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Carrot

 
Special points of interest:

- Carrots are a taproot, a type of root that grows downward and swells.

- The carrot is a highly refined version of a common weed, called Queen Anne's Lace.

- Both of these plants originated in the Middle East.

- Carrot juice is a very nutritional juice high in beta-carotene.

• 2 small carrots (100 g) provide almost three times the Recommended Daily Intake of Vitamin A.
• These same 2 carrots contain only 43 calories and is a source of dietary fibre, magnesium, potassium, Vitamins C and B6, thiamin and folate.
• A superb detoxifier, carrots are an excellent food for the health of the liver and digestive tract.
• Carrots help kidney function and help kill bacteria and viruses.

History of Carrots

Although well known to Romans and Greeks, this vegetable originated in the Middle East near Afghanistan. Carrots were originally various colors. Purple carrots were grown in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Northern Iran. In Roman times carrots were either purple or white. Red, green and black carrots were also grown.

Carrots were not well know in Europe until the Middle Ages. At that time, doctors prescribed them as Medicinal tools. (Snakebite, fever, headaches)

Orange roots, which contain the pigment carotene, were discovered in Holland in the 16th century.The original black, white, red, purple and green varieties were then hybridized to what we know as today's bright orange carrot.

The Benefits of Carrots

Carrots are rich in carotene, fibre and beta carotene, a powerful anti-oxidant. They contain calcium pectate, a pectin fiber that has been found to have cholesterol-lowering properties. Carrots are believed to be effective is the prevention of heart disease and macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of blindness in the aged.

Likewise, carrots help prevent cataracts. The beta carotene in a carrot convert to Vitamin A in the body, which helps improve vision. Vitamin A forms rhodopsin, a purple pigment that the eye uses to adjust to dim light.

Research has shown that not getting enough Vitamin A can actually lead to night blindness.
The high pectin content in carrots helps reduce cholesterol and prevent heart disease. This same fibre also works to fight diarrhea.

Many phytochemicals in carrots (coumarins, flavones, carotenoids, phthalides and polyacetylenes) are effective against some forms of cancer, (including lung, ovarian and breast).

Classification

Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Umbillales
Family: Umbelliferae (parsley)

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