Interesting Facts About Carrots

Here are some interesting facts about carrots and it's a guest post by Jason of Gardenlife Pro.

carrots on dark background

Photo by Jonathan Pielmayer on Unsplash

Carrots are one of the best-loved veggies around, popular for school lunches and a staple ingredient in many recipes.

As an excellent source of fiber, vitamins A and C, potassium, and calcium, carrots also boast a natural sugar content that is higher than most other vegetables, making them a tasty snack.

Carrots are a root vegetable, maturing underground in the cool soil during the spring and summer. They are easy to grow, easy to store, and fun to eat!





More Interesting Facts About Carrots...

marmot eating a carrot

  Image by Екатерина Гусева from Pixabay

Look at Me!

Many of us have heard the remark that carrots are good for eyesight because, “Have you ever seen a rabbit wearing glasses?” In fact, the high beta-carotene levels in carrots convert into vitamin A and help promote healthy vision.

Smile!

Our bodies convert beta-carotene into vitamin A, which is also good for healthy bones and teeth.

Eating carrots every day can help keep teeth healthy and strong.





America's Favorite Go-To Snack

The USDA reports Americans consume over 10 pounds of carrots each year. Carrots are the go-to snack for kids’ lunchboxes, garden salads, and a nutritious side item at the dinner table.

Colorful Carrots and Orange Skin?

Colorful Carrots!

Carrots are famous for their signature orange hues, but this root vegetable also grows in a variety of colors, including deep purple, red, and white. The carrot originated in the middle east as a purple root vegetable. All other hues are a variant of that original type.

Orange Skin?

Consuming large amounts of orange carrots can cause skin to have an orange tint after a while. The high beta-carotene levels can stain cartilage in the nose and palms.

Colorful Carrots and Orange Skin?

Colorful Carrots!

Carrots are famous for their signature orange hues, but this root vegetable also grows in a variety of colors, including deep purple, red, and white. The carrot originated in the middle east as a purple root vegetable. All other hues are a variant of that original type.

Orange Skin?

Consuming large amounts of orange carrots can cause skin to have an orange tint after a while. The high beta-carotene levels can stain cartilage in the nose and palms.

Ancient Medicine

The carrot’s leafy green foliage, as well as its seeds, was widely used for medicinal purposes in ancient times. In 100 B.C., Mithridates VI, the King of Pontius, used carrot seeds to counteract some poisons.

Storing Carrots

Carrots have a relatively long shelf life compared to most other fresh vegetables. As a root vegetable, carrots mature underground in cool soil. The dirt and the carrot’s skin work together as a barrier to protect the carrot from disease and decay. Mature carrots can even stay in the ground up to four weeks before being harvested.

Whole carrots fresh from the garden have a typical shelf life of 4 to 5 weeks. Baby carrots purchased from the grocery store's produce department will have an expiration date printed on the package. Baby carrots will last for 3 to 4 weeks in the refrigerator.

shredded carrots on dehydrator

Remember, the carrot’s skin acts as a preservative. Baby carrots have been peeled and cut into their miniature form, so they will not last as long as a whole carrot. Because dirt can also act as a protective barrier for carrots, wait to clean the carrots until they are ready to be eaten. Leaving the dirt and skin intact will help the carrot stay fresh longer.

Freezing carrots is a great way to hang on to these fresh veggies. Before placing carrots in the freezer, make sure they are scrubbed clean of any dirt or debris and cut away any remaining foliage from the top.

Let them dry completely before placing them in freezer storage bags. Carrots can be kept in the freezer where their nutrients and taste will stay fresh for up to one year!

And if you’re looking to store your carrots for the long-term, I will also point out that carrots are very easy to dehydrate too!

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Thanks for stopping by and for reading "interesting facts about carrots" written by Jason of Gardenlife Pro. If you have any questions at all about dehydrating food, please write to me here.


Susan Gast owner, Easy Food Dehydrating plus Finally-Keto.com and SusanGast.com

Susan Gast began Easy Food Dehydrating in December 2010. Read Susan's story of what sparked her interest in all things related to "food dehydrating."

She is featured on Mother Earth News blog, and on Solo Build It (SBI) who host this site. Read her first SBI interview, and her second SBI interview.

Since 1980, Susan's involvement in publishing - in one form or another - led her to create a "review site" of products related to the publishing industry. Visit ePubTechReviews today, also hosted by Solo Build It. Susan also runs her namesake site SusanGast.com on Solo Build It that showcases the books she has written since 2010.

Do you want to send Susan a quick message? Visit her contact page here. She'd love to hear from you!


Easy Food Dehydrating and Safe Food Storage by Susan GastREAD MORE

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