Carrots

by Gudrun Maybaum
August 2001

Botanical name: Daucus carota ssp.sativus

Family Name: Umbellifeae, alt: Apiaceae

Carrots belong to the same family as parsley, celery, caraway, fennel, dill, and chervil.

History:
Carrots have been known for about 3.000 years. They originated in the area of Afghanistan. From Afghanistan, carrots spread over the near east to the Mediterranean area, where they still can be found growing wild. The Greeks and Romans used carrots mainly for medical purposes. Greek physicians prescribed carrot root and juice to treat indigestion, skin ulcers, cancer and snake bites. Pliny, a Roman writer, reported that carrots had aphrodisiac properties. Carrots were then white, purple or yellow in color.

The orange carrots as we know them today, began to be developed in the 1600’s by the Dutch. The British developed them further during World War II into the high beta-carotene ones we have now. Carotenoids actually got their name from the carrots, because they were first identified in that vegetable. These pigments are potent antioxidants, protecting the plants from destruction by free radicals.

Today, carrots are a common vegetable found all over the globe. With up to
13 million tons of carrots harvested every year, they are one of the most
economical and important of vegetables.

Nutrition:

The USDA rates carrots among the top 25 vegetables. Carrots provide protein, calcium, iron, and the vitamins A, C, and B. They are also a top rated source of the phytochemicals alpha carotene, p-coumaric and clorogenic acids.

Just one large carrot per day provides about six times the Recommended Dietary Allowance of Vitamin A for humans. Cooking or grating carrots increases the nutritional value because it breaks down the tough cellular walls that encase the beta-carotene. To convert beta-carotene into Vitamin A the body needs a little amount of fat, because Vitamin A is one of the vitamins that is fat-soluble. Vitamin A is not only essential for healthy skin, eyes, bones, mucous membranes and hair (feathers), but can also help prevent infections.

Carrots are the fifth (after collard greens, kale, spinach, winter squash) best source of the carotene complex. One of them is beta- carotene, which is a vitamin A precursor and one of the several hundred plant pigments called Carotenoids. Young or “baby” carrots have more sugar, but less beta-carotene. Older and bigger carrots have more beta-carotene, though they may be a bit tougher.

According to the Nutritional Research Center, Vitamin C, in combination with the folate contained in carrots, makes them a potent nutritional defense against respiratory illness and common colds. The best carrots are the ones that still have the green top attached. The phosphorus in the green tops is a good source of energy for the nerves.

Healing:

Research has shown that even small amounts of raw carrots can kill some food poisoning organisms such as Listeria bacteria. According to the American
Institute for Cancer Research, carrots effectively block the progressive cellular damage of cancers of the larynx, esophagus, prostate, bladder, cervix and liver. In the Netherlands, a five year study was done, concluding that the cancer fighting flavonoids and antioxidants also protect the human heart by reducing the formation of oxidized LDLs, an important factor in hardening of the arteries.

The fiber in carrots is known to lower cholesterol levels in the blood. Carrots can also be used as poultice for ulcers, abscesses, cancerous sores and bad wounds. Regular consumption of raw or simmered carrots can improve the appearance of the skin and help the body to improve the absorption of calcium.

Some veterinarians say that about 70% of all pet parrots have a vitamin A
deficiency. Here is a vegetable that can help us overcome this problem.

Cultivation:

Depending on the location, carrots can grow almost the whole year but are
usually available year-round in stores. They prefer sandy soil to in which
to grow, but will grow almost anywhere. The ideal way to store them would
be in a box with sand in a dark place (like a cellar) where temperatures
don’t fluctuate. But, they can be kept for quite some time in crisper in
the refrigerator.

References:

Super Healing Foods by Frances Sheridan Goulart
Good Food Book by Jane Brody
Nutrients A to Z by Dr, Michael Sharon
Healing Foods by Miriam Polunin
The Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition by Sheldon Margen M.D.

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