Carrot juice or carrots: more beta-carotene in the glass, the fiber left behind

How you eat carrots changes how much beta-carotene you take from them. In a crossover trial in 12 adults, adding avocado to a meal of raw carrots raised beta-carotene absorption 6.6-fold, over single meals. Juice starts with more. Per 100 g, US survey data give 100% carrot juice 9,303 mcg of beta-carotene against 7,338 mcg in raw carrots, and 0.8 g of fiber against 2.9 g. A typical glass in that survey is 240 g, four times the 2.1 oz (60 g) of one regular carrot, so it holds roughly 22 mg of beta-carotene against 4.4 mg, recalculated from the 100 g values. UK tables agree on the fiber, 0.6 g in juice and 3.9 g in raw old carrots. They put juice at 24 calories per 3.5 oz (100 g) where the US data say 40, a spread between the two databases.

How much is actually in it

• Per 100 g, US survey data give 100% carrot juice 0.8 g fiber against 2.9 g in raw carrots, while juice carries 9,303 mcg beta-carotene against 7,338 mcg. — USDA FNDDS 'Carrot juice, 100%' (code 73105010) and 'Carrots, raw' (code 73101010) Evidence E source
  Juice vs raw per 3.5 oz (100 g): energy 40 vs 44 calories; fiber 0.8 vs 2.9 g; vitamin A 956 vs 762 mcg RAE; beta-carotene 9,303 vs 7,338 mcg
• UK composition tables give carrot juice 0.6 g fiber and 5.7 g sugars per 3.5 oz (100 g), against 3.9 g fiber and 7.2 g sugars in raw old carrots. — CoFID 2021 'Carrot juice' (13-607) and 'Carrots, old, raw' (13-496) Evidence E source
  Juice vs raw per 3.5 oz (100 g): AOAC fiber 0.6 vs 3.9 g; total sugars 5.7 vs 7.2 g; energy 24 vs 34 calories

What a real portion looks like

• A typical serving of carrot juice in the US survey is 240 g, about four times the 2.1 oz (60 g) of one regular raw carrot, so a glass holds roughly 22 mg beta-carotene against 4.4 mg. — USDA FNDDS portion weights for 'Carrot juice, 100%' and 'Carrots, raw' Evidence E source
  Juice: quantity not specified 240 g, 1 fl oz 30 g; raw: 1 regular carrot 60 g, 1 cup 120 g, 1 baby carrot 10 g; beta-carotene per portion recalculated from 100 g

What your body absorbs

• In a crossover trial in 12 adults, eating raw carrots with avocado raised beta-carotene absorption 6.6-fold and its conversion to vitamin A 12.6-fold. — 12 healthy men and women, single meals of raw carrots with or without 23 g fat from avocado (n = 12) Evidence B source
  Beta-carotene absorption x6.6, alpha-carotene x4.8, conversion to vitamin A x12.6
• Over 6 weeks, a carrot juice drink with 18 mg beta-carotene daily raised plasma levels by 1.71 µmol/L, far less than 5.04 µmol/L from a similar dose of dispersible powder. — volunteers, 4 per group, daily beta-carotene 6 to 22 mg for 6 weeks (n = 16) Evidence B source
  Plasma increment: juice 0.42 (6 mg/d) and 1.71 µmol/L (18 mg/d) vs powder 3.84 (7.2 mg/d) and 5.04 µmol/L (21.6 mg/d)
• In a crossover trial in 16 adults, drinking a carrot drink with fermented milk gave 1.8-fold more beta-carotene in blood lipoproteins than the carrot drink alone. — 16 adults per study, randomized crossover, single drinks (n = 16) Evidence B source
  Beta-carotene iAUC in TRL fraction x1.8 (range 0.6-3.9)
• In a crossover isotope study in 30 adults, carrots bred to hold more calcium delivered 41% more absorbed calcium per 3.5 oz (100 g) than ordinary carrots. — 15 men and 15 women, dual stable isotope crossover (n = 30) Evidence B source
  Total calcium absorbed per 3.5 oz (100 g) carrots +41% ± 2% for sCAX1 vs control carrots

What it does to your health

• Observational data from 50 prospective studies link higher carrot intake with about 10% lower cancer risk. — 50 prospective studies with 52,000 cancer cases (n = 52000 cases) Evidence C source
  RR 0.90 (95% CI 0.87-0.94) highest vs lowest carrot intake

