2 Baby Carrot Myths and Facts: How are Baby Carrots Made and What about Chlorine?
Who would have guessed that one of the most “viral” things I’ve ever posted on Facebook would be about organic baby carrots? Clearly people want to understand and discuss baby carrots!
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As a result I decided to do some additional research on the topic and also restate what I learned (and shared) in my original post. So today I am shedding some light on the two mysteries that surround baby carrots: how they are made and if they are really “soaked in chlorine.”
I buy baby carrots on occasion (they are not a regular purchase but can be handy in a lunchbox), and like others, I honestly just wanted to know the truth.
And speaking of the truth, I want to share that I do not like to spread misinformation so please know the facts I am sharing do not come from Snopes or Google or a Facebook “friend” or any other questionable source.
3/5/13 update: To clarify, it is not my intent to discredit Snopes or other sources, but rather to point out that I did not rely on 3rd party information.
I called up the carrot company myself to get these answers (the 800 number is right there on the back of the package), and if you think produce companies would spread misinformation to customers like me about their government-regulated processes then that's a whole other blog post for another day! But for now, I believe what they've told me - and sent me in writing - is pretty solid.
How Baby Carrots Are Made
Let’s face it – baby carrots do not look like regular carrots. First off, they are a smaller size and their rounded edges sort of resemble little “stubs,” and when you cut them down the middle you don’t quite see the same core that you would find in a regular carrot. So, what are baby carrots anyway?
According to California-based Grimmway Farms (baby carrot producers under names like Cal-Organic), the carrots they use are a specific variety that are smaller in diameter than regular table carrots and grown just for the production of baby carrots. The end product is shorter in length than regular carrots because, well, they cut them.
They say their baby carrot variety looks similar to a regular carrot right out of the ground except it’s smaller in diameter, sweeter, more tender, and – while it still has a core down the middle – the core is much more slender than a traditional table carrot. So the diameter of the baby carrot that you see in the store is the actual diameter of the original carrot. But these carrots grow about 8 – 10 inches long so as I mentioned they cut them into small pieces, abrasively peel them with something like a potato peeler, then wash and package them for stores. (Pictures of this whole process are unfortunately proprietary.)
I asked why the edges of the peeled baby carrots are rounded and they said when they go through the peeler they tumble together (like a rock tumbler) so the edges get “polished” by other carrots during that process. I also asked what they do with the “waste” from the peels and tips, which they call the “mash,” and they said the tips are used for other products like shredded carrots (sold as salad toppers) and the peels are used for cattle feed.
So long story short, just like there are different varieties of apples (Honey Crisp vs. Granny Smith) there are different varieties of carrots, and some happen to be smaller in diameter than others!
Are Baby Carrots “Soaked in Chlorine?”
There's a pretty big rumor going around that peeled baby carrots are "soaked in a chlorine solution." Some even take it so far as to say what makes these carrots turn white over time is the chlorine coming to the surface.
As it turns out, according to a written statement from Grimmway Farms (which is the largest producer of baby carrots in the United States), the carrots are treated with WATER that contains a small amount of chlorine. And this water/chlorine solution is "well within the limits established by the EPA and comparable to the amount acceptable in [public] drinking water."
I am by no means condoning the consumption of chlorine (that’s an even bigger issue), but the amount of chlorine in the water they use is 4 parts per million (ppm), which, for some, is similar to what's in your drinking water.
Again this is certainly not ideal, but I personally find that to be a lot less “dramatic” than carrots being soaked in straight up chlorine. They also said, “[The] chlorine is used to keep the carrots, the processing water and the processing equipment in a sanitary condition in order to prevent the spread of food-born pathogens [like e. coli].”
How Does that Compare to the Chlorine in a Pool?
Believe it or not, the government regulation for chlorine allowed in a swimming pool is LESS than what’s allowed in public drinking water, which varies by region but is generally 1 - 3 ppm! My first thought (aside from "that’s crazy") is that I can sometimes smell chlorine coming off of swimming pools so how could that be?
Apparently, according to multiple sources, the aroma that you smell when you are at the pool could actually be from the pool not having enough chlorine. Cited from the Water Quality & Health Council (and verified through many other sources), that smell could “indicate that the pool water has not been properly treated. A common cause is high levels of chloramines, formed when chlorine combines with body oils, perspiration, urine and other contaminants brought into pools by swimmers.
