Carrots are usually sweet-tasting root vegetables that are commonly used in our daily meals. They have multiple health benefits and can also help with weight loss because they contain a lot of fiber which helps fill you up for longer.
For these reasons and more, we certainly don’t want a soapy taste ruining our enjoyment of this vegetable. If you’ve been having a problem with soapy-flavored carrots, read on because we have some answers for you.
Carrots Taste Like Soap
Carrots should normally have an earthy, fruity, slightly sweet taste. They should be a fresh, bright color when you purchase them and should be firm and crispy, not soft and bendy.
If there are leaves still attached, these should be green and fresh looking rather than wilted.
The most common reason behind a soapy flavor is a higher concentration of terpenoids, which are volatile compounds inside the carrot. They are known to be the primary source of that unique “carrot” flavor.
Normal carrots have slight hints of bitterness that shouldn’t be too strong. However, too many terpenoids will lead to the carrots being bitter, soapy, and generally unpleasant to eat.
If you are wondering what leads to higher terpenoid concentration, it is caused by factors like too high a growing temperature, improper storage conditions, and picking the carrots prematurely.
1. High Growing Temperatures
Carrots are cool-season vegetables which is why they need to be grown at ambient temperatures of between 60 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
If the temperature increases anything above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the carrots will start developing a bitter flavor. They will be stunted, pale, and small and may develop a soapy taste.
2. Premature Harvesting
When the carrots are pulled from the ground in the earlier stages, they will not yet be sweet and will have a soapy taste. This is because the terpenoids in the carrots develop before sugar development occurs.
So, when carrots are harvested in their premature form, they will have a higher terpenoid percentage, which will lead to a soapy taste. For this reason, it is important to let carrots grow to the optimal stage.
To check if the carrots you are buying are ripe, look at the top of the root where it attaches to the leaves. It should be orange, not green.
3. Improper Storage
Carrots might seem like tough vegetables but they need to be stored properly to ensure their freshness and flavor are well-maintained. For this reason, it is suggested that you store the carrots in your fridge’s drawer in a Ziploc bag.
In addition, make sure that they are kept away from pears, apples, avocados, and tomatoes because these release ethylene gas.
Ethylene gas will cause the carrots to develop more terpenoids and a resultant soapy flavor. Store your carrots properly and they will stay fresh tasting for a week or two in the fridge.
How to Fix the Soapy Taste
There is no need to throw away the carrots as they are perfectly safe to eat. However, the soapy taste will be more pronounced if the carrots are eaten raw.
Avoid adding them to salads or using them with dips. Instead, cook them in stews or soups. Cooking breaks down the terpenoids, thereby reducing the soapiness.
In Conclusion
To summarize, these are three primary reasons behind carrots having a soapy taste. However, this taste is just a result of the natural terpenoids in the vegetable and they are still safe to eat. Cook them for best results.