Просмотр кода страницы Английская Википедия:Carrot

{{Английская Википедия/Панель перехода}}
{{short description|Root vegetable, usually orange in color}}
{{About|the cultivated vegetable}}
{{distinguish|Karat}}
{{Pp-semi|small=yes}}
{{Pp-move-indef}}
{{good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Subspeciesbox
| image = Vegetable-Carrot-Bundle-wStalks.jpg
| genus = Daucus
| species = carota
| subspecies = sativus
| authority = ([[Georg Franz Hoffmann|Hoffm.]]) [[Gustav Schübler|Schübl.]] & [[George Matthias von Martens|G. Martens]]
| synonyms = 
*''Carota sativa'' <small>(Hoffm.) Rupr.</small>
*''Daucus sativus'' <small>(Hoffm.)</small>
| synonyms_ref = <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2757967 |title=''Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'' (Hoffm.) Arcang. |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=theplantlist.org |publisher=The Plant List |access-date=12 July 2020 }}</ref>
}}

The '''carrot''' (''[[Daucus carota]]'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a [[root vegetable]], typically orange in color, though heirloom variants including purple, black, red, white, and yellow [[cultivar]]s exist,<ref name="Ior2">{{cite journal | last1=Iorizzo | first1=Massimo | last2=Curaba | first2=Julien | last3=Pottorff | first3=Marti | last4=Ferruzzi | first4=Mario G. | last5=Simon | first5=Philipp | last6=Cavagnaro | first6=Pablo F. |display-authors=3| title=Carrot Anthocyanins Genetics and Genomics: Status and Perspectives to Improve Its Application for the Food Colorant Industry | journal=Genes | volume=11 | issue=8 | date=2020-08-07 | issn=2073-4425 | pmid=32784714 | doi=10.3390/genes11080906 | page=906| pmc=7465225 | doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name=Iorizzo>{{cite journal |author1=Iorizzo, Massimo |author2=Senalik, Douglas A. |author3=Ellison, Shelby L. |author4=Grzebelus, Dariusz |author5=Cavagnaro, Pablo F. |author6=Allender, Charlotte |author7=Brunet, Johanne |author8=Spooner, David M. |author9=Van Deynze, Allen |author10=Simon, Philipp W. |display-authors=3|year=2013 |title=Genetic structure and domestication of carrot (''Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') (Apiaceae) |journal=American Journal of Botany |volume=100 |issue=5 |pages=930–938 |doi=10.3732/ajb.1300055 |pmid=23594914 |hdl=11336/7476 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Sifferlin|first1=Alexandra|title=Eat This Now: Rainbow Carrots|url=http://healthland.time.com/2013/08/20/eat-this-now-rainbow-carrots/|magazine=Time|access-date=27 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123165655/http://healthland.time.com/2013/08/20/eat-this-now-rainbow-carrots/|archive-date=23 January 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> all of which are domesticated forms of the [[Daucus carota|wild carrot]], ''Daucus carota'', native to Europe and Southwestern Asia. The plant probably originated in [[Greater Iran|Persia]] and was originally cultivated for its leaves and seeds. The most commonly eaten part of the plant is the [[taproot]], although the stems and [[leafy vegetable|leaves]] are also eaten. The domestic carrot has been [[Plant_breeding#Genetic_modification|selectively bred]] for its enlarged, more palatable, less woody-textured taproot.

The carrot is a [[biennial plant]] in the [[umbellifer]] family, [[Apiaceae]]. At birth, it grows a [[Rosette (botany)|rosette]] of leaves while building up the enlarged taproot. Fast-growing cultivars mature within about three months (90 days) of sowing the seed, while slower-maturing cultivars need a month longer (120 days). The roots contain high quantities of [[Alpha-Carotene|alpha-]] and [[Beta-Carotene|beta-carotene]], [[lycopene]], [[anthocyanins]], [[lutein]],<ref>Singh, BK; Koley, TK; Maurya, A; Singh, PM; and Singh, B (2018) Phytochemical and antioxidative potential of orange, red, yellow, rainbow and black coloured tropical carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus Schubl. & Martens). Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants 24(5): 899-907 DOI 10.1007/s12298-018-0574-8.</ref> and are a good source of [[vitamin A]], [[vitamin K]], and [[vitamin B6]]. Black carrots are one of the richest sources of anthocyanins (250–300&nbsp;mg/100&nbsp;g fresh root weight), and hence possesses high antioxidant ability i.e. almost 20–35 times higher than red/orange carrots and five times higher than beetroot.<ref>Singh, BK; Singh, B and Singh, PM (2019) Kashi Krishna: Black carrot variety. ICAR News: A Science and Technology Newsletter 25(2):18-19</ref>

The United Nations [[Food and Agriculture Organization]] (FAO) reports that world production of carrots and [[turnip]]s (these plants are combined by the FAO) for 2020 was 41 million [[tonnes]], with over 44% of the world total grown in China. Carrots are commonly consumed raw or cooked in [[List of cuisines|various cuisines]].

==Etymology==
[[File:Carrot, Juliana Anicia Codex.jpg|thumb|A depiction labeled "garden" carrot from the [[Juliana Anicia Codex]], a 6th-century AD [[Constantinople|Constantinopolitan]] copy of [[Dioscorides]]' 1st-century [[Greek language|Greek]] pharmacopoeia. The facing page states that "the root can be cooked and eaten."<ref>Folio 312, [[Juliana Anicia Codex]]</ref>]]
The word is first recorded in English around 1530 and was borrowed from the [[Middle French]] {{lang|frm|carotte}},<ref>{{cite web|title=Carrot|url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=carrot|publisher=Online Etymology Dictionary|access-date=30 November 2014}}</ref> itself from the [[Late Latin]] {{lang|la|carōta}}, from the [[ancient Greek]] {{lang|grc|καρωτόν}}<!--[sic]; not καρότο--> ({{transliteration|grc|karōtón}}), originally from the [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]] root ''{{PIE|*ker-}}'' ('horn'), due to its horn-like shape. In [[Old English]], carrots (typically white at the time) were not clearly distinguished from [[parsnip]]s: the two were collectively called {{lang|ang|moru}} or {{lang|ang|more}} (from Proto-Indo-European ''{{PIE|*mork-}}'' 'edible root', [[cf.]] German {{lang|de|Möhre}} or Russian {{lang|ru|морковь}} ({{transliteration|ru|morkov}})).{{Cn|date=June 2021}}

Various languages still use the same word for ''carrot'' as they do for ''root'', e.g. the [[Dutch language|Dutch]] {{lang|nl|wortel}}.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/vangoorsenglishd00unse |title=Wortel |author=van Wely, F. Prick |year=1959 |work=Van Goor's English-Dutch and Dutch-English dictionary |publisher=David Mckay Company, New York |access-date=7 August 2016}}</ref>

