Carrots
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-The root vegetables we know today as
the carrot originated 3,000 years ago in Middle Asia in the area of
Afghanistan, and slowly spread into the Mediterranean area. The first
carrots were white, purple and yellow - not orange. Orange carrots were
developed in the 1600’s by the Dutch. All modern day carrots are
directly descended from dutch-bred carrots.
-Have you ever wondered what makes
carrots orange? The plant pigment that gives carrots and other
vegetables their vivid orange color is Beta-Carotene. Fruits and
Vegetables that are yellow/orange in color contain Beta-Carotene and
carrots are one of the vegetables richest in Beta-Carotene. Our bodies
convert Beta-Carotene into Vitamin A.
-One carrot supplies enough
Beta-Carotene to meet our daily requirement for Vitamin A. In fact, one
carrot has 220% of the Vitamin A we need every day! Carrots are also a
source of fiber, potassium and Vitamin C.
-Vitamin A is important for good
eyesight, especially at night. It helps our eyes adjust to the dark.
Vitamin A also helps fight infection and keeps our skin and hair
healthy. Beta-Carotene has important health benefits and may reduce our
risk of heart disease and some types of cancer.
-Just one handful of mini-peeled carrots counts as one serving of your "5 A Day."
-One medium fresh carrot counts as one serving of your "5 A Day," pick one that is bright orange in color.
-1/2 cup of cooked carrots equals one serving of your "5 A Day"
Source: Fruit and Vegetable Encyclopedia