Contrary to what most people think, a strong chemical smell is not an indication of too much chlorine in the pool. In fact, the pool may actually need additional chlorine treatment to get rid of chloramines and sanitize the water.” Nice.
So, Why do Baby Carrots Turn White?
The white color that you sometimes see on the outside of baby carrots is technically called “blush” and it’s the evidence of dehydration. This could even happen to your own fresh carrots that you peel and then let sit in the fridge for days or weeks prior to eating them. This happens because, according to Grimmway, even though the carrots have been pulled out of the ground and peeled they are still living roots so they sometimes turn white to create a new protective outer layer. They said this does not change the nutritional value or affect the food safety of the carrots…frankly it just isn’t pretty (and it could sometimes mean the carrots will taste a little dried out).
Putting those carrots in a bowl of ice water will help bring back the bright orange color if it concerns you.
Conclusion
So, in summary, I’ve said this about conventional produce before and I’ll say it about baby carrots: Eating any produce is far better than eating none at all.
But if avoiding standard tap water is important to you then you might want to rethink what kind of carrots you buy at the grocery store. Like I said above we normally buy whole carrots ourselves (and even grow our own wild carrots in the winter!), but a couple readers pointed out to me that even if you buy fresh carrots then “wash” them off in your chlorinated tap water before eating them…how is that much different than the baby carrot process?
And here we go further and further down the rabbit hole, which is honestly a place I like to avoid (since it’s clearly unrealistic to go live in a bubble somewhere). So, no matter what kind of carrots you decide to buy going forward (now that you have the facts), hopefully some of you, like me, will be relieved to know that baby carrots are NOT actually soaked in a pure chlorine bath.
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Lisa is a wife, mother, foodie, blogger, and #1 New York Times Best-selling author who is on a mission to cut out processed food.
Comments
priest's wife (@byzcathwife)says
Thanks for doing this research! Although I usually go the 'normal' carrot route, sometimes we run out of the house, eating hummus and baby carrots to snack on (which is MUCH better than fast food)
Marie - You just plant some seeds in the ground or a raised garden bed with good soil (in the fall) and occasionally give them water and organic fertilizer and they will grow!
I personally have never liked the big carrots. They just taste different, and never even ate carrots at all until baby carrots came out because I didn't like them. I used to think the baby carrots were just picked early, and therefore are sweeter. But last year, when my family decided to try a garden, I actually found seeds for baby carrots - and yes, they are much smaller when picked at maturity!
Did anyone else pick up on the "further and further down the rabbit hole" irony in the last paragraph? Rabbits. Carrots. Ha! Great post. I really like baby carrots, eat them all the time and appreciate their convenience. Thanks!
Question though. Why do freshly picked carrots wilt and become mushy within a few days, whereas store bought carrots that have been on a truck for God knows how long don't? I heard they were treated with a gas to prevent them from wilting? Has anyone else experienced this or know if that's true?
Thank you for calling and investigating and sharing your findings!
We like our CSA carrots (local, whole, pesticide-free) and we supplement with homegrown (even in our TINY townhome backyard - also local, whole, pesticide-free...we grow two different varieties). It is nice to know the store-bought baby carrots are a healthy option for parties and other rare occasions. I will still avoid them for regular use due to the plastic packaging and high cost per pound.
This post is wonderful! Thank you so much for your hard work and research into this topic. I also really appreciate your realistic attitude toward issues like this. As you said, can't live in a bubble!
I did not read all of the comments, so sorry if I'm being redundant! We have a pool and what you are saying about the smell is absolutely correct! If the Chloramines get too high (Chloramines form when chlorine combines with contaminates like urine) you will have a strong chlorine smell from your pool. The solution is to super-chlorinate your pool ( which makes the smell worse for a while). Once the chlorine level drops back down to the normal level, you can swim again. This is true for chlorine pools and salt water pools.
About 10 years ago, our family made a trip to the Grimmway carrot factory outside of Bakersfield where I grew up. Hairnets on, we got to tour the factory, and it was absolutely amazing to see truckloads of carrots heading up the conveyor belts, through the system, and out the other end. To me, the alarming piece of information was that the baby-carrot production machines are so expensive that carrots are trucked from as far as Colorado to be processed. So when I buy a bag of baby carrots, they have travelled a long, LONG ways to get to me. As I move to eating more locally, that's a big consideration.
