Carrot

Carrot is a root vegetable, usually orange in color. Carrots are scientifically known as Daucus and Carota. Carrots come in different colors like orange, purple, white, yellow, and red. The taproot of the carrot is the part of the vegetable and most commonly eaten.

Structure of Carrot: The carrot is a biennial plant in the umbellifer family Apiaceae (It is the family of aromatic flowering plants). At first, it grows a rosette of leaves (A circular arrangement of leaves) while developing a taproot. Taproot is the large, central, and imperative root from which other roots sprout sideways. The roots contain alpha and beta-carotene quantities which are the good source of Vitamin K and Vitamin B6.

Carrot Producing States in India

Carrot is a biennial herb and its branched stem is 30 to 120 cm tall arising from thick flesh taproot of bearing flowers borne in umbels. Carrots are grown in Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Telangana, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, and Karnataka. Haryana is leading producer of carrot followed by Andhra Pradesh in India.

Countries that are Top in Carrot Exports

China

It has an annual production of carrots estimated to be 17.3 million tons between 1992 and 2014. China is top in exporting carrots to others countries. Around 90% of carrots are exported from China.

United States of America

The USA is another major carrot producing country. As per the records of the United States Department of Agriculture shows that the USA produced about 2.4 billion pounds of carrots in 2015. About 248.9 million pounds of carrots were exported from the USA to other countries in the year 2013.

8 Impressive Benefits of Carrot

Children and adults like carrots because of their crunchy texture and sweet taste. So, it is one of the valuable vegetables for parents, and also children. The health benefits of carrots make a special item in cuisines across the world. So, let us understand the benefits we get from carrot.

Prevent Heart Diseases

According to the researchers at the Wolfson Gastrointestinal Laboratory stated that high cholesterol is the major factor in causing heart diseases. Since regular consumption of carrots reduces cholesterol in the body and also it prevent heart-related problems.

Reduce Blood Pressure

Carrots consists of potassium which is a vasodilator and reduce the tension in your blood vessels and arteries, and increase the blood circulation in the body. It also reduces the stress on the cardiovascular system.

Prevents Infection

Carrots are known to be herbs, and they prevent infection. They used on raw or boiled and mashed.

Improves Digestion

Carrots consists of dietary fiber in their roots, and fiber is one of the important element in maintaining good digestive health. Fiber boosts heart health by removing the cholesterol from arteries and blood vessels.

Prevent Cancer

Beta-carotene consumption linked to reducing the risk of several cancers such as lung cancer. Researchers discovered that an increase in beta-carotene consumption from 1.7-2.7 mg per day reduces the risk of lung cancer.

Improves Eyesight

Vitamin A deficiency cause problem in eyesight. Carrots are rich in Vitamin A, and they are good for improving eyesight and prevents the development of blindness at the early stage.

Reduce the Risk of Stroke

Eating a carrot every day reduces the risk of stroke by 70%. Many studies were conducted on stroke patients and revealed that those who eat carrots in a week are wont suffer from any stroke.

Promotes Healthier Skin

Vitamin A protects the skin from the sun. Vitamin A deficiency causes dryness to the skin, hair, and nails. Carrots consist of Vitamin A, so they prevent dry skin, pigmentation, premature wrinkling, and acne.

Fun Facts about Carrots

• A rabbit eats 20 carrots daily. Carrots are good for health and teeth because it does not contains any artificial sugar substance.
• Carrots were the first vegetable to be preserved commercially.
• Carrots are second most popular vegetables after potatoes.
• The name of the carrot comes from the Greek word “Karoton".
• Americans eat twelve pounds of carrots in a year.
• There are more 100 species in carrots. Some are big, some are small, and they vary in different colors.

Advantages

• Carrot juice is cleaned and keeps the body in good condition, and also keeps the digestive system healthy.
• Carrot halva helps to solve urine problems.
• People who eat carrot regularly, they do not have night blindness problems.
• Carrot keeps blood pressure in control.
• People who drink carrot juice regularly, they do not have any cancer problems.

Disadvantages

• Eating to many carrots may cause adverse effects in digestive system.
• Eating too many carrots may interfere with the digestion of essential nutrients like zinc, magnesium, and calcium by our body.
• Carrots are not healthy for small children, and there is also a risk of choking while consuming carrots.
• The people who are suffering from diabetes must avoid eating raw carrots. Raw carrots consist of high sugar quantities.

Conclusion

Carrots are very nutritious, and tasty. They can be used in all sorts of different cooking preparations and gives you a lot of alternatives to explore. Carrots provide essential nutrients that the body needs to maintain proper functioning.

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