==Description==
[[File:Carrots are up (2634523693).jpg|thumb|Seedlings shortly after germination]]
''Daucus carota'' is a [[biennial plant]]. In the first year, its [[Rosette (botany)|rosette]] of [[Leaf|leaves]] produces large amounts of sugars, which are stored in the [[taproot]] to provide energy for the plant to flower in the second year.{{Cn|date=June 2021}}

Soon after [[germination]], carrot seedlings show a distinct demarcation between taproot and stem: the stem is thicker and lacks lateral roots. At the upper end of the stem is the [[seed leaf]]. The first [[True leaves|true leaf]] appears about 10–15 days after germination. Subsequent leaves are [[Alternate leaf#Arrangement on the stem|alternate]] (with a single leaf attached to a node), [[phyllotaxis|spirally arranged]], and [[pinnation|pinnately]] [[compound leaf|compound]], with leaf bases sheathing the stem. As the plant grows, the bases of the seed leaves, near the taproot, are pushed apart. The stem, located just above the ground, is compressed and the [[internode (botany)|internodes]] are not distinct. When the seed stalk elongates for flowering, the tip of the stem narrows and becomes pointed, and the stem extends upward to become a highly branched [[inflorescence]] up to {{cvt|60|–|200|cm|in|-1}} tall.<ref name="Rubatsky pp. 22–28">{{harvp|Rubatsky|Quiros|Siman|1999|pp=22–28}}</ref>

Most of the taproot consists of a [[Ground tissue#Parenchyma|pulpy]] outer cortex ([[phloem]]) and an inner core ([[xylem]]). High-quality carrots have a large proportion of cortex compared to core. Although a completely xylem-free carrot is not possible, some cultivars have small and deeply pigmented cores; the taproot can appear to lack a core when the colour of the cortex and core are similar in intensity. Taproots are typically long and conical, although cylindrical and nearly spherical cultivars are available. The root diameter can range from {{cvt|1|cm|in|frac=8}} to as much as {{cvt|10|cm|in|0}} at the widest part. The root length ranges from {{cvt|5|to|50|cm|in|0}}, although most are between {{cvt|10|and|25|cm|in|0}}.<ref name="Rubatsky pp. 22–28"/>

{{multiple image
| align     = right
| direction = vertical
| width     = 200
| image1    = Daucus carota May 2008-1 edit.jpg
| caption1  = ''Daucus carota'' umbel (inflorescence). Individual flowers are borne on undivided pedicels originating from a common node.
| image2    = DaucusCarota.jpg
| caption2  = Top view of ''Daucus carota'' inflorescence, showing umbellets; the central flower is dark red.
}}

Flower development begins when the flat [[meristem]] changes from producing leaves to an uplifted, conical meristem capable of producing stem elongation and a [[inflorescence|cluster of flowers]]. The cluster is a compound [[umbel]], and each umbel contains several smaller umbels (umbellets). The first (primary) umbel occurs at the end of the main floral stem; smaller secondary umbels grow from the main branch, and these further branch into third, fourth, and even later-flowering umbels.<ref name="Rubatsky pp. 22–28"/>

A large, primary umbel can contain up to 50 umbellets, each of which may have as many as 50 flowers; subsequent umbels have fewer flowers. Individual flowers are small and white, sometimes with a light green or yellow tint. They consist of five [[petal]]s, five [[stamen]]s, and an [[Leaf shape#entire|entire]] [[calyx (botany)|calyx]]. The [[stamen]]s usually [[dehiscence (botany)|split]] and fall off before the [[stigma (botany)|stigma]] becomes receptive to receive [[pollen]]. The stamens of the brown, male, sterile flowers degenerate and shrivel before the flower fully opens. In the other type of male sterile flower, the stamens are replaced by petals, and these petals do not fall off. A nectar-containing disc is present on the upper surface of the [[carpel]]s.<ref name="Rubatsky pp. 22–28"/>
[[File:Daucus carota flowers, peen 'Napoli' (1).jpg|thumb|left|upright|Flowers consist of five petals, five stamens, and an entire calyx.]]

Flowers [[protandry|change sex]] in their development, so the stamens release their pollen before the stigma of the same flower is receptive. The arrangement is centripetal, meaning the oldest flowers are near the edge and the youngest flowers are in the center. Flowers usually first open at the outer edge of the primary umbel, followed about a week later on the secondary umbels, and then in subsequent weeks in higher-order umbels.<ref name="Rubatsky pp. 22–28"/>

The usual flowering period of individual umbels is 7 to 10 days, so a plant can be in the process of flowering for 30–50 days. The distinctive umbels and floral [[nectar]]ies attract [[pollination|pollinating]] insects. After fertilization and as seeds develop, the outer umbellets of an umbel bend inward causing the umbel shape to change from slightly convex or fairly flat to concave, and when cupped it resembles a bird's nest.<ref name="Rubatsky pp. 22–28"/>

[[File:Carrots at Ljubljana Central Market.JPG|thumb|Carrots in [[Ljubljana Central Market]]]]

The fruit that develops is a [[schizocarp]] consisting of two [[mericarp]]s; each mericarp is a [[achene|true seed]]. The paired mericarps are easily separated when they are dry. Premature separation (shattering) before harvest is undesirable because it can result in seed loss. Mature seeds are flattened on the [[commissure|commissural]] side that faced the [[septum]] of the [[ovary (botany)|ovary]]. The flattened side has five longitudinal ribs. The bristly hairs that protrude from some ribs are usually removed by abrasion during [[milling (grinding)|milling]] and cleaning. Seeds also contain oil ducts and canals. Seeds vary somewhat in size, ranging from less than 500 to more than 1000 seeds per gram.<ref name="Rubatsky pp. 22–28"/>

The carrot is a [[ploidy#Diploid|diploid]] species, and has nine relatively short, uniform-length [[chromosome]]s (2''n''=18).<ref name=Ior2/><ref name=Iorizzo/> The genome size is estimated to be 473 mega [[base pair]]s, which is four times larger than ''[[Arabidopsis thaliana]]'', one-fifth the size of the maize genome, and about the same size as the rice genome.<ref>{{harvp|Bradeen|Simon|2007|p=162}}</ref>