I never buy those 'baby' carrots. The pound per pound price compared to 'real' carrots is horrendous. Baby varieties here are $1.00 to $1.50 a pound. Regular are five pounds for $3.00, That's a lot of difference. I never peel carrots either. Just wash and cut. Takes almost 0 time and saves a lot of money. Unrelated. I never buy 'cheese strings' or shredded cheese for the same reason. Pound per pound price is ghastly. Maybe blog on this? Consumer gouging.
I actually prefer the taste of "regular" sized carrots -- but totally understand the convenience factor. Never really believed the "soaked in chlorine" rumor either. Thanks for the debunking.
A few thoughts...The carrots in baby carrots are exposed to the water throughout the process. If chlorine is a concern, the carrots aren't just being "washed" but could be in the chlorine water enough to absorb it. Also, I don't know how many of those on here are, but we live in the country outside of a rural town and have our own deep water well to provide water. Chlorine is not added to ours. :) We buy plain old organic whole carrots.
Great post and thanks for doing the research for us! But wait a minute here... Did you say you grow your own in the winter? I think we need a post on how you do that! :)
Yes, we grow our own! Granted we haven't figured out how to get them to be quite big enough yet, but they are still totally edible (and cute). We just planted carrot seeds in our garden boxes a couple months ago and voila...carrots!
Thank you! I had raise my daughter on steamed baby carrots during her toddler years. It was my great go to snack, and when this rumor about chlorine went around I was heartbroken. Thank you for investigating and for clarifying the process.
I agree with Treasure. Her information is very accurate and very well put. I too work for the state in water protection and have about 15 years experience. I just wish to add that bottled water is not tested as often as public water systems. Public water systems are required to test their chlorine levels daily and test for e-coli monthly. Bottling companies usually test annually for e-coli. I have actually seen bottling companies purchase their water from a public water system for bottling, thus you really are just drinking tap water.
Heather, just peel and cut the carrots and put them in a jar of water (distilled if you want to avoid chlorine) and you'll be able to pull out fresh crunchy carrot sticks to eat every time!
Thanks for this, I was totally avoiding them because of the chlorine issue and it's nice to know it's basically akin to washing under tap water. I generally buy larger carrots and peel them and cut them up, skipping washing altogether (!) and like that I can use the "waste" of the peels and tops to make homemade stock. But now I know baby carrots do not equate to a horrible option.
Hi Lindsay. I would think it's just the same as the different standards on all organic vs. conventional vegetables (which is probably more about how they treat the actual crop). I'm not sure that the organic label means they don't use the chlorine wash...I believe they still do. Jill
Thanks. How often should I change the water? I once cut carrots and celery and covered with water and got sick after I ate them. Could have been a fluke, but I wondered.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill)says
Hi Heather. They should be fine for a little while in your vegetable drawer in a baggie or container. I usually only cut them when I need them and use them that same day, but, I bet they might be fine for a day or so. Jill
Ha! I always wondered what the white was. I thought it was some sort of mold and threw them out. :/ Guess I'll stop doing that.
And I really appreciate that your research is more than a google search! That's not real research alot of times. Thanks for taking the time to do that.
Very interesting - thanks for sharing. I prefer buying the bigger organic carrots and peeling them myself, but it's good to know if we are out and about and baby carrots are a snack or side item on a menu they are okay for my kiddos (and myself) to eat!
Thank you for the information. I have been avoiding baby carrots, not because of the chlorine (I hadn't heard about that!) but because of the processing and waste it creates. Glad to hear it's all used for something. I'll likely still avoid baby carrots but when I need to purchase will do so with a better feeling. Thanks again, enjoy your daily emails.
thank you for getting the real info for us. we switched to whole, super yummy localy grown carrots because the baby ones were too hard for my daughter when she got braces. But it's nice to know there's a good alternative for the winter months.
Thank you so much for this research! We have been only drinking and cooking with distilled water for years. Huge difference in health and taste. We drink distilled so not to consume, artificial hormones, flouride and antibiotics. If you are used to drinking tap water, you probably cannot taste the chlorine. I can't even drink it anymore because of the strong smell of bleach. But it is what you get used to.
LoriB, do you buy jugs of distilled water to use? Ours runs a dollar a gallon like at Wal-Mart. It would be so costly to do so for all water needs-drinking and cooking. How do you work this out?
