 Carrot (English)
Gaajar
(Hindi)
Carrot (Tamil)
Natures Wonder Drug:
Carrots are nutritional
heroes - they store a goldmine of nutrients.
Historians
believe the carrot's origins are rooted in Western Asia especially Afghanistan
in the 8th century.
Carrots were once very thin
and did not have the sweet taste - the unpleasant tasting carrots were rarely
eaten but were applied medicinally.
Luckily
sometime in 17th century, some motivated folks took carrots under their
horticultural wings and taught them how to be sweet.
India features
carrots in their Halwa and Kheer in 18th century itself, two pudding-like
desserts enjoyed even today.
How
it is Grown?
Carrot is a root vegetable.
Carrot is the delicious orange root with the green feathery leaves that grow on
top.
Carrots thrive
in a garden that gets plenty of sunshine and grow best in deep, moist, sandy
soil with good drainage.
The mature carrots can be
harvested in about 45 days.
Carrot seeds: If you leave a carrot grow
without pulling the root, eventually many little flowers form on the top green
part and will become seeds after pollination. These seeds are used for planting
carrots.
Important
Facts:
Experiments
show that eating lightly-cooked carrots is much more beneficial than eating raw
carrots.
In order to assimilate the
greatest quantity of the nutrients present in carrots, it is important to chew
them well. Unless the carrot is juiced then consumed, the body cannot break down
the goodness because of the cellular nature of the carrot.
So in reality,
unlike most other vegetables (though not all), carrots are more nutritious when
eaten cooked than eaten raw -except when juiced. Because raw carrots have tough
cellular walls, the body is able to convert less than 25 per cent of their beta
carotene into vitamin A. Cooking,
however, partially dissolves cellulose-thickened cell walls, freeing up
nutrients by breaking down the cell membranes.
Researchers indicate that
for carrots, cooking also increases antioxidant power.
Interesting
Facts:
Carrot juice was the first
colorants used to enhance the appearance of pale colored butter and cheeses.
On the
sweetness scale among vegetables, Carrots rank second with a sugar content of 7
percent behind beets.
Avoid storing
carrots close to fruits such as apples and pears. Many fruits create ethylene
gas that hastens ripening and may affect the carrots.
Goodness:
Vitamins &
Minerals:
Raw carrots are an excellent
source of vitamin A and potassium; they contain vitamin C, vitamin B6, thiamine,
folic acid, and magnesium.
Instant Energy:
For anyone eating on the
run, one cup of fresh carrot juice can offer a quick energy boost with its 2
grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, and only 94 calories.
Eye sight:
That carrots contribute to
improved eyesight is no myth. The high content of vitamin A is beneficial and
contributes to the function of the retina of the eyes. Because beta carotene is
a powerful antioxidant, eating carrots frequently may help prevent cataracts.
Stomach Tonic:
Any ulcerous
sores were treated with a compress of ground up carrots. Carrots were prescribed
as a stomach tonic.
Lowers Cholesterol:
Carrot is a
truly versatile vegetable and an excellent source of calcium pectate, an
extraordinary pectin fiber that has been found to have cholesterol-lowering
properties.
Antioxidants:
Antioxidants are among
carrots' best features and that protects against heart disease, cancer and tumor
growth.
Purifies Blood:
Carrot tops are an
outstanding source of chlorophyll, the green pigment that studies have shown to
combat the growth of tumors. Chlorophyll contains cleansing properties that
purify the blood, lymph nodes, and adrenal glands.
How
can you enjoy?
Carrots are among the most
versatile vegetables in the garden.It
requires absolutely no preparation at all. Just wash and eat--it doesn't get
much easier than that.But make sure your chew them
very well.
Carrot juice is good in
taste and gives instant energy.
Use
carrot in vegetable briyani , vegetable kurma and any mixed vegetable curry. Carrot poriyal is a good combination with sambar rice.
Carrot
Halwa is a famous dessert in India. Carrot pickle is a very
healthy snack. |
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