=== Chemistry ===
[[Image:BetaCarotene-3d.png|thumb|upright=1.3|right|β-Carotene structure. [[Carotene]] is responsible for the orange colour of carrots and many other fruits and vegetables.]]
[[Polyyne|Polyacetylenes]] can be found in [[Apiaceae]] vegetables like carrots where they show [[Cytotoxicity|cytotoxic]] activities.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Zidorn, Christian |author2=Jöhrer, Karin |author3=Ganzera, Markus |author4=Schubert, Birthe |author5=Sigmund, Elisabeth Maria |author6=Mader, Judith |author7=Greil, Richard |author8=Ellmerer, Ernst P. |author9=Stuppner, Hermann |display-authors=3 |title=Polyacetylenes from the Apiaceae vegetables carrot, celery, fennel, parsley, and parsnip and their cytotoxic activities |journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry |year=2005 |volume=53 |issue=7 |pages=2518–2523 |doi=10.1021/jf048041s |pmid=15796588}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author1=Baranska, Malgorzata |author2=Schulz, Hartwig |author3=Baranski, Rafal |author4=Nothnagel, Thomas |author5=Christensen, Lars P. |display-authors=3|title=''In situ'' simultaneous analysis of polyacetylenes, carotenoids and polysaccharides in carrot roots |journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry |year=2005 |volume=53 |issue=17 |pages=6565–6571 |doi=10.1021/jf0510440 |pmid=16104767}}</ref> [[Falcarinol]] and [[falcarindiol]] (''cis''-heptadeca-1,9-diene-4,6-diyne-3,8-diol)<ref name="Garrod 1978">{{cite journal |author1=Garrod, B. |author2=Lewis, B.G. |author3=Coxon, D.T. |title=''Cis''-heptadeca-1,9-diene-4,6-diyne-3,8-diol, an antifungal polyacetylene from carrot root tissue |journal=Physiological Plant Pathology |year=1978 |volume=13 |issue=2 |pages=241–246 |doi=10.1016/0048-4059(78)90039-5}}</ref> are such compounds. This latter compound shows antifungal activity towards ''[[Mycocentrospora acerina]]'' and ''[[Cladosporium cladosporioides]]''.<ref name="Garrod 1978"/> Falcarindiol is the main compound responsible for bitterness in carrots.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Czepa, Andreas |author2=Hofmann, Thomas |title=Structural and sensory characterization of compounds contributing to the bitter off-taste of carrots (''Daucus carota'' L.) and carrot puree |journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry |year=2003 |volume=51 |issue=13 |pages=3865–3873 |doi=10.1021/jf034085+ |pmid=12797757}}</ref>

Other compounds such as [[pyrrolidine]] (present in the leaves),<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Boyd |editor-first=O'Neil, M.J. |title=The Merck Index – An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals |year=2006 |edition=14th |publisher=Royal Society of Chemistry |isbn=978-0-911910-00-1}}</ref> [[6-hydroxymellein]],<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Kurosaki, Fumiya |author2=Nishi, Arasuke |title=A methyltransferase for synthesis of the phytoalexin 6-methoxymellein in carrot cells |journal=FEBS Letters |year=1988 |volume=227 |issue=2 |pages=183–186 |doi=10.1016/0014-5793(88)80894-9|s2cid=86402868 |doi-access=free }}</ref> [[6-methoxymellein]], [[eugenin]], 2,4,5-trimethoxybenzaldehyde ([[gazarin]]) or (Z)-3-acetoxy-heptadeca-1,9-diene-4,6-diin-8-ol ([[falcarindiol 3-acetate]]) can also be found in carrot.{{Cn|date=June 2021}}

==Taxonomy==
Both written history and molecular genetic studies indicate that the domestic carrot has a single origin in Central Asia.<ref name="Ior2" /><ref name="Iorizzo" /> Its wild ancestors probably originated in [[Greater Persia|Persia]] (regions of which are now [[Iran]] and [[Afghanistan]]), which remains the centre of diversity for the [[wild carrot]] ''Daucus carota''. A naturally occurring [[subspecies]] of the wild carrot was presumably [[Selective breeding|bred selectively]] over the centuries to reduce bitterness, increase sweetness and minimise the woody core; this process produced the familiar garden vegetable.<ref>{{cite book |author=Rose, F. |title=The Wild Flower Key |publisher=Frederick Warne |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-7232-5175-0 |location=London |page=346}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Mabey, R. |title=Flora Britannica |publisher=Chatto and Windus |year=1997 |isbn=978-1-85619-377-1 |location=London |page=298}}</ref>

==Cultivation==

=== History ===
When they were first cultivated, carrots were grown for their aromatic leaves and seeds rather than their roots. Carrot seeds have been found in [[Switzerland]] and [[Southern Germany]] dating back to 2000–3000 BC.<ref>{{harvp|Rubatsky|Quiros|Siman|1999|p=6}}</ref> Some close relatives of the carrot are still grown for their leaves and seeds, such as [[parsley]], [[coriander]] (cilantro), [[fennel]], anise, [[dill]] and [[cumin]]. The first mention of the root in classical sources is from the 1st century AD;<ref name="Simon p. 328">{{harvp|Simon|Freeman|Vieira|Boiteux|2008|p=328}}</ref> the Romans ate a root vegetable called ''pastinaca'',<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O-t9BAAAQBAJ&pg=RA4-PA387 |title=Encyclopedia of Food and Health |publisher=Elsevier Science |year=2015 |isbn=978-0-12-384953-3 |page=387}}</ref> which may have been either the carrot or the closely related [[parsnip]].<ref>{{Cite book |author1=Zohary, Daniel |title=Domestication of Plants in the Old World |author2=Hopf, Maria |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2000 |edition=3rd |page=203}}</ref><ref>[[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]] later used the word as a scientific name for the genus ''[[Pastinaca]]'', which includes parsnips.</ref>

The plant is depicted and described in the [[Eastern Roman]] [[Juliana Anicia Codex]], a 6th-century AD [[Constantinople|Constantinopolitan]] copy of the Greek physician [[Dioscorides]]' 1st-century pharmacopoeia of herbs and medicines, {{lang|la|[[De Materia Medica]]}}. Three different types{{clarify|reason=Which?|date=August 2021}} of carrots are depicted, and the text states that "the root can be cooked and eaten".<ref>Folio 312, 313, 314, [[Juliana Anicia Codex]]</ref> Another copy of this work, Codex Neapolitanes from late 6th or early 7th century, has basically the same illustrations but with roots in purple.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Janick |first1=Jules |last2=Stolarczyk |first2=John |date=May 2012 |title=Ancient Greek Illustrated Dioscoridean Herbals: Origins and Impact of the ''Juliana Anicia Codex'' and the ''Codex Neopolitanus'' |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290309500 |journal=Not Bot Horti Agrobo |volume=40 |issue=1 |pages=9–17 |doi=10.15835/nbha4017767 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

