serving size or enter custom grams, (3) optionally add dips or toppings, and (4) calculate. All nutrients scale proportionally from the per-100g base values.

The formula: Total calories = (calories per 100g × selected grams ÷ 100) + added ingredient calories. The same proportional scaling applies to all tracked macronutrients and micronutrients.

A practical tip: 1 medium carrot weighs about 61g and provides roughly 25 calories raw. A common snack of 10 baby carrots (100g) is about 35 calories. If you dip baby carrots in 2 tablespoons of hummus, the total rises to about 105 calories — the calculator captures this precisely when you add the dip.