Carrots, good for your health and pocket

Cinzia Cuneo 15 gennaio, 2011 ricette, verdure

Given the omnipresence of carrots in our diet today, it’s hard to believe that up until the 19th century, this vegetable was hardly eaten by humans as it was mostly used for feeding cattle. But surprisingly enough, it has been around since 3000 BC, but in its original form, which was more fibrous and bitter, making its medicinal and even ornamental properties more valuable.

It’s only in the 16th century in Holland that the ‘modern’ carrot emerged, following a crossbreeding between a red variety and a white one that resulted in a bright orange colour in honour of the Dutch royal family, the House of Orange. This new variety soon surpassed all the others and it is the most popular one today, although you do find a lot of maroon and purple varieties in the market now.

From a nutritional point of view, the carrot is a real champion, as it is packed with vitamins and minerals, including precious vitamin A. Its dark colour signifies the presence of carotenoids, a family of antioxidants that helps in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, certain types of cancers and certain degenerative illnesses associated with aging.

Recipe suggestions with carrots:

Cheese-Topped Carrots and Parsnips

• Carrot Soup with Orange and Ginger
• Cheese-Topped Carrots and Parsnips
• Grated Carrot Salad
• Greek-Style Roasted Vegetables
• Vegetable Fritters

Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on January 15, 2011.

Autori

Cinzia Cuneo

Italiana di nascita e canadese d'adozione, Cinzia ha deciso di coniugare le sue competenze professionali e la sua passione per la buona tavola sviluppando un servizio per aiutare i numerosi «aventi bisogno» a riprendere il controllo della loro alimentazione. Così è nata SOSCuisine. Ingegnere di formazione al Politecnico di Torino, Cinzia ha conseguito un Master's Degree in scienze applicate all'École Polytechnique de Montréal.