The plant was introduced into Spain by the [[Moors]] in the 8th century.<ref>{{cite book |url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=Dmky95hwKr0C |page=1071 }} |title=Encyclopedia of World Environmental History |publisher=Routledge |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-415-93735-1 |editor-last=Krech III |editor-first=Shepard |volume=3: O–Z, Index |editor2-last=Merchant |editor2-first=Carolyn |editor3-last=McNeill |editor3-first=John Robert}}</ref> In the 10th century, roots from West Asia, India and Europe were purple.<ref name="Purple">{{cite news |date=May 16, 2002 |title=Carrots return to purple roots |work=[[BBC]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1991768.stm |access-date=December 5, 2013}}</ref> The modern carrot originated in [[Afghanistan]] at about this time.<ref name="Simon p. 328" /> The 11th-century Jewish scholar [[Simeon Seth]] describes both red and yellow carrots,<ref>{{cite book |author=Dalby, Andrew |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FtIXAe2qYDgC&pg=PA75 |title=Food in the Ancient World from A to Z |publisher=Psychology Press |year=2003 |isbn=978-0-415-23259-3 |page=75}}</ref> as does the 12th-century Arab-[[Andalusian people|Andalusian]] agriculturist, [[Ibn al-'Awwam]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Staub, Jack E. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qbMz7YrTBMEC&pg=PA230 |title=Alluring Lettuces: And Other Seductive Vegetables for Your Garden |publisher=Gibbs Smith |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-4236-0829-5 |page=230}}</ref> Cultivated carrots appeared in China in the 12th century,<ref>{{Cite book |author=王繼先 |url=https://dl.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/2555899/20 |title=紹興校定經史證類備急本草}}</ref> and in Japan in the 16th or 17th century.<ref>{{Cite book |date=2011-02-20 |publisher=Shufunotomo |isbn=978-4-07-273608-1 |pages=68–73 |language=ja |script-title=ja:野菜まるごと大図鑑}}</ref>

The orange carrot was created by the Dutch growers. There is pictorial evidence that the orange carrot existed at least in 512, but it is probable that it was not a stable variety until the Dutch bred the cultivar termed the "Long Orange" at the turn of the 18th century.<ref name="Greene 2012">{{cite book |author=Greene, Wesley |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KFQMt1Ww6osC&pg=PA81 |title=Vegetable Gardening the Colonial Williamsburg Way: 18th-Century Methods for Today's Organic Gardeners |publisher=Rodale |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-60961-162-0 |page=81}}</ref> Some claim that the Dutch created the orange carrots to honor [[Prince's Flag|the Dutch flag at the time]] and [[William the Silent|William of Orange]],<ref name="Purple" /><ref name="The Economist-2018">{{Cite news |date=2018-09-26 |title=How did carrots become orange? |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2018/09/26/how-did-carrots-become-orange |access-date=2019-12-16 |issn=0013-0613}}</ref> but other authorities argue these claims lack convincing evidence and it is possible that the orange carrot was favored by the Europeans because it does not brown the soups and stews as the purple carrot does and, as such, was more visually attractive.<ref name="Greene 2012" />

Modern carrots were described at about this time by the English [[antiquary]] [[John Aubrey]] (1626–1697): "Carrots were first sown at Beckington in Somersetshire. Some very old Man there [in 1668] did remember their first bringing hither."<ref>Oliver Lawson Dick, ed. ''Aubrey's Brief Lives. Edited from the Original Manuscripts'', 1949, p. xxxv.</ref> European settlers introduced the carrot to [[Colonial america|colonial America]] in the 17th century.<ref>{{harvp|Rubatsky|Quiros|Siman|1999|pp=6–7}}</ref><!--
Alternative (mostly historical) names are recorded for ''Daucus carota'': bee's-nest, bee's-nest plant, bird's-nest, bird's-nest plant, bird's-nest root, carota, carotte (French), carrot, common carrot, crow's-nest, daucon, dawke, devil's-plague, fiddle, gallicam, garden carrot, gelbe Rübe (German), gingidium, hill-trot, laceflower, mirrot, Möhre (German), [[parsnip]] (misapplied), Queen Anne's lace, rantipole, staphylinos, and zanahoria (Spanish).<ref>Nowick, E. A. [http://www.unl.edu/agnicpls/gpcn/latind/Daucuscarota.html ''Daucus carota''] at [http://www.unl.edu/agnicpls/gpcn/index.html Historical Common Names of Great Plains Plants]</ref> -->

Outwardly purple carrots, still orange on the inside, were sold in British stores beginning in 2002.<ref name="Purple" />

=== Propagation ===
[[File:Harvesting carrots.jpg|thumb|Workers harvesting carrots, [[Imperial Valley]], California, 1948]]
Carrots are grown from seed and can take up to four months (120 days) to mature, but most cultivars mature within 70 to 80 days under the right conditions.<ref name="Rodale's Organic Life">{{Cite web|title = Your Guide To Growing Carrots|url = http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/garden/your-guide-growing-carrots|website = Rodale's Organic Life|access-date = 2015-12-23}}</ref> They grow best in full sun but tolerate some shade.<ref>{{cite book |author=Elzer-Peters, K. |title=Midwest Fruit & Vegetable Gardening: Plant, Grow, and Harvest the Best Edibles – Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota & Wisconsin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DSxRAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA136 |year=2014 |publisher=Cool Springs Press |isbn=978-1-61058-960-4 |page=136}}</ref> The optimum temperature is {{convert|16|to|21|C|F}}.<ref>{{harvp|Benjamin|McGarry|Gray|1997|p=557}}</ref> The ideal soil is deep, loose and well-drained, sandy or loamy, with a [[pH]] of 6.3 to 6.8.<ref name="Cunningham 2000">{{cite book |author=Cunningham, Sally Jean |title=Great Garden Companions: A Companion-Planting System for a Beautiful, Chemical-Free Vegetable Garden |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bYOPlJt6SfAC&pg=PA196 |year=2000 |publisher=Rodale |isbn=978-0-87596-847-6 |pages=195–196 |ol=8090822M}}</ref>

Fertilizer should be applied according to soil type because the crop requires low levels of nitrogen, moderate phosphate and high potash. Rich or rocky soils should be avoided, as these will cause the roots to become hairy and/or misshapen.<ref>{{cite book |author=Abbott, Catherine |title=The Year-Round Harvest: A Seasonal Guide to Growing, Eating, and Preserving the Fruits and Vegetables of Your Labor |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yKjGtrh30V4C&pg=PA54 |year=2012 |publisher=Adams Media |isbn=978-1-4405-2816-3 |pages=54–55 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Irrigation is applied when needed to keep the soil moist. After sprouting, the crop is eventually thinned to a spacing of {{cvt|3|to|4|in|cm|order=flip|0}} and weeded to prevent competition beneath the soil.<ref name="Rodale's Organic Life" /><ref name=DAFF>{{cite report |url=http://www.nda.agric.za/docs/Brochures/prodGuideCarrot.pdf |title=Production guidelines for carrot |publisher=Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries Department: Republic of South Africa |access-date=27 July 2014 |archive-date=24 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024034912/https://www.nda.agric.za/docs/Brochures/prodGuideCarrot.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Problems===
{{See also|List of carrot diseases}}
There are several diseases that can reduce the yield and [[market value]] of carrots. The most devastating carrot disease is ''[[Alternaria]]'' leaf blight, which has been known to eradicate entire crops. A bacterial leaf blight caused by ''[[Xanthomonas campestris]]'' can also be destructive in warm, humid areas. Root knot nematodes (''[[Meloidogyne]]'' species) can cause stubby or forked roots, or [[gall]]s.<ref>{{cite book |author=Davis, R. Michael |chapter=Carrot diseases and their management |editor-last=Naqvi S.A.M.H. |title=Diseases of Fruits and Vegetables: Diagnosis and Management |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RypnQT5KPtkC&pg=PA398 |year=2004 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-1-4020-1822-0 |pages=397–439}}</ref> [[Fungicide use in the United States#Cavity spot|Cavity spot]], caused by the [[oomycete]]s ''[[Pythium violae]]'' and ''[[Pythium sulcatum]]'', results in irregularly shaped, depressed lesions on the taproots.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carrot cavity spot |url=http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r102100411.html |publisher=University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources |date=September 2012 |access-date=2013-03-21}}</ref>

