Carrots are staples for any cook: they are inexpensive,
plentiful and oh so versatile. Most of us take them for granted
because they can be found everywhere, at any time of year. But did
you know they were first grown in Afghanistan? Carrot facts are the
focus of a Food Republic article on the root vegetable.
Besides the origin of the humble carrot, the article provides nine
other facts that you might not know.
One interesting tidbit is the fact that carrots have seeds. Most
of us don't think about that, but of course that's how the plants
propagate. The seeds form in the green tops from tiny white
flowers. The carrots we know and love are a cultivar of the wild
carrot (known in America Queen Anne's lace), and its flowers look
very similar. Unfortunately, they also look like poison hemlock, so
caution should be exercised in eating any wild plants that look
like they might be carrots.
Another noteworthy fact is that cooked carrots are much better
for you than raw carrots, as cooking allows more beta-carotene to
be released. Eating raw carrots "only gives you three percent of
this substance, but when you heat them up they release closer to 40
percent."
Carrots are tough, too. In most places they can be stored in the
ground all winter, if properly protected with a layer of mulch.
Their structure can withstand freezing temperatures, despite being
composed of 88% water. Besides being convenient, in-ground storage
boosts carrots' inherent sweetness. Visit Food Republic to learn more about the 20
different species of carrots available worldwide.
Photo of Slow-roasted
carrots with brown-butter vinaigrette from EAT at The New York Times by Mark Bittman