I have gallon sized jugs and I refill them for $.39 cents each. I get either the reverse osmosis or distilled, NOT "spring". the big water machines allow me to choose which one I want. It is the machines that people bring their huge blue 5 gallon jugs in to refill for their water coolers. I just cannot carry one that size. the gallons are the perfect size for me. We drink almost a gallon a day so we have 8 gallon jugs and whenever I go to the store I fill up the empty ones. When empty, I spray the top and inside with vinegar and water, leave the caps off to sanitize & dry out. We also have the glass water bottles with the rubber sleeves around them for each one of us and we each have a thermos too.
Lori B.says
oh! My brother's wife is a dentist so at the office they go through several gallons of distilled water a day. They finally just got a countertop home distiller and that makes it much easier. But there is that up front cost. We live in a condo, so I dont want another appliance on my countertops so I shlep the gallons back and forth.
Kristinsays
Good to know baby carrots are still safe to eat! We buy farmer's market carrots in the summer, but baby carrots in the winter, because frankly, it keeps my family eating carrots. And isn't that the whole point, eating ,plenty of vegetables.
Thanks for clearing that up! I heard the chlorine rumor a few years ago, and have avoided buying baby carrots ever since. I usually buy organic, whole carrots and cut them up for my kids. And yes, I wash them off with tap water. Thanks for the informative post!
I am a drinking water professional working in the environmental field. I have several years of experience of actually going out and testing the water at cities, villages, towns, mobile homes, apartments, nursing homes, etc. Rarely do I see the chlorine residual in the water being above 2.0 mg/L ~ 2 ppm. Most utilities keep the chlorine residual around 1 mg/L or lower which most people normally don't smell or taste...unless there are other components in the water such as ammonia. Anyhow, the chlorine residual in homes (including mine) is almost always under 1 mg/L. I do recognize that there are exceptions to this rule and that utlities do have upsets or issues that may cause the chlorine to become high but this is not normal. While chlorine residual above 4.0 mg/L is a maximum contaminant limit, this is not the standard. My point is that almost every community has chlorine in the water - not all but most. So anything you rinse in tap water normally has chlorine in it - remember these are trace amounts. This has been done for many years for safety/health/bacteriological concerns. Some people think that bottled water or finding 'natural springs' are the answer. I beg to differ. There is a lot of research showing that a lot of bottled water is just the same as tap water. In fact, I've had companies drill wells in 'country' areas in order to bottle the water and sell it elsewhere. It's all the same water and those companies oftentimes process the water before it's sold. E. Coli has been found in natural springs.
The point is that you can eat healthier and more raw, organic foods. I fully suppor that notion. However, giving every little thing the evil side eye will just make us all crazy. Carrots are carrots. So if you grow them in your garden and then rinse them with your tap water, it still has chlorine!
I am not really concerned about adverse health effects due to trace amounts of chlorine in tab water. I just can't stand the taste and smell of chlorinated water. Filtering helps a little bit, but not too much. Why is it, that the US considers chlorinating water essential while other countries don't?
There are people who prefer to drink nonchlorinated water and that is okay especially if it's coming from your own well water. When it goes thru underground piping and there are more possbilities of contamination, that is where the issue comes in. There are multiple sources of possible contamination in the regular process of delivering drinking water - tanks/towers (bird or other animal waste), main breaks where potable water could be contaminated with storm or even sewage, iron bacteria from pipes and well water, etc. The TRACE AMOUNTS of chlorine in our water HELP to protect us from contamination. Have you ever been told when traveling abroad to only drink bottled water? I have and did not follow the advice and got very sick in Mexico each time I drank the water. I believe that we have very good water compared to most other countries. It's not perfect but nothing is today.
Critical Readersays
I was not talking about third-world countries, some European countries do not preventatively chlorinate drinking water. It is actually frequently a point of discussion what to drink when traveling/moving to the US as the strong chlorine taste makes tap water basically undrinkable. As far as I am aware of, chlorine is only added when considered necessary after a contamination or heavy rainfalls, which happens about once a year. Is the water throughout the US chlorinated or does it depend on the water source?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill)says
Hi Critical Reader. Great question to which I do not know the answer. My guess would be to kill off certain bacterias they believe to be present in tap water, but, again, that's just a guess. Jill
priest's wife (@byzcathwife) says
Thanks for doing this research! Although I usually go the 'normal' carrot route, sometimes we run out of the house, eating hummus and baby carrots to snack on (which is MUCH better than fast food)
Marie says
How do you grow your own carrots in the winter? Do share.
Lisa says
Marie - You just plant some seeds in the ground or a raised garden bed with good soil (in the fall) and occasionally give them water and organic fertilizer and they will grow!
