Carrots: Carotenoids

Carrot is the most cultivated and consumed vegetables in Finland.  Its roots go back to West Asia in Afghanistan, that is where the carrot is believed to have first sprouted and grown.  The old carrots were a different color than what we consume today, they were a deep purple color.  Farming of purple carrots with the yellow carrots brought about a color blending, and in 1400 the first orange-colored carrots appeared.

Carrots have nutritional benefits for the heart and the eyes.

Carrots came to the Nordic region in 1500 from Holland to Denmark. Carrots

have lots of antioxidant compounds so, therefore, health benefits.  They are an excellent source of pro-vitamin A Carotenes, they help to fight against free radicals.  To eat carrots is an excellent health choice, it contains many nutritional benefits for the heart and your eyes vision (beta-carotene).

The carrots are also an excellent source of; C and K vitamins and dietary fiber.

Carrots are an excellent source of minerals as well; potassium, vitamin

B6 (pyridoxine), manganese, molybdenum, vitamin

B1 (thiamin), vitamin B3 (niacin), phosphorus, magnesium, and folate.

The freshly grated carrot juice was also used as medicine for children, e.g., Coughs, worm prevention, and cuts.  Carrot juice was also believed to be a purifying agent for the blood and the Cardio-vascular system as it is written in the 1832 cookbooks.

After consuming carrots, the body can store some of the vitamin A if eating a lot of carrots the color orange will be visible on the person’s outer skin.  The old saying ” you are what you eat” may be right in more ways than one.  Is it true then people who grow (and eat) olives end up looking like olives?  Also, people, who grow (and eat) red apples end up looking like fresh red apples.  So what do you want to end up looking like? It’s your choice?

These pictures of carrots

Read more about the health benefits of Carotenoids