Physical damage can also reduce the value of carrot crops. The two main forms of damage are splitting, whereby a longitudinal crack develops during growth that can be a few centimetres to the entire length of the root, and breaking, which occurs postharvest. These disorders can affect over 30% of commercial crops. Factors associated with high levels of splitting include wide plant spacing, early sowing, lengthy growth durations, and [[genotype]].<ref>{{harvp|Benjamin|McGarry|Gray|1997|pp=570–571}}</ref>

===Companion planting===

They can also be good companions for other plants; if left to flower, the carrot, like any [[umbellifer]], attracts predatory wasps that kill many garden pests.<ref>{{cite book |author=Carr, Anna |title=Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=htGD3Y7WNxwC&pg=PA112 |year=1998 |publisher=Rodale |isbn=978-0-87596-964-0 |pages=111-112 |ol=8090884M}}</ref>

=== Cultivars ===
[[File:Carrot seeds.jpg|thumb|Carrot seeds]]
[[File:Daucus carota subsp. maximus MHNT.BOT.2007.40.407.jpg|thumb|Seeds of ''Daucus carota subsp. maximus'' – [[MHNT]]]]
Carrot [[cultivar]]s can be grouped into two broad classes: "Eastern" carrots and "Western" carrots.<ref name="Grubben 2004">{{cite book |author=Grubben, G.J.H. |title=Vegetables |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6jrlyOPfr24C&pg=PA282 |year=2004 |publisher=Plant Resources of Tropical Africa |isbn=978-90-5782-147-9 |page=282}}</ref> A number of novelty cultivars have been bred for particular characteristics.<ref name=Ior2/><ref name=Iorizzo/>

"Eastern" (a European and American continent reference) carrots were domesticated in Persia (probably in the lands of modern-day [[Iran]] and [[Afghanistan]] within West Asia) during the 10th century, or possibly earlier. Specimens of the Eastern carrot that survive to the present day are commonly purple or yellow, and often have branched roots. The purple colour common in these carrots comes from [[anthocyanin]] pigments.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Tiwari, B.K. |author2=Brunton, Nigel P. |author3=Brennan, Charles |title=Handbook of Plant Food Phytochemicals: Sources, Stability and Extraction |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1FinGy626lgC&pg=PA405 |year=2012 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-1-118-46467-0 |page=405}}</ref>

The "Western" carrot emerged in the [[Netherlands]] in the 17th century.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web |title=Scientists unveil 'supercarrot' |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7188969.stm |work=BBC News |date=15 January 2008 |access-date=2013-03-22}}</ref> There is a popular belief that its orange colour made it popular in those countries as an emblem of the [[House of Orange]] and the struggle for [[Dutch independence]], although there is little evidence for this.<ref name="Greene 2012"/><ref name="The Economist-2018" /> The orange colour results from abundant [[carotene]]s in these cultivars.

Western carrot cultivars are commonly classified by their root shape. The four general types are:
* Chantenay carrots. Although the roots are shorter than other cultivars, they have vigorous foliage and greater girth, being broad in the shoulders and tapering towards a blunt, rounded tip. They store well, have a pale-coloured core and are mostly used for processing.<ref name=DAFF/> Cultivars include 'Carson Hybrid' and 'Red Cored Chantenay'.
* Danvers carrots. These have strong foliage, and the roots are longer than Chantenay types, and they have a conical shape with a well-defined shoulder, tapering to a point. They are somewhat shorter than Imperator cultivars, but more tolerant of heavy soil conditions. Danvers cultivars store well and are used both fresh and for processing.<ref name=DAFF/> They were developed in 1871 in [[Danvers, Massachusetts]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/history3.html |title=Carrots History - 1700 to 1900 |website=World Carrot Museum |access-date=25 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220906193915/http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/history6.html |archive-date=2022-09-06}}</ref> Cultivars include 'Danvers Half Long' and 'Danvers 126'.
* Imperator carrots. This cultivar has vigorous foliage, is of high sugar content, and has long and slender roots, tapering to a pointed tip. Imperator types are the most widely cultivated by commercial growers.<ref name=DAFF/> Cultivars include 'Imperator 58' and 'Sugarsnax Hybrid'.
* Nantes carrots. These have sparse foliage, are cylindrical, short with a blunter tip than Imperator types, and attain high yields in a range of conditions. The skin is easily damaged and the core is deeply pigmented. They are brittle, high in sugar, and store less well than other types.<ref name=DAFF/> Cultivars include 'Nelson Hybrid', 'Scarlet Nantes' and 'Sweetness Hybrid'.

[[Plant breeding|Carrot breeding programs]] have developed new cultivars to have dense amounts of chemically-stable [[acylation|acylated pigments]], such as [[anthocyanin]]s, which enrich carrot color based on the density and types of anthocyanin to produce different carrot colors.<ref name=Ior2/><ref name=Iorizzo/> One particular cultivar lacks the usual orange pigment due to carotene, owing its white colour to a [[recessive gene]] for [[tocopherol]] (vitamin E), but this cultivar and wild carrots do not provide nutritionally significant amounts of vitamin E.<ref name="luby">{{cite journal|pmc=4596321|year=2014|last1=Luby |first1=C. H.|title=Genetic and phenological variation of tocochromanol (vitamin E) content in wild (Daucus carota L. Var. Carota) and domesticated carrot (D. Carota L. Var. Sativa)|journal=Horticulture Research|volume=1|pages=14015– |last2=Maeda|first2=H. A. |last3=Goldman|first3=I. L. |doi=10.1038/hortres.2014.15|pmid=26504534}}</ref>

=== Production ===
{| class="wikitable floatright"
|-
! colspan=2|Carrot and turnip* production – 2020
|-
!  style="background:#ddf;"| Country
!  style="background:#ddf;"| {{small|(Millions<br /> of [[tonne]]s)}}
|-
| {{CHN}} || {{right|18.1}}
|-
| {{UZB}} ||{{right|2.9}}
|-
| {{USA}} ||{{right|1.6}}
|-
| {{RUS}} ||{{right|1.4}}
|-
| {{IDN}} ||{{right|0.7}}
|-
| {{KAZ}} ||{{right|0.6}}
|-
| {{JAP}} ||{{right|0.6}}
|-
| '''World''' || {{right|'''41'''}}
|-
|colspan=2|{{small|* carrots and turnips combined}}{{pb}}{{small|Source: [[FAOSTAT]] of the UN}}<ref name="faostat">{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QC|title= Production of carrots and turnips in 2020, Crops/Regions/World list/Production Quantity (pick lists)|date=2022|publisher=UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT)|access-date=13 April 2022}}</ref>
|}