Jennifer says
I personally have never liked the big carrots. They just taste different, and never even ate carrots at all until baby carrots came out because I didn't like them. I used to think the baby carrots were just picked early, and therefore are sweeter. But last year, when my family decided to try a garden, I actually found seeds for baby carrots - and yes, they are much smaller when picked at maturity!
Sarah W. says
Got it, thanks!
Sarah W. says
I need a "Like" button for this post. Thank you for shedding some light on this topic and for doing all the legwork for your readers.
Jason Leake with 100 Days of Real Food says
Hi Sarah - Thanks! There is a "Like" button at the top of each post (unless there is some technical issue causing it not to appear on your browser).
Lee says
Thank you, Lisa. I appreciate your doing all the research and putting baby carrots (source of controversy, who knew?!) into perspective.
Kim says
Did anyone else pick up on the "further and further down the rabbit hole" irony in the last paragraph? Rabbits. Carrots. Ha! Great post. I really like baby carrots, eat them all the time and appreciate their convenience. Thanks!
Jenny says
Thank you for calling and getting the truth!! It reminds me to check sources before believing everything!
Mon says
Question though. Why do freshly picked carrots wilt and become mushy within a few days, whereas store bought carrots that have been on a truck for God knows how long don't? I heard they were treated with a gas to prevent them from wilting? Has anyone else experienced this or know if that's true?
kt says
Cuz the carrots are is a bag. Wrap your carrots or put them in a reusable veggie bag and they will last longer.
Pamela says
Thank you for this post! Great info on carrots and pool water!! lol. who would have thought, carrots and pool water?!? ;P
KarinSDCA says
Thank you for calling and investigating and sharing your findings!
We like our CSA carrots (local, whole, pesticide-free) and we supplement with homegrown (even in our TINY townhome backyard - also local, whole, pesticide-free...we grow two different varieties). It is nice to know the store-bought baby carrots are a healthy option for parties and other rare occasions. I will still avoid them for regular use due to the plastic packaging and high cost per pound.
Jackie says
This post is wonderful! Thank you so much for your hard work and research into this topic. I also really appreciate your realistic attitude toward issues like this. As you said, can't live in a bubble!
Carrie says
I did not read all of the comments, so sorry if I'm being redundant! We have a pool and what you are saying about the smell is absolutely correct! If the Chloramines get too high (Chloramines form when chlorine combines with contaminates like urine) you will have a strong chlorine smell from your pool. The solution is to super-chlorinate your pool ( which makes the smell worse for a while). Once the chlorine level drops back down to the normal level, you can swim again. This is true for chlorine pools and salt water pools.
Katie Chapman says
Thank you! I really appreciate all of your hard work and research.
Merri says
About 10 years ago, our family made a trip to the Grimmway carrot factory outside of Bakersfield where I grew up. Hairnets on, we got to tour the factory, and it was absolutely amazing to see truckloads of carrots heading up the conveyor belts, through the system, and out the other end. To me, the alarming piece of information was that the baby-carrot production machines are so expensive that carrots are trucked from as far as Colorado to be processed. So when I buy a bag of baby carrots, they have travelled a long, LONG ways to get to me. As I move to eating more locally, that's a big consideration.
Blueberry says
I never buy those 'baby' carrots. The pound per pound price compared to 'real' carrots is horrendous. Baby varieties here are $1.00 to $1.50 a pound. Regular are five pounds for $3.00, That's a lot of difference. I never peel carrots either. Just wash and cut. Takes almost 0 time and saves a lot of money. Unrelated. I never buy 'cheese strings' or shredded cheese for the same reason. Pound per pound price is ghastly. Maybe blog on this? Consumer gouging.
eclecticdeb says
I actually prefer the taste of "regular" sized carrots -- but totally understand the convenience factor. Never really believed the "soaked in chlorine" rumor either. Thanks for the debunking.
Susie says
A few thoughts...The carrots in baby carrots are exposed to the water throughout the process. If chlorine is a concern, the carrots aren't just being "washed" but could be in the chlorine water enough to absorb it. Also, I don't know how many of those on here are, but we live in the country outside of a rural town and have our own deep water well to provide water. Chlorine is not added to ours. :) We buy plain old organic whole carrots.