Safety, limits and interactions

• According to the CDC, carrot juice is low in acid at about pH 6.0, so it must be kept below 39 °F (4 °C) to stop botulinum toxin forming, after 2006 botulism cases from commercial juice. — CDC MMWR dispatch on botulism linked to commercial carrot juice, Georgia and Florida, 2006 (n = 4 cases) Evidence E source
  Refrigeration below 4 °C (40 °F) required; three suspected cases in Georgia, one in Florida
• A case report describes a 12-year-old with birch pollen allergy who had anaphylaxis from raw carrot yet tolerated cooked carrot, consistent with the heat sensitivity of the PR-10 allergen. — one 12-year-old boy with birch pollen allergy, case report (n = 1) Evidence D source
  Qualitative: systemic reaction to raw carrot, cooked carrot tolerated

What people believe that the data does not support

• The EU did not authorize a claim that lactic acid fermented carrot juice supports a healthy digestion. — EU Register on nutrition and health claims Evidence E source
  Status: non-authorized (also POL-HC-6690 gut flora, POL-HC-6691 immune system)

Who this works differently for

• In an 8-week trial in 58 children aged 5 to 17, 2 to 4.1 tbsp (30 to 120 mL) a day of a carotenoid-rich juice raised skin carotenoids within 2 weeks, while placebo juice did not. — 58 children aged 5 to 17, Utah, 8 weeks (n = 58) Evidence B source
  Skin carotenoids +11,515 (high dose) and +10,009 (low dose) Raman counts vs +985 placebo (ns)

What is still unknown

• By the USDA table for vegetables, boiling root vegetables in water to cover and draining keeps 65% of vitamin C and folate and 90% of potassium, but the table gives no factor for beta-carotene. — USDA Retention Factors Release 6, group 11 Vegetables, method roots boiled, drained, water cover (code 3455) Evidence E source
  Retained: vitamin C 65%, folate 65%, thiamin 80%, potassium 90%, calcium 95%; beta-carotene not listed

The bottom line

What reaches the blood depends on the form. Over 6 weeks, a carrot juice drink giving 18 mg of beta-carotene a day raised blood levels by 1.71 µmol/L, and a water-dispersible powder at 21.6 mg raised them by 5.04 µmol/L, in groups of only 4 people. In a crossover trial in 16 adults, a carrot drink taken with fermented milk put 1.8 times more beta-carotene into blood lipoproteins than the drink alone, ranging from 0.6 to 3.9 times between people, after single drinks. In 58 children aged 5 to 17, 2 to 4.1 tbsp (30 to 120 mL) a day of a carotenoid-rich juice blend raised skin carotenoids by week 2, a marker of intake and not of health. Observational data from 50 prospective studies with 52,000 cancer cases link the highest carrot intake with 10% lower cancer risk (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.87 to 0.94). That is an association, and it was measured for carrots, with no figure for juice. Juice carries a safety rule that carrots do not. According to the CDC, carrot juice has a natural pH of about 6.0, so it must be kept below 39 °F (4 °C) to stop botulinum toxin forming, a warning issued after four suspected botulism cases from commercial juice in 2006. That report did not assess fresh home-made juice. One case report describes a 12-year-old with birch pollen allergy who had anaphylaxis after eating raw carrot during birch season and tolerated cooked carrot, consistent with a heat-sensitive allergen. We found no data on carrots or carrot juice in pregnancy or on drug interactions. The USDA retention table for boiled root vegetables keeps 65% of vitamin C and 90% of potassium and lists no factor for beta-carotene, so we cannot say what boiling costs it. The EU did not authorize a claim that lactic acid fermented carrot juice supports a healthy digestion.

