A new study has found that boiling carrots whole and then chopping them rather than the other way around boosts their anti-cancer activity.
Researchers from Newcastle University in the UK found that carrots boiled whole contained as much as 25 percent more of the falcarinol, a known anti-cancer compound, than those that were chopped up first.
That type of cooking was also determined to preserve more of the naturally occurring sugars which are responsible for giving carrots their distinctively sweet flavor.
“Chopping up your carrots increases the surface area so more of the nutrients leek out into the water while they are being cooked,” explains Dr. Kirsten Brandt, based in Newcastle Universitys School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and the Human Nutrition Research Centre.
“By cooking them whole and chopping them up afterwards you are locking in both taste and nutrients so the carrot is better for you all round,” she adds.
Those who are concerned that the way they prepare food may remove some of the nutrients may boost their diet with nutritional supplements. 