Editor’s Note: This article is the first in a new HerbalEGram “Food as Medicine” series. Each month, HerbalEGram
will highlight a conventional food and briefly explores its history, traditional
uses, nutritional profile, and modern medicinal research. We also feature a nutritious
recipe for an easy-to-prepare dish with each article to encourage readers to
experience the extensive benefits of these whole foods. With this series, we
hope our readers will gain a new appreciation for the foods they see at the
supermarket and frequently include in their diets.
The basic materials for
this series were compiled by dietetic interns from Texas State University in
San Marcos and the University of Texas at Austin through the American Botanical
Council’s (ABC’s) Dietetic Internship Program, led by ABC Education Coordinator
Jenny Perez.
We would like to acknowledge Perez, ABC Special Projects Director Gayle Engels,
and ABC Chief Science Officer Stefan Gafner, PhD, for their contributions to
this project.
By Hannah Baumana
and Kathryn MacLeanb
a HerbalGram Assistant Editor
b ABC Dietetics
Intern (TSU, 2012)
History and Traditional Use
Range and Habitat
Ubiquitous at any
supermarket, the common root vegetable carrot (Daucus carota, subsp. sativus)
is a biennial plant that is an excellent source of vitamin A (one cup contains
approximately 600% of the recommended daily value) and fiber.1 Indigenous
to Europe as well as parts of Asia and northern Africa, carrots now are
cultivated commonly in a wide range of environments as they can withstand
frosts.2 The colorful varieties of carrots as well as their
hardiness make them popular with home gardeners.
Phytochemicals and Constituents
Favored for their
sweet flavor and versatility, carrots not only supply an impressive array of
vitamins and minerals, but also contain carotenoids such as alpha- and
beta-carotene, lycopene, and the flavonoid quercetin. Though the orange carrot
is the most well known in modern times, carrots appear in a number of colors
including white, yellow, red, and purple.3 In fact, purple was the
prevailing color for carrots until about four hundred years ago, when popular
theory claims that the unusual orange variety was cultivated in Holland as a
sign of Dutch nationalism to honor William of Orange. The exact reason why the
orange cultivar became the dominant variety is unknown, though genetic evidence
suggests that orange carrots developed from yellow ones.4
The different colors
of carrots reveal their various concentrations of phytochemicals.5
Carotenids give yellow, orange, and red carrots their colors, while
anthocyanins produce the deep purple variety. Orange carrots contain high
quantities of beta-carotene. Yellow carrots contain low quantities of
beta-carotene, but higher levels of lutein, which may protect from age-related
macular degeneration and be beneficial for eyesight. Red carrots contain
lycopene — a potent antioxidant with potential anti-cancer activity — in
concentrations similar to that of tomatoes. Red carrots also contain moderate
levels of alpha- and beta-carotene and lutein. Purple carrots contain high
levels of anthocyanins, antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory and
cardio-protective properties. The white variety has low levels of these
phytochemicals, but contains high levels of potassium.
Historical Uses
The record of use of
carrots in herbalism dates back to the 10th century, with mentions in the Old
English Herbarium and the Leech Book of
Bald indicating the use of the root as an emmenagogue as well as a
treatment for smallpox and cough.6 Around the world, both root and
seed have documented historical uses, typically to promote menstruation or as a
diuretic. A different species, the wild American carrot (D. pulsillus), has an ethnobotanical history among many American native
tribes as a remedy for colds, fevers, itching, and snake bites.7
Modern Research
Current research
suggests that carrots may possess anti-cancer properties,8-10 as
well as benefits for people with high blood pressure11 and
cardiovascular disease.12 Beta-carotene is converted by the body
into vitamin A and is a powerful antioxidant, protecting the body from free
radicals and maintaining healthy skin and eyes.13
Consuming large
amounts of beta-carotene, especially from carrots, can result in a harmless
side effect called carotenemia, which temporarily yellows the skin.13
Infants, whose commercial foods often contain carrot puree as an added
ingredient, are most likely to get carotenemia. The yellowing effect subsides
as the body processes the excess beta-carotene.
Carrots can be
enjoyed cooked or raw, as they retain their nutrients during the cooking
process.14 Their sweetness adds to their versatility and supports
their use in both sweet and savory dishes. A sweet-and-spicy pickle, for
example, enhances the carrot’s natural flavor and pleasing crunch.