Sources

1. cjxc-r4-01 · food composition dataset
   Carrot juice, 100%, fdc_id 2709683: Energy 40 KCAL, Fiber, total dietary 0.8 G, Vitamin A, RAE 956 UG, Carotene, beta 9303 UG; Carrots, raw, fdc_id 2709660: Energy 44 KCAL, Fiber, total dietary 2.9 G, Vitamin A, RAE 762 UG, Carotene, beta 7338 UG, per 100 g
   USDA FoodData Central, FNDDS survey foods release 2024-10-31 · checked 2026-10-02
2. cjxc-r4-02 · food composition dataset
   Carrot juice (CoFID 13-607): AOAC fibre 0.6 g, Total sugars 5.7 g, Energy 24 kcal; Carrots, old, raw (CoFID 13-496): AOAC fibre 3.9 g, Total sugars 7.2 g, Energy 34 kcal, per 100 g
   CoFID 2021, Public Health England, OGL v3.0 · checked 2026-10-02
3. cjxc-r4-03 · food composition dataset
   Carrot juice, 100%, fdc_id 2709683: Quantity not specified 240 g; 1 fl oz (NFS) 30 g. Carrots, raw, fdc_id 2709660: 1 regular carrot 60 g; 1 cup 120 g; 1 baby carrot 10 g
   USDA FoodData Central, FNDDS survey foods release 2024-10-31 · checked 2026-10-02
4. cjxc-r4-05 · RCT
   In study 2, the absorption of β-carotene and α-carotene increased by 6.6- and 4.8-fold, respectively (P < 0.0001 for both).
   J Nutr, 2014 · checked 2026-10-02
5. cjxc-r4-06 · RCT
   Consumption of the beverage containing beta-carotene as a water dispersible powder resulted in a higher response of beta-carotene plasma concentrations with increments of 3.84 +/- 0.60 micromol/L (p < 0.05, dose: 7.2 mg/d) and 5.04 +/- 0.72 micromol/L (p < 0.05, dose: 21.6 mg/d), respectively, in comparison to the carrot juice-based drink with increments of 0.42 +/- 0.33 micromol/L (dose: 6 mg/d) and 1.71 +/- 0.55 micromol/L (dose: 18 mg/d), respectively.
   Eur J Nutr, 2002 · checked 2026-10-02
6. cjxc-r4-07 · RCT
   In humans, the incremental area under the concentration-time curve (iAUC) for β-carotene in the plasma triacylglycerol-rich lipoprotein (TRL) fraction was significantly (1.8-fold, range: 0.6-3.9) higher when carrot + fermented milk was consumed compared with carrot drink alone.
   Am J Clin Nutr, 2020 · checked 2026-10-02
7. cjxc-r4-08 · RCT
   In a cross-over study of 15 male and 15 female adults, we found that when people were fed sCAX1 and control carrots, total calcium absorption per 100 g of carrots was 41% +/- 2% higher in sCAX1 carrots.
   Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2008 · checked 2026-10-02
8. cjxc-r4-10 · meta-analysis of cohort studies
   Of 198 observational studies, in 50 prospective studies with 52000 cases recording carrot intake, the cancer-risk was substantially reduced (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.87-0.94, p ˂ 0·00004).
   Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2025 · checked 2026-10-02
9. cjxc-r4-11 · outbreak report
   Carrot juice has low acidity, with a natural pH of approximately 6.0; therefore, in the absence of another inhibitor, refrigeration at temperatures <40ºF (<4ºC) is necessary to prevent germination of C. botulinum spores and production of botulinum toxin.
   CDC, MMWR Dispatch, Botulism Associated with Commercial Carrot Juice, Georgia and Florida, 2006-10-06 · checked 2026-10-02
10. cjxc-r4-13 · case report
    The reaction occurred during birch pollen season, and the patient tolerated cooked carrot, consistent with PR-10's thermal instability.
    Pediatr Allergy Immunol Pulmonol, 2025 · checked 2026-10-02
11. cjxc-r4-12 · regulatory decision
    POL-HC-6689 Beta carota (carrot juice, lactic acid fermented) Supports a healthy digestion Non-authorised
    EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-6689, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-10-02
12. cjxc-r4-09 · RCT
    The high-dose and low-dose groups had mean±standard deviation increases in skin carotenoid status of 11,515±1,134 and 10,009±1,439 Raman intensity counts, respectively (both P values <0.001, for change in means compared with baseline) at Week 8, although they showed significant change from baseline by Week 2.
    J Acad Nutr Diet, 2015 · checked 2026-10-02
13. cjxc-r4-04 · reference dataset
    USDA-RETN-R6:3455 VEG,ROOTS,ETC,BLD,DRAIND,WTR COVER: vitamin_c_mg 65%, folate_total_ug 65%, thiamin_mg 80%, potassium_mg 90%, calcium_mg 95%
    USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6, 2007, Retn_Code 3455 · checked 2026-10-02