Michelle says
Great post and thanks for doing the research for us! But wait a minute here... Did you say you grow your own in the winter? I think we need a post on how you do that! :)
Lisa says
Yes, we grow our own! Granted we haven't figured out how to get them to be quite big enough yet, but they are still totally edible (and cute). We just planted carrot seeds in our garden boxes a couple months ago and voila...carrots!
Lisa says
Thank you! I had raise my daughter on steamed baby carrots during her toddler years. It was my great go to snack, and when this rumor about chlorine went around I was heartbroken. Thank you for investigating and for clarifying the process.
Debbie says
I agree with Treasure. Her information is very accurate and very well put. I too work for the state in water protection and have about 15 years experience. I just wish to add that bottled water is not tested as often as public water systems. Public water systems are required to test their chlorine levels daily and test for e-coli monthly. Bottling companies usually test annually for e-coli. I have actually seen bottling companies purchase their water from a public water system for bottling, thus you really are just drinking tap water.
Jill says
Great article! Thanks so much for collecting the info for us! I really appreciate knowing all that!
Rebecca says
Heather, just peel and cut the carrots and put them in a jar of water (distilled if you want to avoid chlorine) and you'll be able to pull out fresh crunchy carrot sticks to eat every time!
Cady says
Thanks for this, I was totally avoiding them because of the chlorine issue and it's nice to know it's basically akin to washing under tap water. I generally buy larger carrots and peel them and cut them up, skipping washing altogether (!) and like that I can use the "waste" of the peels and tops to make homemade stock. But now I know baby carrots do not equate to a horrible option.
Kelly says
Wonderful article! Thanks for the detective work!
Lindsay says
Any difference in this regards between organic and conventional baby carrots?
KarinSDCA says
Organic baby carrots are grown without pesticides. Conventional baby carrots are grown with pesticides.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Lindsay. I would think it's just the same as the different standards on all organic vs. conventional vegetables (which is probably more about how they treat the actual crop). I'm not sure that the organic label means they don't use the chlorine wash...I believe they still do. Jill
Teresa Goller says
Thank you for investigating and sharing this information.
Heather says
One of the reasons I have bought baby carrots is because I don't know how to keep carrots I've cut myself fresh. Tips?
eva says
I cut mine, place them in a container and cover with water to keep them crisp.
lori t says
heather, all you have to do is keep them in water and youre good to go :)
Heather says
Thanks. How often should I change the water? I once cut carrots and celery and covered with water and got sick after I ate them. Could have been a fluke, but I wondered.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Heather. They should be fine for a little while in your vegetable drawer in a baggie or container. I usually only cut them when I need them and use them that same day, but, I bet they might be fine for a day or so. Jill
Heather says
Thanks.
Molly says
Ha! I always wondered what the white was. I thought it was some sort of mold and threw them out. :/ Guess I'll stop doing that.
And I really appreciate that your research is more than a google search! That's not real research alot of times. Thanks for taking the time to do that.
Lesli Johnson says
Thank you so much for all the info! My kids eat "baby carrots" every day at lunch and you have put my mind at ease.
Pam@behealthybehappywellness says
Very interesting - thanks for sharing. I prefer buying the bigger organic carrots and peeling them myself, but it's good to know if we are out and about and baby carrots are a snack or side item on a menu they are okay for my kiddos (and myself) to eat!
Kellee says
Just found your webite recently, thanks for the positive, helpful information. I am really liking this website!!
Ilene says
Thank you for the information. I have been avoiding baby carrots, not because of the chlorine (I hadn't heard about that!) but because of the processing and waste it creates. Glad to hear it's all used for something. I'll likely still avoid baby carrots but when I need to purchase will do so with a better feeling. Thanks again, enjoy your daily emails.
Robin says
That's quite an article! Really interesting and I appreciate the fact that it's straight from the horse's mouth.
Holly says
thank you for getting the real info for us. we switched to whole, super yummy localy grown carrots because the baby ones were too hard for my daughter when she got braces. But it's nice to know there's a good alternative for the winter months.
Lori b. says
Thank you so much for this research! We have been only drinking and cooking with distilled water for years. Huge difference in health and taste. We drink distilled so not to consume, artificial hormones, flouride and antibiotics. If you are used to drinking tap water, you probably cannot taste the chlorine. I can't even drink it anymore because of the strong smell of bleach. But it is what you get used to.
T says
LoriB, do you buy jugs of distilled water to use? Ours runs a dollar a gallon like at Wal-Mart. It would be so costly to do so for all water needs-drinking and cooking. How do you work this out?