In 2020, world production of carrots (combined with [[turnips]]) was 41 million [[tonnes]], with China producing 44% of the world total (table).<ref name=faostat/> Other major producers were [[Uzbekistan]] and the United States.<ref name=faostat/>

=== Storage ===
Carrots can be stored for several months in the refrigerator or over winter in a {{Clarify|text=dry but humid,|date=June 2023}}, cool place. For long term storage, unwashed carrots can be placed in a bucket between dry layers of sand, a 50/50 mix of sand and wood shavings, or in soil. A temperature range of {{convert|32|to|40|F|C|order=flip}} and 90–95% humidity is best.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/gist82.html |title=Successful Cold Storage |author=Gist, Sylvia |work=Backwoods Home Magazine |access-date=2013-03-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110906104024/http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/gist82.html |archive-date=6 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.plantea.com/carrots.htm |title=What's Up Doc? Carrots! |author=Owen, Marion |work=UpBeat Gardener |publisher=PlanTea |access-date=2013-03-21}}</ref> During storage, carrots may be subject to the development of bitterness, white blush, and browning, leading to carrot losses.<ref name=papoutsis2021>{{cite journal|title=Postharvest environmentally and human-friendly pre-treatments to minimize carrot waste in the supply chain caused by physiological disorders and fungi|journal=Trends in Food Science & Technology|date=2021|pages=88–98|volume=112|last1=Papoutsis|doi=10.1016/j.tifs.2021.03.038|first1=Konstantinos |last2=Edelenbos |first2=Merete|s2cid=233620416 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Bitterness can be prevented by storage in well-ventilated rooms with low [[ethylene]] content (for example, without ethylene-producing fruit and vegetables). White blush and browning can be countered with application of edible films, heat treatment, application of [[hydrogen sulfide]], and ultraviolet irradiation.<ref name=papoutsis2021 />

==Uses==

=== Nutrition ===
{{nutritionalvalue
| name = Carrots, raw
| kJ = 173
| protein = 0.93 g
| fat = 0.24 g
| carbs = 9.6 g
| fiber = 2.8 g
| sugars = 4.7 g
| calcium_mg = 33
| iron_mg = 0.3
| magnesium_mg = 12
| phosphorus_mg = 35
| potassium_mg = 320
| sodium_mg = 69
| zinc_mg = 0.24
| manganese_mg = 0.143
| water = 88 g
| vitC_mg = 5.9
| thiamin_mg = 0.066
| riboflavin_mg = 0.058
| niacin_mg = 0.983
| pantothenic_mg = 0.273
| vitB6_mg = 0.138
| folate_ug = 19
| vitA_ug = 835
| betacarotene_ug = 8285
| lutein_ug = 256
| vitE_mg = 0.66
| vitK_ug = 13.2
| note = [https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170393/nutrients Link to USDA Database Entry]
}}
{{stack begin}}
{{nutritionalvalue
| name = Carrots, boiled
| kJ = 147
| protein = 0.76 g
| fat = 0.18 g
| carbs = 8.22 g
| fiber = 3 g
| sugars = 3.45 g
| calcium_mg = 30
| iron_mg = 0.34
| magnesium_mg = 10
| phosphorus_mg = 30
| potassium_mg = 235
| sodium_mg = 58
| zinc_mg = 0.2
| manganese_mg = 0.155
| water = 90.2 g
| vitC_mg = 3.6
| thiamin_mg = 0.066
| riboflavin_mg = 0.044
| niacin_mg = 0.645
| pantothenic_mg = 0.232
| vitB6_mg = 0.153
| folate_ug = 14
| vitA_ug = 852
| betacarotene_ug = 8330
| lutein_ug = 687
| vitE_mg = 1.03
| vitK_ug = 13.7
| note = [https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170394/nutrients Link to USDA Database Entry]
}}
{{stack end}}

Raw carrots are 88% water, 9% [[carbohydrate]]s, 0.9% [[dietary protein|protein]], 2.8% [[dietary fiber]], 1% [[Ash (analytical chemistry)|ash]] and 0.2% fat.<ref name="nd">{{cite web |date=2014 |title=Nutrition facts for carrots, raw [Includes USDA commodity food A099], per 100&nbsp;g, USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, version SR-21 |url=http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2383/2 |access-date=10 December 2014 |publisher=Conde Nast}}</ref> Carrot dietary fiber comprises mostly [[cellulose]], with smaller proportions of [[hemicellulose]], [[lignin]] and [[starch]].<ref name="Rubatsky256">{{harvp|Rubatsky|Quiros|Siman|1999|p=256}}</ref> [[Free sugar]]s in carrot include [[sucrose]], [[glucose]], and [[fructose]].<ref name="nd" />

The carrot gets its characteristic, bright orange colour from [[carotene|β-carotene]], and lesser amounts of [[Alpha-carotene|α-carotene]], [[Gamma-Carotene|γ-carotene]], [[lutein]], and [[zeaxanthin]].<ref name="lutein">{{cite journal |vauthors=Abdel-Aal EM, Akhtar H, Zaheer K, Ali R |year=2013 |title=Dietary sources of lutein and zeaxanthin carotenoids and their role in eye health |journal=Nutrients |volume=5 |issue=4 |pages=1169–85 |doi=10.3390/nu5041169 |pmc=3705341 |pmid=23571649 |doi-access=free}}</ref> α- and β-carotenes are partly metabolized into [[vitamin A]],<ref>{{cite book |author1=Strube, Michael |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MMx43y2i8IsC&pg=PA48 |title=Naturally Occurring Antitumourigens. IV. Carotenoids Except β-Carotene |author2=OveDragsted, Lars |publisher=Nordic Council of Ministers |year=1999 |isbn=978-92-893-0342-2 |location=Copenhagen |page=48}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author1=Novotny, Janet A. |author2=Dueker, S.R. |author3=Zech, L.A. |author4=Clifford, A.J. |year=1995 |title=Compartmental analysis of the dynamics of β-carotene metabolism in an adult volunteer |journal=Journal of Lipid Research |volume=36 |issue=8 |pages=1825–1838 |doi=10.1016/S0022-2275(20)41501-9 |pmid=7595103 |doi-access=free}}</ref> providing more than 100% of the [[Daily Value]] (DV) per 100 g serving of carrots (right table). Carrots are also a good source of [[vitamin K]] (13% DV) and [[vitamin B6]] (11% DV), but otherwise have modest content of other [[essential nutrients]] (table).<ref name="nd" />

