Common Name: Carrots
Botanical Name: Daucus carota ssp.sativus
Family Name: Umbellifeae, alt:Apiaceae

Carrots belong to the same family as parsley, celery, caraway,
fennel, dill and chervil.

History:
Carrots have been known for about 3,000 years. They originated
in the area of Afghanistan. From Afghanistan, carrots spread
over the near east to the Mediterranean area, where they still
can be found growing wild. The Greeks and Romans used the
carrots mainly for medical purposes. Greek physicians
prescribed carrot root and juice to treat indigestion, skin
ulcers, cancer and snake bites. Pliny, a Roman naturalist and
writer, reported that carrots had aphrodisiac properties.
Carrots were then white, purple or yellow in color.

The orange carrots as we know them today, began to be
developed in the 1600's by the Dutch. The British developed
them further during World War II into the high beta-carotene
ones we have now. Carotenoids actually got their name from
the carrots, because they were first identified in that
vegetable. These pigments are potent antioxidants, protecting
the plants from destruction by free radicals.

Today, carrots are a common vegetable found all over the
globe. With up to 13 million tons of carrots harvested every
year, they are one of the most economical and important of
vegetables.

Nutrition:
The USDA rates carrots among the top 25 vegetables. Carrots
provide protein, calcium, iron, and the vitamins A, C, and B.
They are also a top rated source of the phytochemicals alpha
carotene, p-coumaric and clorogenic acids.

Just one large carrot per day provides about six times the
Recommended Dietary Allowance of Vitamin A for humans.
Cooking or grating carrots increases the nutritional value
because it breaks down the tough cellular walls that encase
the beta-carotene. To convert beta-carotene into Vitamin A
the body needs a little amount of fat, because Vitamin A is
one of the vitamins that is fat-soluble. Vitamin A is not
only essential for healthy skin, eyes, bones, mucous membranes
and hair (feathers), but can also help prevent infection.

Carrots are the fifth (after collard greens, kale, spinach,
butter squash) best source of the carotene complex. One of
them is beta- carotene, which is a vitamin A precursor and
one of the several hundred plant pigments called
Carotenoids. Young or "baby" carrots have more sugar, but
less beta-carotene. Older and bigger carrots have more beta-
carotene, though they may be a bit tougher.

According to the Nutritional Research Center, the Vitamin C,
in combination with the folate contained in carrots, makes
them a potent nutritional defense against respiratory illness
and common colds. The best carrots are the ones that still
have the green top attached. The phosphorus in the green
tops is a good source of energy for the nerves.

Healing:
Research has shown that even small amounts of raw carrots
can kill some food poisoning organisms such as Listeria
bacteria. According to the American Institute for Cancer
Research, carrots effectively block the progressive cellular
damage of cancers of the larynx, esophagus, prostate, bladder,
cervix and liver. In the Netherlands, a five year study was
done, concluding that the cancer fighting flavonoids and
antioxidants also protect the human heart by reducing the
formation of oxidized LDL's, an important factor in hardening
of the arteries.

The fiber in carrots is known to lower cholesterol levels
in the blood. Carrots can also be used as poultice for ulcers,
abscesses, cancerous sores and bad wounds. Regular consumption
of raw or simmered carrots can improve the appearance of the
skin and help the body to improve the absorption of calcium.

Some veterinarians say that about 70% of all pet parrots have
a vitamin A deficiency. Here is a vegetable that can help us
overcome this problem.

Depending on the location, carrots can grow almost the whole
year but are usually available year-round in stores. They
prefer sandy soil to in which to grow, but will grow almost
anywhere. The ideal way to store them would be in a box with
sand in a dark place (like a cellar) where the temperatures
don't fluctuate. But, they can be kept for quite some time
in crisper in the refrigerator.

References:
Super Healing Foods by Frances Sheridan Goulart
Good Food Book by Jane Brody
Nutrients A to Z by Dr, Michael Sharon
Healing Foods by Miriam Polunin
The Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition by Sheldon Margen, M.D.
http://privat.schlund.de/g/gemuese/karotte.htm
www.kuechentipps.de/tipps/warenkunde/moehren.html

www.beaktreats.com E-mail: gudrun@yourparrotplace.com

All Articles Reprinted with the Kind Permission of The Author Gunrun Maybaum
Bird Nutrition and Herb Consultant

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