Interesting facts about carrots

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The carrot is a root vegetable, usually orange in color, though purple, red, black , white, and yellow varieties exist.

Carrots are a domesticated form of the wild carrot, Daucus carota, native to Europe and southwestern Asia.

Carrots were originally white or purple. Then a yellow carrot appeared through mutation and the familiar orange carrot was bred from it.

There are more than 100 species of carrots.

The name “carrot” comes from the Greek word “karoton.” The beta-carotene that is found in carrots was actually named for the carrot itself. The word carrot is first recorded in English in a 1538 book of herbs.

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The modern day orange carrot wasn’t cultivated until Dutch growers in the late 16th century took mutant strains of the purple carrot and gradually developed them into the sweet, plump, orange variety we have today.

European settlers introduced the carrot to colonial America in the 17th century.

It require cool to moderate temperatures and are not grown in summer in the warmer regions.

Carrots are grown from seed and can take up to four months (120 days) to mature, but most cultivars mature within 70 to 80 days under the right conditions.

The carrot plant produces a rosette of 8–12 leaves above ground and a fleshy conical taproot below ground. The plant produces small (2 mm) flowers which are white, red or purple in color.

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The foliage of the plant can reach a height of 150 cm (59.1 in) when in flower.

The edible root can grow to between 5 and 50 cm (2.0–20 in) long and reach 5 cm (2.0 in) in diameter. The root can grow to between 5 and 50 cm (2.0–20 in) long and reach 5 cm (2.0 in) in diameter.

Carrots are the second most popular type of vegetable after potatoes.

The biggest carrot recorded is more than 8.6 kilograms (19 pounds) and the longest is over 5.7 meters (19 feet)!

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Carrots are often thought of as the ultimate health food.

There are 41 calories in 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of carrots.

Carrots are 88% water, 4.7% sugar, 0.9% protein, 2.8% dietary fiber, 1% ash and 0.2% fat.

The health benefits of carrots include reduced cholesterol, lower risk of heart attacks, prevention of certain cancers, improved vision, and reduced signs of premature aging. Furthermore, carrots have the ability to improve the skin, boost the immune system, improve digestion, protect cardiovascular health, detoxify the body, and boost oral health in a variety of ways. They also provide a well-rounded influx of vitamins and minerals.

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Most of the benefits of carrots can be attributed to their beta-carotene and fiber content. These root vegetables are also a good source of antioxidants. Furthermore, they are rich in vitamin A, C, K, and B8, as well as pantothenic acid, folate, potassium, iron, copper, and manganese.

The high level of beta-carotene in carrots acts as an antioxidant to cell damage done to the body through regular metabolism. It help slows down the aging of cells.

 

Our bodies turn beta-carotene into vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for good health, especially for your eyes.

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Purple carrots contain purple pigments called anthocyanins, which act as anti-oxidants that protect the body.

Carrot seeds are so small that about 2000 seeds can fit in a teaspoon.

It’s all in the crunch! Carrots clean your teeth and mouth. They scrape off plaque and food particles just like toothbrushes or toothpaste. Carrots stimulate gums and trigger a lot of saliva, which, being alkaline, balances out the acid-forming, cavity-forming bacteria. The minerals in carrots prevent tooth damage.

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Carrots are a good source of fiber, which is good for the health of your digestive system.

Carrots have a higher natural sugar content than all other vegetables with the exception of beets.

Carrots are widely used in many cuisines, especially in the preparation of salads, and carrot salads are a tradition in many regional cuisines.

The longest carrot measures 6.245 m (20 ft 5.86 in) and was grown by Joe Atherton (UK), as verified at the UK National Giant Vegetables Championship, in Malvern, UK, on 23 September 2016.

The heaviest carrot weighs 10.17 kg (22.44 lb) and was grown by Christopher Qualley of Otsego, Minnesota, USA, as verified on 9 September 2017.

Rabbits love to eat carrots, but they shouldn’t eat too many. A rabbit eating a single carrot is like us eating over 20. Carrots are good for rabbit teeth and don’t have artificial sugar, but even too many natural sugars can cause digestive problems and diabetes. They probably would do better with carrot tops!

The belief that eating carrots improves night vision is a myth put forward by the British in World War II to mislead the enemy about their military capabilities.