The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating a variety of vegetables, especially dark-green, red, and orange vegetables. The USDA food patterns recommend consuming 5 ½ cups of red and orange vegetables weekly (based on a 2,000 calorie/day diet).Carrots are a tasty and versatile root vegetable that can help satisfy these recommendations and are worth including in your diet. Serve them as a crunchy snack, crisp addition to salads, or flavorful ingredient added to soups, stews, beverages, or side dishes

Carrots are available in a variety of colors including orange, purple, red, yellow, and white. Although the first known carrots were likely purple or yellowish in color, the carrots you will find today in the produce aisle are typically orange.

One medium-sized carrot contains about 25 calories, nearly 2 grams of fiber and is also an excellent source of vitamin A. All varieties of carrots contain phytonutrients, which may help to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer and heart disease. Purple and red carrots are best known for their rich anthocyanin content. In addition, most carrots are rich in carotenoids. Beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant, gives carrots their bright orange color and along with Vitamin A is linked to eye and skin health.

Campbell offers a variety of delicious, affordable, and convenient products that contain carrots. Enjoy V8® 100% Vegetable juices, and many varieties of soup including Select Harvest® Healthy Request® Pasta Fagioli Soup, Chunky™ Beef with Country Vegetables Soup and Campbell’s® Vegetarian Vegetable Soup. V8 V-Fusion® juices contain orange, purple, or yellow carrots, depending on the variety.

You can also check out these nutritious Campbell’s Kitchen^SM recipes that offer delicious ways to enjoy carrots:

• Pappardelle Primavera

• Vegetable Stir-Fry

• Poached Fish Fillets

• Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

• Glazed Carrot Raisin Cupcakes