It's more for looks than anything else.

I know my family doesn't. Some people think that the outer layer is dirty because it was exposed to soil and underground it's entire existence. I just give them a good scrub under hot water and they are good to go. It is totally edible. The only parts you will want to cut off is about 1/2 an inch below the leafs, and about a 1/2 inch of the bottom of the carrot.

It's no dirtier than any other veggie youcan wash under running water. And so many of the minerals in a carrot are in the outer layer. So why peel it off? You are losing some of the nutrition and value you paid for. Why make it less nutritious? If the looks bother you. give it a wash or scrub and then eat, grate, cook, whatever.

I don't. The most nutrients are in the peel. I just scrub them well under running water and good to go.

Totally edible and shouldn't be done. Here's a trick, if you've got a big garden: I used to get carrots by the laundry-basket full and put them into my clothes washer for a rinse cycle. They came out cleaner than any brush on earth could get them and it didn't hurt the washer. It would have been obvious idiocy to peel them, so we didn't. You can't feel or taste the peeling when they're cooked, probably not raw either but I wouldn't know, can't stand raw carrots. I don't peel beets either, except the part exposed to sun, nor potatoes--you just dig out the blighty spots and then slice the spuds so you can see if there is a bad spot you've missed. Most of the the nutrients in most fruits and vegetables are just beneath the skin. While we're talking vegetables, the stalk of the broccoli is the best part. The upper stalk doesn't need to be peeled, and the lower stalk that most people throw away is the tastiest part, raw or boiled, once you cut off the woody rind. Peeling apples should be a crime--apple peelings with Concord grapes are even a great cure for arthritis!

I do not peel them. Here some explanations (among many other tips): 1) "Do Not Peel Vegetables Over 90% of the nutrients and minerals in or near skin" http://www.geocities.com/cookinhealthy/foodpreparation.html 2) "Do not peel carrots, just scrub under cold water to clean." http://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--857/grilling-fruits-and-vegetables.asp 3) "Ten ways to add fibre to your diet" "Do not peel vegetables and fruits" http://www.chennaibest.com/cityresources/Health_and_Medicine/healthfeature01.asp 4) "Do not peel vegetables just scrap (for more fibre)" http://www.teluguone.com/health/alternateMedicine.jsp 5) "Do not peel carrots, remove sprays, etc., wash vegetables thoroughly with cold, running water, using a stiff brush when necessary." http://www.geocities.com/natural_health_india/selfcure.html 6) "Where possible, do not peel vegetables: wash well and eat them with skins, seeds and all." http://www.wikihow.com/Ensure-That-You-Have-Healthy-Children 7) [Fibre] "Do not peel vegetables and fruits like cucumber, carrot and apples as their peels are edible. Do remember to wash them thoroughly, or scrape the peels slightly before eating." http://www.tarladalal.com/Diabdiet.asp

Pesticides used on the plants collects in the outer layers. Hence if your carrots are not from a certified organic source then peeling off the outer layer should remove any residual pesticides.

if its organic you can almost eat it dirty. You scrap carrots that arent organic because of pesticides.

I find the skin of older carrots to be bitter, so I peel them. New carrots, not so much.