Nutrient Profile
Macronutrient Profile: (Per 1 cup raw carrots)
52 calories 1.26 g protein 12 g carbohydrates 0.23 g fat
Secondary Metabolites: (Per 1 cup raw carrots)
Excellent source of:
Vitamin A: 34,317 IU
(~686% DV) Vitamin K: 16.1 mcg (20%
DV)
Very good source of:
Vitamin C: 11.4 mg
(18% DV) Dietary Fiber: 3.7 g
(14.6% DV) Potassium: 394 mg
(11.3% DV)
Good source of:
Vitamin B6: 0.2 mg
(9% DV) Manganese: 0.2 mg
(8.5% DV) Molybdenum: 6.1 mcg
(8.1% DV) Thiamin: 0.1 mg
(8.0% DV) Niacin: 1.1 mg (5.6%
DV) Phosphorus: 53.7 mg
(5.4% DV) Magnesium: 18.3 mg
(4.6% DV) Folate: 17.1 mcg
(4.3% DV)
DV = Daily Value, as
established by the US Food and Drug Administration, based on a 2,000-calorie
diet.
Recipe: Spicy Pickled Carrots Adapted from Alton Brown15
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. baby carrots
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and
crushed
- 1 cup of water
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried chili flakes
- 2 dried red chilies
Directions:
- Place carrots and garlic in a
1-quart, spring-top glass jar.
- In a non-reactive sauce pan, bring
the water, sugar, cider vinegar, mustard seeds, salt, and dried chili flakes to
a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Boil for 4 minutes.
- Slowly pour the pickling liquid
into the jar, covering the carrots and garlic completely. Submerge the chilies
in the jar and cool before sealing.
- Refrigerate for two days (for a
milder pickle) or a week (for a spicier pickle). These will get hotter the
longer they are kept.
References
- Basic Report: 11124,
Carrots, raw. US Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Library.
Available here.
Accessed November 19, 2014.
- Taxon: Daucus carota
L. Germplasm Resources Information
Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources
Laboratory. Available here. Accessed November 19, 2014.
- History of the
Carrot Part Three: From Medicine to Food – A.D. 200 to 1500. World Carrot
Museum website. Available here.
Accessed November 19, 2014.
- History of the
Carrot Part Five: The Road to Domestication and the Colour Orange. World Carrot
Museum website. Available here.
Accessed November 19, 2014.
- Arscott SA,
Tarnumihardjo SA. Carrots of many colors provide basic nutrition and
bioavailable phytochemicals acting as a functional food. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. March
2010;9(2):223-239. Available here.
Accessed December 3, 2014.
- What the Ancient
Herbalists Said about Carrots. World Carrot Museum website. Available here. Accessed
November 19, 2014.
- Moerman DE. Native American
Ethnobotany. Portland, OR: Timber Press; 1998.
- Bhanot A, Sharma R, Noolvi M. Natural sources as potential anti-cancer
agents: A review. International Journal
of Phytomedicine [serial online]. April 2011;3(1):9-26.
- Aggarwal B, Shishodia S. Molecular targets of dietary agents for
prevention and therapy of cancer. Biochemical
Pharmacology [serial online]. May 14, 2006:1397, 1421.
- Rana Z, Malcolm R. C, Christine L. Le M. Bioactive Chemicals from
Carrot (Daucus carota) Juice Extracts for the Treatment of Leukemia. Journal of Medicinal Food [serial
online]. November 2011;14(11):1303-1312.
- Potter AS, Foroudi S, Stamatikos A, Patil BS, Deyhim F. Drinking carrot
juice increases total antioxidant status and decreases lipid peroxidation in
adults. Nutr J. September 24, 2011;10:96.
- Buijsse B, Feskens E, Kwape L, Kok F, Kromhout D. Both α- and
β-Carotene, but Not Tocopherols and Vitamin C, Are Inversely Related to 15-Year
Cardiovascular Mortality in Dutch Elderly Men. Journal of Nutrition [serial online]. February 2008;138(2):344-350.
- Vitamin Library:
Beta-Carotene. Andrew Weil, MD website. Available here.
Accessed November 19, 2014.
- Rock CL, Lovalvo JL,
Emenhiser C, Ruffin MT, Flatt SW, Schwartz SJ. Bioavailability of beta-carotene
is lower in raw than in processed carrots and spinach in women. J Nutr. 1998;128:913-916.
-
Firecrackers. Food Network website. Available here.
Accessed December 3, 2014.
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