=== Culinary ===
[[File:Carrots of many colors.jpg|thumb|Carrots in a range of colours]]
Carrots can be eaten in a variety of ways. Only 3 percent of the [[carotene|β-carotene]] in raw carrots is released during digestion: this can be improved to 39% by pulping, cooking and adding cooking oil.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Hedrén, E. |author2=Diaz, V. |author3=Svanburg, U. |title=Estimation of carotenoid accessibility from carrots determined by an ''in vitro'' digestion method |journal=European Journal of Clinical Nutrition |year=2002 |volume=56 |issue=5 |pages=425–430 |doi=10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601329 |pmid=12001013|doi-access=free }}</ref> Alternatively they may be chopped and boiled, fried or steamed, and cooked in [[soup]]s and [[stew]]s, as well as baby and pet foods. A well-known dish is ''carrots [[julienning|julienne]]''.<ref>{{cite book |author=Martino, Robert S. |title=Enjoyable Cooking |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fGWaxCySg54C&pg=PR19 |year=2006 |publisher=AuthorHouse |isbn=978-1-4259-6658-4 |page=19 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Together with onion and [[celery]], carrots are one of the primary vegetables used in a ''[[mirepoix (cuisine)|mirepoix]]'' to make various [[broth]]s.<ref>{{cite book |author=Gisslen, Wayne |title=Professional Cooking, College Version |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N5el9CYbEP0C&pg=PA146 |year=2010 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-0-470-19752-3 |page=146}}</ref>

The greens are edible as a [[leaf vegetable]],<ref>{{cite book |title=Love and Lemons Every Day: More than 100 Bright, Plant-Forward Recipes for Every Meal: A Cookbook |author=Jeanine Donofrio |chapter=Waste not, want not |publisher=Penguin |year=2019 | isbn=978-0-7352-1985-4 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=baprDwAAQBAJ&q=%22carrot+tops%22&pg=PT47}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Happy in the Kitchen |author=Michel Richard |pages=74 & 76 |publisher=Artisan Books |year=2006 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_Lg1h2GeJMcC&q=%22carrot+greens%22&pg=PA74 |isbn=978-1-57965-299-9}}</ref> but are rarely eaten by humans;<ref name="Rubatsky253"/> some sources suggest that the greens contain toxic [[alkaloid]]s.<ref>{{cite book |author=Selene Yeager |author2=((Editors of Prevention Magazine)) |title=The Doctors Book of Food Remedies: The Latest Findings on the Power of Food to Treat and Prevent Health Problems – From Aging and Diabetes to Ulcers and Yeast Infections |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LCOJp0NEDisC&pg=PA366 |year=2008|publisher=Rodale|isbn=978-1-60529-506-0|page=366}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Brown, Ellen |title=The Complete Idiot's Guide to Smoothies |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0aLqKVlGZTEC&pg=PA21 |year=2012 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4362-9393-8 |page=21}}</ref> When used for this purpose, they are harvested young in high-density plantings, before significant root development, and typically used [[stir frying|stir-fried]], or in salads.<ref name="Rubatsky253">{{harvp|Rubatsky|Quiros|Siman|1999|p=253}}</ref> Some people are allergic to carrots. In a 2010 study on the prevalence of [[food allergy|food allergies]] in Europe, 3.6 percent of young adults showed some degree of [[Food intolerance|sensitivity]] to carrots.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Burney, P. |author2=Summers, C. |author3=Chinn, S. |author4=Hooper, R. |author5=Van Ree, R. |author6=Lidholm, J. |display-authors=3|title=Prevalence and distribution of sensitization to foods in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey: A EuroPrevall analysis |journal=Allergy |year=2010 |volume=65 |issue=9 |pages=1182–1188 |doi=10.1111/j.1398-9995.2010.02346.x |pmid=20180791|s2cid=22718444 }}</ref> Because the major carrot [[allergen]], the protein Dauc c 1.0104, is [[Cross-reactivity|cross-reactive]] with homologues in [[birch]] pollen (Bet v 1) and [[mugwort]] pollen (Art v 1), most carrot allergy sufferers are also allergic to pollen from these plants.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Ballmer-Weber, B.K. |author2=Skamstrup Hansen, K. |author3=Sastre, J. |author4=Andersson, K. |author5=Bätscher, I. |author6=Ostling, J. |author7=Dahl, L. |author8=Hanschmann, K.M. |author9=Holzhauser, T. |author10=Poulsen, L.K. |author11=Lidholm, J. |author12=Vieths, S. |display-authors=3|title=Component-resolved in vitro diagnosis of carrot allergy in three different regions of Europe |journal=Allergy |year=2012 |volume=67 |issue=6 |pages=758–766 |doi=10.1111/j.1398-9995.2012.02827.x |pmid=22486768|s2cid=23864612 }}</ref>

In India, carrots are used in a variety of ways, as salads or as vegetables added to spicy rice or [[dal]] dishes. A popular variation in north India is the [[Gajar Ka Halwa]] carrot dessert, which has carrots grated and cooked in milk until the whole mixture is solid, after which nuts and butter are added.<ref>{{cite book |author=Gupta, Niru |title=Cooking the Up Way |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fNXSe1mYhg8C&pg=PA17 |year=2000 |publisher=Orient Blackswan |isbn=978-81-250-1558-1 |page=17}}</ref> Carrot salads are usually made with grated carrots with a seasoning of mustard seeds and green chillies popped in hot oil. Carrots can also be cut in thin strips and added to rice, can form part of a dish of mixed roast vegetables or can be blended with [[tamarind]] to make [[chutney]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Chapman, Pat |title=India Food and Cooking: The Ultimate Book on Indian Cuisine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=orHWFRMKf4EC&pg=PA239 |year=2007 |publisher=New Holland Publishers |isbn=978-1-84537-619-2 |pages=158–230 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Since the late 1980s, [[baby carrot]]s or mini-carrots (carrots that have been peeled and cut into uniform cylinders) have been a popular ready-to-eat [[snack]] food available in many supermarkets.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Bidlack, Wayne R. |author2=Rodriguez, Raymond L. |title=Nutritional Genomics: The Impact of Dietary Regulation of Gene Function on Human Disease |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=27ndQDXheA8C&pg=PA321 |year=2011 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-1-4398-4452-6 |page=321}}</ref> Carrots are [[purée]]d and used as [[baby food]], [[drying (food)|dehydrated]] to make [[Carrot Chips|chips]], flakes, and powder, and thinly sliced and [[Deep frying|deep-fried]], like [[potato chip]]s.<ref name="Rubatsky256"/>

