Carrots

Carrots belong to a diverse group of vegetables called “taproots.” They are unique as they grow downward into the soil rather than upward toward
the sun. Carrots come in many different shapes and sizes but the most popular color is orange and the most popular size is seven to nine inches in
length. Over forty different pigmented varieties are available that vary in the types of phytochemicals they contain. But the majority of cultivated
carrots are usually orange, purple, yellow, or white. They all fall within the two basic categories: eastern (Asiatic) carrots or western (carotene).

The cultivation of carrots dates back thousands of years. Native to central Asia and the Middle East, they soon spread throughout the
Mediterranean region. India, China, and Japan had established carrots as a food crop by the thirteenth century. In Europe, however, carrots did not
gain favor until the Renaissance. During the seventeenth century, farmers started cultivating different varieties of carrots including the orangecolored
variety we know today.

Where Are Carrots Grown?

China is the largest producer of carrots, followed by the United States, Russia, France, England, Poland, and Japan.

Why Should I Eat Carrots?

Carrots are an excellent source of carotenes, particularly beta-carotene. One cup of diced carrots provides roughly 686.3 percent of the RDA for
vitamin A. Carrots are also a good source of fiber, manganese, niacin, potassium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C.

Home Remedies

Long ago, Greeks used carrots to cure stomach ailments and Romans ate carrots to improve their love life. Carrots also have other traditional
“roots”: During Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, for example, carrots are served in the shape of coins, as a symbol of future prosperity.

Lifesaver!

HEART DISEASE: Multiple studies examined the association between high-carotenoid diets and reduced risk of heart disease. One of those

studies, reported over ten years ago in a leading journal, followed 1,300 elderly persons who ate at least one serving of carrots and/or squash each
day. The results showed that those who were on the carotenoid-rich diet had a sixty percent reduction in their risk of heart attacks compared to
those who ate less than one serving.

CANCER: High carotenoid intake has been linked with a twenty percent decrease in postmenopausal breast cancer and up to a fifty percent

decrease in the incidence of cancers of the bladder, cervix, prostate, colon, larynx, and esophagus. Extensive human studies suggest that a diet
including as little as one carrot per day could conceivably cut the rate of lung cancer in half. Precancerous colon lesions in animals given diets
containing carrots or falcarinol (a natural phytochemical in carrots) were much smaller than those in the control animals, and far fewer lesions had
progressed to become tumors.
Though a large population study called CAROT showed that smokers who ingest beta-carotene supplements were more prone to lung cancer, a
study from the National Cancer Institute found that lung cancer occurrence was higher in men whose diets did not supply a healthy intake of alphacarotene.

DIABETES: Human research suggests that eating foods rich in carotenoids, like carrots, may aid in making insulin more effective, thus

improving blood-glucose control.

EMPHYSEMA: Animal research conducted at Kansas State University showed that diets rich in vitamin A reduced lung inflammation and the

occurrence of emphysema.

VISION: Beta-carotene helps to protect vision, especially night vision. Beta-carotene’s powerful antioxidant actions help provide protection

against macular degeneration and the development of cataracts, the leading cause of blindness in the elderly.

Tips on Using Carrots

SELECTION AND STORAGE:

• Carrots that are deep orange in color contain the most beta-carotene.
• Avoid carrots that are cracked, shriveled, soft, or wilted.
• Carrots are best kept refrigerated in the crisper section, but don’t store them with fruits. Fruits produce ethylene gas as they ripen. This gas will
decrease the storage life of the carrots.

PREPARATION AND SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Peeling carrots may make them look pretty but generally it is unnecessary. Besides, peeled carrots lose some of their vitamins.
• Steaming, braising, roasting, and grilling are the preferred methods of preparing carrots. There is more nutrient loss when carrots are boiled.
And though cooking carrots in a microwave may be a time-saver, there is a reduction in beta-carotene content when you do so.
• Season raw or cooked carrots with dill, tarragon, ginger, honey, brown sugar, parsley, lemon, or orange juice.