Lori B. says
I have gallon sized jugs and I refill them for $.39 cents each. I get either the reverse osmosis or distilled, NOT "spring". the big water machines allow me to choose which one I want. It is the machines that people bring their huge blue 5 gallon jugs in to refill for their water coolers. I just cannot carry one that size. the gallons are the perfect size for me. We drink almost a gallon a day so we have 8 gallon jugs and whenever I go to the store I fill up the empty ones. When empty, I spray the top and inside with vinegar and water, leave the caps off to sanitize & dry out. We also have the glass water bottles with the rubber sleeves around them for each one of us and we each have a thermos too.
Lori B. says
oh! My brother's wife is a dentist so at the office they go through several gallons of distilled water a day. They finally just got a countertop home distiller and that makes it much easier. But there is that up front cost. We live in a condo, so I dont want another appliance on my countertops so I shlep the gallons back and forth.
Kristin says
Good to know baby carrots are still safe to eat! We buy farmer's market carrots in the summer, but baby carrots in the winter, because frankly, it keeps my family eating carrots. And isn't that the whole point, eating ,plenty of vegetables.
Heidi Gurley says
Thank you for this information! I have always been concerned about the soaking in chlorine rumor!
Denea says
Thanks for clearing that up! I heard the chlorine rumor a few years ago, and have avoided buying baby carrots ever since. I usually buy organic, whole carrots and cut them up for my kids. And yes, I wash them off with tap water. Thanks for the informative post!
Treasure says
I am a drinking water professional working in the environmental field. I have several years of experience of actually going out and testing the water at cities, villages, towns, mobile homes, apartments, nursing homes, etc. Rarely do I see the chlorine residual in the water being above 2.0 mg/L ~ 2 ppm. Most utilities keep the chlorine residual around 1 mg/L or lower which most people normally don't smell or taste...unless there are other components in the water such as ammonia. Anyhow, the chlorine residual in homes (including mine) is almost always under 1 mg/L. I do recognize that there are exceptions to this rule and that utlities do have upsets or issues that may cause the chlorine to become high but this is not normal. While chlorine residual above 4.0 mg/L is a maximum contaminant limit, this is not the standard. My point is that almost every community has chlorine in the water - not all but most. So anything you rinse in tap water normally has chlorine in it - remember these are trace amounts. This has been done for many years for safety/health/bacteriological concerns. Some people think that bottled water or finding 'natural springs' are the answer. I beg to differ. There is a lot of research showing that a lot of bottled water is just the same as tap water. In fact, I've had companies drill wells in 'country' areas in order to bottle the water and sell it elsewhere. It's all the same water and those companies oftentimes process the water before it's sold. E. Coli has been found in natural springs.
The point is that you can eat healthier and more raw, organic foods. I fully suppor that notion. However, giving every little thing the evil side eye will just make us all crazy. Carrots are carrots. So if you grow them in your garden and then rinse them with your tap water, it still has chlorine!
Critical Reader says
I am not really concerned about adverse health effects due to trace amounts of chlorine in tab water. I just can't stand the taste and smell of chlorinated water. Filtering helps a little bit, but not too much. Why is it, that the US considers chlorinating water essential while other countries don't?
Treasure says
There are people who prefer to drink nonchlorinated water and that is okay especially if it's coming from your own well water. When it goes thru underground piping and there are more possbilities of contamination, that is where the issue comes in. There are multiple sources of possible contamination in the regular process of delivering drinking water - tanks/towers (bird or other animal waste), main breaks where potable water could be contaminated with storm or even sewage, iron bacteria from pipes and well water, etc. The TRACE AMOUNTS of chlorine in our water HELP to protect us from contamination. Have you ever been told when traveling abroad to only drink bottled water? I have and did not follow the advice and got very sick in Mexico each time I drank the water. I believe that we have very good water compared to most other countries. It's not perfect but nothing is today.
Critical Reader says
I was not talking about third-world countries, some European countries do not preventatively chlorinate drinking water. It is actually frequently a point of discussion what to drink when traveling/moving to the US as the strong chlorine taste makes tap water basically undrinkable. As far as I am aware of, chlorine is only added when considered necessary after a contamination or heavy rainfalls, which happens about once a year. Is the water throughout the US chlorinated or does it depend on the water source?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Critical Reader. Great question to which I do not know the answer. My guess would be to kill off certain bacterias they believe to be present in tap water, but, again, that's just a guess. Jill