The sweetness of carrots allows the vegetable to be used in some fruit-like roles. Grated carrots are used in [[carrot cake]]s, as well as [[carrot pudding]]s, an English dish thought to have originated in the early 19th century.<ref name=oxford>{{cite book |last=Davidson |first=Alan |title=The Oxford Companion to Food|year=1999 |publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-211579-9 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont00davi_0}}</ref> Carrots can also be used alone or blended with fruits in [[jam]]s and [[preserves]]. In the [[European Union]] there is a rule specifying that only fruits can be used in making jams; to preserve the Portuguese carrot jam delicacy (or ''Doce de Cenoura'' in Portuguese), the [[EU council]] adopted a Directive that changed the legal statute of carrot from "vegetable" into "fruit".<ref>[http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:31988L0593:FR:HTML Directive de l'union européenne avec mention du statut de la carotte]. Journal officiel n° L 318 din 25/11/1988 p. 0044 - 0047.</ref> 

[[Carrot juice]] is also widely marketed, especially as a health drink, either stand-alone or blended with juices extracted from fruits and other vegetables.<ref>{{cite book |author=Shannon, Nomi |title=The Raw Gourmet |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kFio7TeBFUIC&pg=PT33 |year=1998 |publisher=Book Publishing Company |isbn=978-0-920470-48-0 |page=33}}</ref> 

Highly excessive consumption over a period of time can result in [[carotenemia]], a yellow-orange discoloration of the skin caused by a build up of carotenoids.<ref name="PallerMancini2011">{{cite book|author1=Amy S. Paller |author2=Anthony J. Mancini |title=Hurwitz Clinical Pediatric Dermatology E-Book: A Textbook of Skin Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence|date=23 May 2011 |publisher=Elsevier Health Sciences|isbn=978-1-4377-3613-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oj82UfEB0p0C&pg=PA264 |pages=264–}}</ref>

== In culture ==
The [[provitamin A]] β-carotene from carrots does not actually help people to see in the dark unless they suffer from [[vitamin A deficiency]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamina.asp |title=Fact sheet for health professionals: Vitamin A |date=3 June 2013 |access-date=8 April 2008 |work=Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517093019/http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamina.asp |archive-date=17 May 2008 }}</ref> This myth was propaganda used by the [[Royal Air Force]] during the [[Second World War]] to explain why British pilots had improved [[night vision]] which enabled their success during nighttime air battles; in reality, it was thanks to newly adopted [[Radar in World War II|radar technology]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fact-or-fiction-carrots-improve-your-vision/ |title=Fact or Fiction?: Carrots Improve Your Vision |work=[[Scientific American]] |author=Maron DF|date=23 June 2014|access-date=17 September 2015}}</ref> 

Nevertheless, the consumption of carrots was advocated in Britain at the time as part of a [[Victory garden#Britain|Dig for Victory]] campaign. A radio programme called ''The Kitchen Front'' encouraged people to grow, store and use carrots in various novel ways, including making carrot jam and [[Woolton pie]], named after the [[Frederick Marquis, 1st Earl of Woolton|Lord Woolton]], the [[Minister of Food (United Kingdom)|Minister for Food]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/history4.html |title=Carrots in the Second World War |department=Carrot history |website=World Carrot Museum |access-date=25 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220906193923/http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/history4.html |archive-date=2022-09-06}}</ref> The British public during WWII generally believed that eating carrots would help them see better at night and in 1942 there was a 100,000-ton surplus of carrots from the extra production.<ref name=british>{{cite web |url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/a-wwii-propaganda-campaign-popularized-the-myth-that-carrots-help-you-see-in-the-dark-28812484/|title=A WWII Propaganda Campaign Popularized the Myth That Carrots Help You See in the Dark|access-date=7 July 2017}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Botany|Food}}
* {{Annotated link|Carrot and stick}}
* {{Annotated link|Carrot fly}}
* {{Annotated link|Carrot harvester}}
* {{Annotated link|Carrot seed oil}}
* {{Annotated link|List of carrot dishes}}
* [[Turnip]]

==References==

=== Citations ===
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Cited literature===
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last1=Benjamin |first1=L.&nbsp;R. |last2=McGarry |first2=A. |last3=Gray |first3=D. |year=1997 |chapter=The root vegetables: Beet, carrot, parsnip and turnip |title=The Physiology of Vegetable Crops |pages=553–580 |publisher=CAB International |location=Wallingford, UK |isbn=978-0-85199-146-7 }}
* {{cite book |last1=Bradeen |first1=James M. |last2=Simon |first2=Philipp W. |year=2007 |chapter=Carrot |editor-last=Cole, Chittaranjan|series=Genome Mapping and Molecular Breeding in Plants |title=Vegetables |volume=5 |publisher=Springer |location=New York, NY |pages=162–184 |isbn= 978-3-540-34535-0 }}
* {{cite book |last1=Rubatsky |first1=V.&nbsp;E. |last2=Quiros |first2=C.&nbsp;F. |last3=Siman |first3=P.&nbsp;W. |title=Carrots and Related Vegetable Umbelliferae |year=1999 |publisher=CABI Publishing |isbn=978-0-85199-129-0 }}
* {{cite book |last1=Simon |first1=Philipp W. |last2=Freeman |first2=Roger E. |last3=Vieira |first3=Jairo V. |last4=Boiteux |first4=Leonardo S. |last5=Briard |first5=Mathilde |last6=Nothnagel |first6=Thomas |last7=Michalik |first7=Barbara |last8=Kwon |first8=Young-Seok |year=2008 |chapter=Carrot |title=Vegetables II |series=Handbook of Plant Breeding |volume=2 |publisher=Springer |location=New York, NY |pages=327–357 |isbn=978-0-387-74108-6 }}
<!--
* {{cite book |author=Ross, Ivan A. |chapter=''Daucus carota'' L. |title=Medicinal Plants of the World. Chemical Constituents, Traditional and Modern Medicinal Uses |volume=3 |publisher=Springer |year=2005 |isbn=978-1-59259-887-8 |pages=197–221}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Sharma |first1=Krishnan Datt |last2=Karki |first2=Swati |last3=Thakur |first3=Narayan Singh |last4=Attri |first4=Surekha |year=2012 |title=Chemical composition, functional properties and processing of carrot—a review |journal=Journal of Food Science and Technology|volume=49 |issue=1 |pages=22–32 |doi=10.1007/s13197-011-0310-7}}
-->
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{EB1911 poster|Carrot}}
{{Sisterlinks|species=yes|collapsible=collapsed}}
* {{Commons-inline|Daucus carota|''Daucus carota''}}

{{Carrots|state=expanded}}
{{Edible Apiaceae}}
{{Taxonbar|from1=Q11678009}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Carrot| ]]
[[Category:Apioideae]]
[[Category:Crops originating from Asia]]
[[Category:Daucus]]
[[Category:Edible Apiaceae]]
[[Category:Endemic flora of Iran]]
[[Category:Plant subspecies]]
[[Category:Root vegetables]]
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[[Категория:Википедия]]
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[[Категория:Статья из Английской Википедии]]