Carrots are tasty and highly nutritious. They are a great source of minerals, vitamins, and fiber that are good for your health. They are said to be great for eyesight. Carrot is also called “Queen Anne’s Lace” in Northern America.
People usually consume carrots as snacks and use them in many other dishes to provide substance and flavor. They are generally found in orange color, but they can also be seen in different colors like red, white, black, purple, yellow etc. The most common part of the carrot, which everyone usually eats, is a taproot, while other parts like leaves and stems are not eatable.
However, have you ever wondered about this wonderful veggie, whether it is fruit or vegetable? What makes a food a “vegetable” or “fruit? How to differentiate between them? Here we are going to explain a comprehensive guide to the question; is carrot a fruit or a vegetable?
Is carrot a fruit or vegetable, and why? Carrots are root vegetables that produce fruits, and they were first grown in Afghanistan in 1900. They originate from Daucus Carota, a wild plant native to Europe. Because of their testier taproot, people started to grow them. The taproot of a carrot works as a storage organ and stores carbohydrates for the plant, which does it so well and gives a very great vegetable.
Carrots are biennial plants that take two years to complete their life cycle. They are usually harvested annually and not allowed to complete their life cycle.
The carrots that are allowed to overwinter and have two growing seasons produce a fruit named schizocarps.
Normally people waste most plant roots and only eat that part of a plant that grows above the ground. But this is not in the case of carrots, as we eat roots of carrots, which means the part that grows under the ground.
Globally, carrots are the most cultivated vegetable and present throughout the year. They grow very fast, and only in 90 days you can enjoy your super delicious carrots without waiting longer. Another good thing about these veggies is that when you keep them in a cold environment with minimal airflow, you can easily keep them for a longer time.
What is a carrot classified as?
The common carrot (Daucus Carota) is classified as a root vegetable and a member of the Umbelliferae family, thus related to parsley. Like others, the carrot plant has an “umbrella-like inflorescence called an umbel. Carrots are often considered to be the perfect healthy food. They are a great source of beta carotene, vitamin K1, fiber, potassium, and antioxidants.
Carrots have different colors, the most common color of carrots is orange, but they are also found in other colors. The color of the carrot can describe many things as a vibrant color on a carrot shows that it is properly grown.
Each color contain something that is a need of organism;
- Orange color carrots are full of vitamin A
- Red color carrots have lycopene
- Purple color carrots have anthocyanin
Like color, carrots also come in various shapes; the most common type that we see today are long and tapering. However, its other varieties are also present in the round and bulbous shape.
How to differentiate between fruits and vegetables?
There are many vegetables that are mistakenly considered a fruit. However, people differentiate between fruits and vegetables using two simple ways: the botanical way and the culinary.
Botanically, they can be distinguished by the presence or absence of seeds on them. Like, tomatoes have seeds in them, so they are fruits while carrots do not have seeds; hence, they are called vegetables. If we talk in culinary terms, then fruits have to be sweet in taste, whereas vegetables can be either savory or may have a bitter taste.
Moreover, if we botanically explain, fruit is a seed-bearing structure that develops from the ovary of a flowering plant. In comparison, vegetables are all other plant parts such as leaves, stems, and roots.
So by that term, seedy outgrowths like apple and tomatoes are fruits while roots such as potatoes, turnips, and of course carrots are vegetables.
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What are the health benefits of carrots?
Carrots are rich in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that promote your health. They also provide antioxidants that help protect cells from damage and prevent other conditions like cancer and heart disease.
Some of the other health benefits of carrots include;
Eye health: easting carrots is very helpful to maintain eyesight. Carrots contain plenty of vitamin A, which is crucial to ongoing eye health. The deficiency of vitamin A is also related to a high risk of night blindness.
Weight Loss: carrots contain very low calories and are also a great source of fiber. They can also help you to feel full for longer than can be great when you are on dieting.
Control diabetes: Carrots are loaded with vitamin A and beta carotene, which can be helpful to reduce the risk of diabetes. Moreover, they are a storehouse of fiber, which helps control blood sugar levels.
Lower cancer risk: They work great to protect you from several kinds of cancer. Different studies have revealed that they can protect you from prostate cancer, colon cancer, and stomach cancer.
Boost immune system: Vitamin C presence in carrots helps your body to build antibodies that boost your immune system.
Are there any side effects of eating carrots?
Carrots are a great vegetable with plenty of health benefits, but it is rightly said that “excess of everything is bad,” same in the case with carrots. Taking too much beta carotene, which is present in carrots, can turn your skin color into orange-yellow color.
This condition is called carotenemia, which is relatively not harmful in many cases and can be treated. While in some severe cases, it can go bad and stop vitamin A from doing its job that can affect your vision, skin, bones, immune system, and metabolism.
Taking beta carotene in excess is also problematic for people who can’t change it to vitamin A, such as hypothyroidism.
In some cases, people may also face mouth itching because of eating too many carrots, which is typically known as oral allergy syndrome. So you should take them in moderate amount to enjoy their all benefits.