Baby Carrots = Heavily processed - Would you still eat them?

kiminikimkim

Baby carrots. Everyone loves them. How can they be bad? Would you still eat them anyway?

CONS:
1) Baby carrots are heavily processed in chlorine. Cut, shaped to size, washed and bagged
2) 30% less Beta Carotene than a normal carrot
4) Food borne illnesses & recalls
5) More expensive to produce than a non processed carrot
6) MORE CALORIES than a regular carrot (snopes.com)

PROS:
1)convenient size

Just wondering if the everyday MFP member would still buy the baby carrots versus the natural carrots if they knew natural carrots were cheaper and healthier. I used to eat them all the time, but more often then not, I found that white milky substance in the bag unappealing and found it smelled a little foul. I stopped eating them after the recall.

http://voices.yahoo.com/baby-cut-carrots-they-really-cost-nutrition-1436229.html

I edited my post to include info another member posted about a Snopes.com page on baby carrots.

auzziecawth66

I eat them but I think you just convinced me not to anymore lol yuck :P

cmeade20

I eat them but I think you just convinced me not to anymore lol yuck :P

same

MoreBean13

Have you seen the rest of the grocery store?lol- I wouldn't call baby carrots "heavily" processed. They're more processed than regular carrots, sure, but as a snack alternative to pretty much anything that comes in a bag or box- they beat almost everything and the convenience can't be beat. I eat them almost everyday.

Edit- I realize that they do come in a bag.

_Mimi_

Is the information the same for baby carrots? I know the baby CUT carrots are cut to shape. I suppose it makes sense that baby carrots would have less beta carotene since they are picked young.

I don't eat a lot because they are one of the higher calorie veggies...but yes, I'll still eat them...BUT! Only real baby carrots, or full size. I don't like the baby cut carrots. They taste funny to me. Perhaps the chlorine wash?

k4evans1

Not anymore. I'll buy real carrots

Sarahbara76

wow! thanks. I eat carrot chips lately

Emilina79

I had no idea that they were processed like that. I just thought they were a type of carrot but just smaller than the usual size. I used to buy these all the time. However, I have been cutting costs for a while now and always go for the normal size as thy are alot cheaper. Thanks for the info hun :-)

Gwen7121

There is a little more to the story on this one: http://www.snopes.com/food/tainted/carrots.asp

yarwell

http://www.snopes.com/food/tainted/carrots.asp

Hendrix7

If you are too lazy to chop a normal size carrot then you have bigger problems than Beta Carotene consumption.

penrbrown

Actually I refuse to buy or eat them.

I love me my properly sized carrots. They taste better, look better and quite frankly aren't creepy.

Still modified, but who cares. They're less messed with then those evil baby carrots.

kiminikimkim

At the farmer's market, they call their small carrots "baby carrots" but you're right, I am referring to the baby CUT carrots. In Canada, the packaging at the grocery store clearly says "baby carrots" and the "cut" part is in fine print. All about making it look as natural as possible!

Is the information the same for baby carrots? I know the baby CUT carrots are cut to shape. I suppose it makes sense that baby carrots would have less beta carotene since they are picked young.

I don't eat a lot because they are one of the higher calorie veggies...but yes, I'll still eat them...BUT! Only real baby carrots, or full size. I don't like the baby cut carrots. They taste funny to me. Perhaps the chlorine wash?

yarwell

Someone told me baby carrots were made out of the throw away carrots. The ones that are unattractive or slightly rotten so they carve out the middle that way they don't lose potential profits.

Not if they look like http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=260786224

Besides, the inners of old carrots are pretty wooden and wouldn't be mistaken for sweet baby carrots

Crochetluvr

Ive been eating them. Think I will go back to crinkle cut. Thanks!

Emilina79

At the farmer's market, they call their small carrots "baby carrots" but you're right, I am referring to the baby CUT carrots. In Canada, the packaging at the grocery store clearly says "baby carrots" and the "cut" part is in fine print. All about making it look as natural as possible!



Aha! In that case I did have the real deal, still had to peel them and they had the stringy end so weren't cut. But they were blooming expensive and still sticking to the big carrots. Doesn't take long to prep and I actually find them easier to peel.

Matt_Wild

People do realise that all veg just about gets rained on with the same pollution and indeed even if man made chemicals aren't used, the natural fertilizers will contain the same chemicals in last perfected form?

Elzecat

http://www.snopes.com/food/tainted/carrots.asp

Yup.

Elzecat

People do realise that all veg just about gets rained on with the same pollution and indeed even if man made chemicals aren't used, the natural fertilizers will contain the same chemicals in last perfected form?

:drinker:

bhajrizi11

EW

thanks for changing my mind about them. i am now changing my grocery list lol

devil_in_a_blue_dress

I eat them. Ideally I'd buy regular and cut them into sticks myself. I've tried. I'm lazy. I figure some kind of carrot is better than no carrots.

MinMin97

I eat them but I think you just convinced me not to anymore lol yuck :P

This may affect my choice to buy as well.

Elzecat

I eat them. Ideally I'd buy regular and cut them into sticks myself. I've tried. I'm lazy. I figure some kind of carrot is better than no carrots.

I know the feeling...I do occasionally buy regular carrots and cut them myself, but I like the convenience and as far as I've read on my own, the "cons" that the OP listed were pretty much de-bunked.

MissFit0101

I eat them but I think you just convinced me not to anymore lol yuck :P

same

interesting!

50in10

Oh yuk! Not eating them again. Can you tell me something disgusting about chocolate????

thelovelyLIZ

I mean, baby carrots are still better than the alternative chips, cookies, and candy.

bethfartman

You can buy baby carrots that aren't soaked in chlorine if that worries you. Most of the baby carrots I see in stores clearly stated that they do not use chlorine on the package. Also, there are frequently recalls on all sorts of vegetables, regardless of them being cut up or not. All it takes is one sick person with poop on their hands and the bacteria spreads like wildfire. Most vegetables are picked by humans, so the risk is there with all veg. I'd say your safest bet would be to grow your own. I've never gotten sick from my homegrown veggies. The reduction in beta-Carotene is from the skin being peeled, which many people do anyway when the slice them on their own.

OTchic

I eat them but I think you just convinced me not to anymore lol yuck :P

This may affect my choice to buy as well.

THIS

ccjsmama

WOW I never even gave this much thought before!!! I buy them for convenience but I will definately go back to cutting up my own. I eat mine with hummus as an afternoon snack.

tlblood

I eat them but I think you just convinced me not to anymore lol yuck :P

Um, yeah, me too!

amysj303

I will go with regular carrots now, thanks!