Carrots

The carrot is a plant with a thick, fleshy, deeply colored root that grows underground and feathery green leaves that emerge above ground. It is known scientifically as Daucus carota, a name that can be traced back to ancient Roman writings of the third century B.C.E. Carrots belong to the Umbelliferae family, named after the umbrellalike flower clusters common to plants in this family, including parsnips, parsley, fennel, and dill. There are more than a hundred different varieties of carrot that vary in size and color.

Carrots can be as short as 2 inches or as long as 3 feet, ranging in diameter from ½ inch to over 2 inches. Carrot roots have a crunchy texture and a sweet, minty, aromatic taste, while the greens are fresh-tasting and slightly bitter. While carrots are generally associated with the color orange, they also grow in a host of other colors, including white, yellow, red, and purple, the last being the color of the original variety.

HISTORY

Carrots are believed to have originated in the Middle East and Asia. The earlier varieties were not orange but mostly purple and black. Apparently the modern-day carrot was originally a mutant variety lacking certain purple or black pigments. In pre-Hellenic times, a yellow-rooted carrot variety appeared in Afghanistan; it was further cultivated and developed into an earlier version of the carrot we known today. Both types of carrots spread throughout the Mediterranean region and were adopted by the ancient Greeks and Romans for medicinal uses.

The carrot did not become popular in Europe until the Renaissance, however, probably due to the fact that the early varieties had a tough, fibrous texture. By the 1600s several different types of carrots had been developed, including the orange-colored carrot, which had a more appealing texture. Carrots were introduced into North America by European colonists. As a sign of its heightened popularity, in the early 1800s the carrot became the first vegetable to be canned. The world’s largest producers of carrots today are the United States, France, England, Poland, China, and Japan.

NUTRITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

The carrot provides the highest source of provitamin A carotenes of the commonly consumed vegetables. Two carrots provide roughly 4,050 retinol equivalents, or roughly four times the RDA of vitamin A. Carrots also provide excellent levels of vitamin K, biotin, and fiber and very good levels of vitamins C and B6, potassium, and thiamine.

A 3½-ounce (100 gram) serving of carrots provides 41 calories with 9.6 grams of carbohydrate as 4.5 grams of sugars and 3.0 grams of fiber.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Carrots are an excellent source of antioxidant compounds that help protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer. In one study that examined the diets of 1,300 elderly persons in Massachusetts, those who had at least one serving of carrots and÷or squash each day had a 60 percent reduction in their risk of heart attacks compared to those who ate less than one serving of these carotenoid-rich foods per day.

High carotene intake has been linked with a 20 percent decrease in postmenopausal breast cancer and up to a 50 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.

Carrots also promote good vision, especially night vision. In fact, beta-carotene, which is present in high levels in carrots, provides protection against macular degeneration and the development of senile cataracts—the leading cause of blindness in the elderly.

HOW TO SELECT AND STORE

Carrots are available throughout the year. The inspection of carrots begins with how they look; avoid carrots that have cracks, are bruised, or have mold growing on them. The carrots should be deep orange in color and fresh-looking. If the tops are not attached, look at the stem end and ensure that it is not darkly colored, as this is also a sign of age. Next, evaluate the physical characteristics; avoid carrots that are limp or rubbery. The carrots should feel hard, crisp, and smooth.

Since carrots are efficient at maintaining their water content, they will keep longer than many other vegetables. To maximize storage time, store them in the coolest part of the refrigerator in a perforated plastic bag or wrapped in a paper towel. This will reduce the amount of condensation that is able to form. Stored this way, carrots will stay fresh for up to two weeks.

If carrots are purchased with attached green tops, the tops should be cut off before storing in the refrigerator, as if they remain attached they will pull moisture from the roots and cause the carrots to wilt prematurely. The carrot tops will need to be used right away, as they are quite fragile and wilt quickly.

Carrots should be stored away from apples, pears, potatoes, and other fruits and vegetables that produce ethylene gas, since this gas will cause them to become bitter.

TIPS FOR PREPARING

Wash carrots under cold running water and gently scrub them with a vegetable brush.

If the carrots are not organically grown, definitely peel them. The same is true if they are a bit old or cracked. If the stem end is green, it should be cut away, as it will be bitter. Carrots can be left whole, julienned, grated, shredded, or sliced into sticks or rounds depending upon the need or your personal preference.

Though carrots are delicious when eaten raw, cooking actually enhances the bioavailability of their beta-carotene by breaking down the fiber and making it easier for the body to utilize the beta-carotene.

QUICK SERVING IDEAS

Carrot juice is perhaps the most popular juice prepared in home juice extractors. Its sweetness blends well with other vegetables.

Lightly steamed carrots are delicious on their own.

Grated carrots can be added to many fruit salads, such as chopped apples, raisins, and pineapple; chopped or sliced carrots can be added to vegetable salads.

Carrots can be added to baked goods, such as carrot cakes and muffins, soups, casseroles, and other recipes.

To make spiced carrot sticks, soak 2 cups carrot sticks in 2 cups hot water with ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds, 2 teaspoons rice vinegar, and salt. Soak until cool, drain, and serve.

For a quick, nutritious soup that can be served hot or cold, purée 2 cups boiled carrots, ½ cup celery, 1 roasted onion, and 1 teaspoon ginger in a blender or food processor. Add ¼ cup olive oil and enough vegetable stock to thin to a creamy soup. Season with other herbs and spices to taste.

SAFETY

Carotenes are stored in adipose tissue, the liver, other organs (the adrenals, testes, and ovaries have the highest concentrations), and the skin. Ingesting large quantities of carotenes can lead to a yellowing of the skin known as carotenodermia. This occurrence is not serious; in fact, it may be beneficial in protecting against sun damage to the skin. Sometimes carotenodermia is not directly attributable to dietary intake or supplementation, as it may be indicative of a deficiency in a necessary factor in the conversion of beta-carotene to vitamin A, such as zinc, thyroid hormone, vitamin C, or protein. The ingestion of large amounts of carrots or carrot juice—0.45 to 1.0 kilogram of fresh carrots per day for several years—has, however, been shown to cause a decrease in the number of white blood cells, as well as menstrual disorders.

Although the blood carotene levels of these patients did reach levels (221 to 1,007 micrograms per deciliter) similar to those of patients taking high doses of beta-carotene (typically 800 micrograms per deciliter), the disturbances have been due to some other factor in carrots, as neither of these effects nor any others have been observed in subjects consuming very high doses of pure beta-carotene equivalent to 4 to 8 pounds of raw carrots per day over long periods of time.

Since carrots are among the foods on which pesticide residues have been most frequently found, we recommend choosing carrots grown organically.