CARROT

 CARROT

Though I have not seen any donkey devouring carrots, the traditional cartoonists choose to  portray Carrots – quite enticing to donkeys. There is no way of eliciting truth from the animal. Leaving aside those donkeys, we have a lot more ideas to understand of Carrots for their value to humans.

Carrots are underground roots [not rhizomes] with a typical conical form varying in hue from red to pale pink passing through levels orange shades. Accordingly, different versions taste differently ranging from muddy to sweet richly fibrous juicy ones. For those not familiar with botanical status of the plant named Carrot,                       [=Daucus carota], Carrots are cousins of Coriander. They are members of family ‘APIACEAE [UMBELLIFERAE]’. 

Interestingly, for Carrots the underground root is rich in pigments. Generally pigments abound in structures receiving sunlight.[Similar unusual features are known for Beet root, Turnip , Sweet potato and faint green tint  in Knol khol].  [Being unaware or oblivious of the name KNOL KHOL, in Southern Tamil Nadu, many conveniently call it ‘Nukkal’].

Carrots are cultivated in hill slopes after thoroughly loosening the soil, for roots to readily enter the soil. Likewise, harvesting of mature plants is done by plucking the whole plant , which when fresh, is a visual delight with green ‘divided leaves’ [as in coriander] in sharp contrast to deeply pigmented orange-red , yellow roots.  In places with naturally cool climate, whole plants are kept for sale, with leaves intact.

From what is known by general observation, there is a wide appeal for carrots, especially the raw fresh item over that of the cooked version. Some varieties of carrot lose the natural aroma when boiled and the level of consumption of grated salad of Carrot with some seasoning is far higher.

Quite an impressive advantage accrues to humans from consuming carrot either as juice or salad. For instance, the orange-red colour of the root delivers Anti-oxidants and the tissue possesses Vitamins, fibres, salts, some little fat and some more health benefits. Some of them are as under:

Energy [approx]= 25 calories, Carbohydrates =6 gms, fibre= 2 gms, protein= 0.5g Sugar=2 g. Vitamin A = the equivalent of 255% of daily requirement, Vitamin-C=23% of daily need , Vitamin-K=31% of DN ,Potassium = 15%of DN, Calcium and Iron about 2% of DN

ANTI OXIDANTS 

These are pigments, BetaCarotenes, Lutein, Carotenoids and Anthocyanin [reddish]. Of them Luein can lower the risk of Macular degeneration [loss of vision]- an age-related disorder. Most antioxidants protect the cells from free radical release by undue oxidation –leading to Cancer.

Carotenoids [also yellow pigments] are said to protect liver health in humans.

So, enjoy carrots with greater involvement and doff worries.  

Prof. K. Raman