Carrot — calories & nutrition
By Jenny Updated
Carrots are one of the most cost-effective, nutritious vegetables in the British diet. At just 38 calories per 100g raw, a medium carrot provides meaningful amounts of beta-carotene, fibre, vitamin K1, and potassium for virtually no calorie cost. They're available year-round, store well, and work in an enormous variety of cooking styles — raw in salads, roasted in the oven, steamed as a side dish, or simmered into soups and stews.
The bright orange colour of carrots comes from beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A as needed. Vitamin A is essential for vision, immune function, and skin health. Interestingly, cooking carrots actually increases the bioavailability of beta-carotene — the heat breaks down the cell walls and releases more of the nutrient than raw consumption. Adding a small amount of fat (even a light spray of oil) alongside cooked carrots further improves absorption, as beta-carotene is fat-soluble.
On Slimming World, carrots are a Free Food and also count as a Speed Food — the double designation that makes them particularly valuable on the plan. Speed Foods are low in calories relative to their weight, meaning they fill up your plate and your stomach while keeping the overall calorie count of the meal low. Including a handful of raw carrot batons as a snack or loading up your stir-fry and soups with carrots is actively encouraged.
Carrot nutrition breakdown
| Portion | Calories | Carbs (g) | Fat (g) | Protein (g) | Fibre (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 medium carrot, ~80g raw | 30 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 100g raw | 38 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 100g cooked (boiled/steamed) | 35 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
How Carrot compares
Calories per 100g
FAQs
How many calories are in a carrot?
A medium carrot weighing around 80g raw contains approximately 30 calories. Per 100g raw, carrots provide about 38 kcal. Cooking reduces the calorie content very slightly — 100g of boiled or steamed carrot is around 35 kcal. Carrots are one of the lowest-calorie vegetables you can eat, making them excellent for bulking out meals and snacks without significantly affecting the calorie total.
Are carrots a Free Food on Slimming World?
Yes — carrots are both a Free Food and a Speed Food on Slimming World. You can eat them freely without counting Syns, raw or cooked without added fat. As a Speed Food, carrots are specifically valuable for filling a third of your plate, which naturally reduces room for higher-calorie foods. Raw carrot batons are an ideal Free Food snack throughout the day, and adding generous amounts of carrots to soups, stews, and stir-fries is actively beneficial on the plan.
Are carrots high in sugar?
Carrots contain around 5–6g of natural sugar per 100g, which is moderate compared to other vegetables. This has led to some concerns about carrots being too sugary for low-carb or diabetic diets. However, the sugar in carrots comes packaged with fibre, which slows its absorption and prevents sharp blood sugar spikes. Carrots have a low glycaemic load when eaten in normal portions, meaning their real-world impact on blood sugar is minimal. For Slimming World and general weight-loss purposes, they are entirely unrestricted.
Is it better to eat carrots raw or cooked for nutrition?
Both raw and cooked carrots are nutritious, but they offer different advantages. Raw carrots are higher in vitamin C, which is partially destroyed by heat. Cooked carrots release significantly more beta-carotene — the antioxidant compound that converts to vitamin A — as heat breaks down the plant cell walls. Eating a variety of both is ideal. For maximum beta-carotene absorption, add a small amount of fat alongside cooked carrots, such as a spray of oil in roasting, as beta-carotene is fat-soluble and requires some dietary fat for optimal absorption.
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