CARROTS

Introduction

Carrots originated in Middle Asia and the Near East. When they were discovered is unsure, however, and they would not have been recognisable as the orange-coloured vegetable we know today. It is not known what they may have looked like, whether they would have been distinguishable from parsnips and even whether they were used for food. In the first century BC, however, the Greeks valued the carrot as a stomach tonic and possibly used the seeds as a medicinal remedy.

Around the 12th century AD., the carrot reached the Mediterranean and during the 14th century they were being cultivated in Italy, Germany, France and the Netherlands. They arrived in England during the reign of Elizabeth I, but even then they were purple, yellow and white relatives. It was not until the 18th century that the carrots we recognise today were developed. Now they are one of the most popular vegetables, readily accepted by most children, and are also very versatile.

What do carrots contain?

Characteristically, orange vegetables contain carotenoids. Carrots are a very rich source of carotenoids and about 10% of them can be converted to vitamin A in the body. The most abundant of these pro-vitamins are beta carotene and lutein, the former having the most pronounced health benefits and accounting for the carrot’s strength in boosting human health.

Other valuable components of carrot are the carbohydrates, which make up the soluble fibre, insoluble fibre and sugar content. These carbohydrates are cellulose, mannitol, lignin, pectin and mannose.

The vitamins and minerals in carrot are also valuable, and constitute magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and C and folic acid.

What can carrots do?

Adding carrots to the diet will add bulk to the stools, promoting colon health and combating constipation. In general the stools will be made both larger and softer, making them easier to pass, and allowing smooth movement through the colon, effectively massaging and cleansing the muscle walls.

Beta carotene in particular has a variety of functions in the body, but primarily these are all based around the fact that it is an antioxidant. Antioxidants ‘mop up’ free radicals from the circulation and therefore help to prevent cell damage. Uncontrolled free radicals interfere with normal cell division, resulting in mutations and abnormal tissue growth. Specifically the epithelial cells of the skin, throat and lungs have been seen to benefit from the protection of beta carotene. In their protective role antioxidants can also help to keep the cardiovascular system healthy, prevent or control inflammation and maintain skin integrity, thereby reducing the visible signs of ageing.

Beta carotene has also been shown to support the immune system, making carrots useful as part of a diet high in other fresh fruit and vegetables to fight bacterial and viral infections. Both lymphocytes and T-helper cell levels in circulation are increased when more carrots are added to the diet - a direct measure of the stimulatory effect on the body’s immune defence system.

People concerned with the health of their heart may well benefit from the addition of more carrots to the diet. Along with other rich-coloured vegetables (green is just as important as orange and red), carrots have been shown to protect against the risk of stroke and heart disease, mainly due to their soluble fibre content. The harmful cholesterol carriers – low-density lipoproteins (LDL) - have been seen to decrease when more carrots are eaten, and the beneficial HDL levels in the blood increase.

Traditional folklore tells us that carrots are good for the eyesight, and now that theory can be supported by scientific findings. The antioxidant nature of carotenoids helps to prevent the macula (a tiny area in the centre of the retina) from being damaged by free radical bombardment. Therefore loss of vision in old age may be prevented by the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables in earlier life.

In the human body beta carotene is converted to vitamin A. When combined with opsin in the rods of the eye this forms rhodopsin, which aids vision. Therefore carrots will promote good eye health, and consequently improve night vision. However, by no stretch of the imagination will they actually help us to see fully in the dark!

Notes

·         In many studies the beneficial effects of the beta carotene found in carrots were not able to be duplicated by vitamin A (retinol) supplement pills.

·         The benefits of carrots, unlike those from many other vegetables, can actually be increased by cooking. Neither beta carotene or soluble fibre are destroyed during light boiling or steaming, and the consequent softening of cell walls will actually make them more available for absorption.