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

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kiminikimkim
kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
in Food and Nutrition
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.
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Replies

  • auzziecawth66
    auzziecawth66 Posts: 479 Member
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    I eat them but I think you just convinced me not to anymore lol yuck :P
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
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    I eat them but I think you just convinced me not to anymore lol yuck :P

    same
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    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_
    _Mimi_ Posts: 233
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    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
    k4evans1 Posts: 145 Member
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    Not anymore. I'll buy real carrots :)
  • Sarahbara76
    Sarahbara76 Posts: 601 Member
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    wow! thanks. I eat carrot chips lately
  • Emilina79
    Emilina79 Posts: 28 Member
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    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
    Gwen7121 Posts: 126 Member
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    There is a little more to the story on this one: http://www.snopes.com/food/tainted/carrots.asp
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    http://www.snopes.com/food/tainted/carrots.asp
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
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    If you are too lazy to chop a normal size carrot then you have bigger problems than Beta Carotene consumption.
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
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    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
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
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    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
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    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
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,143 Member
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    Ive been eating them. Think I will go back to crinkle cut. Thanks!
  • Emilina79
    Emilina79 Posts: 28 Member
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    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
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
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    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
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
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    http://www.snopes.com/food/tainted/carrots.asp

    Yup.
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
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    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
    bhajrizi11 Posts: 101
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    EW

    thanks for changing my mind about them. i am now changing my grocery list lol
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
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    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.

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