Carrot cultivars can be grouped into two broad classes: "Eastern" carrots and "Western" carrots.

[46] A
number of novelty cultivars have been bred for particular characteristics.[2][3]

"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.[47]

The "Western" carrot emerged in the Netherlands in the 17th century.[48] 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.[24][23] The orange colour
results from abundant carotenes 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.[40] 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.[40] They were developed in 1871 in Danvers, Massachusetts.[49]
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.
[40] Cultivars include 'Imperator 58' and 'Sugarsnax Hybrid'.

Nantes carrots. These have sparse foliage, are cylindrical, short with a more blunt 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.[40] Cultivars include
'Nelson Hybrid', 'Scarlet Nantes' and 'Sweetness Hybrid'.

Carrot breeding programs have developed new cultivars to have dense amounts of chemically-stable
acylated pigments, such as anthocyanins, which enrich carrot color based on the density and types of
anthocyanin to produce different carrot colors.[2][3] 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.[50]
Production

Carrot and turnip* production – 2020

Country(Millions of tonnes)

China 18.1

Uzbekistan 2.9

United States 1.6

Russia 1.4

Indonesia 0.7

Kazakhstan 0.6

Japan 0.6

World 41

* carrots and turnips combined

Source: FAOSTAT of the UN[51]

In 2020, world production of carrots (combined with turnips) was 41 million tonnes, with China
producing 44% of the world total (table).[51] Other major producers were Uzbekistan and the United
States.[51]

Storage

Carrots can be stored for several months in the refrigerator or over winter in a moist, cool place. For
long term storage, unwashed carrots can be placed in a bucket between layers of sand, a 50/50 mix of
sand and wood shavings, or in soil. A temperature range of 0 to 4 °C (32 to 40 °F) and 98% humidity is
best.[52][53] During storage, carrots may be subject to the development of bitterness, white blush, and
browning, leading to carrot losses.[54] 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.[54]

Consumption

Carrots in a range of colours

Carrots can be eaten in a variety of ways. Only 3 percent of the β-carotene in raw carrots is released
during digestion: this can be improved to 39% by pulping, cooking and adding cooking oil.[55]
Alternatively they may be chopped and boiled, fried or steamed, and cooked in soups and stews, as well
as baby and pet foods. A well-known dish is carrots julienne.[56] Together with onion and celery, carrots
are one of the primary vegetables used in a mirepoix to make various broths.[57]

The greens are edible as a leaf vegetable,[58][59] but are rarely eaten by humans;[60] some sources
suggest that the greens contain toxic alkaloids.[61][62] When used for this purpose, they are harvested
young in high-density plantings, before significant root development, and typically used stir-fried, or in
salads.[60] Some people are allergic to carrots. In a 2010 study on the prevalence of food allergies in
Europe, 3.6 percent of young adults showed some degree of sensitivity to carrots.[63] Because the
major carrot allergen, the protein Dauc c 1.0104, is 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.[64]

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.[65] 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.[66]

Since the late 1980s, baby carrots 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.[67] Carrots are
puréed and used as baby food, dehydrated to make chips, flakes, and powder, and thinly sliced and
deep-fried, like potato chips.[68]

The sweetness of carrots allows the vegetable to be used in some fruit-like roles. Grated carrots are
used in carrot cakes, as well as carrot puddings, an English dish thought to have originated in the early
19th century.[69] Carrots can also be used alone or blended with fruits in jams and preserves. Carrot
juice is also widely marketed, especially as a health drink, either stand-alone or blended with juices
extracted from fruits and other vegetables.[70]

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.[71]

Nutrition
Carrots, raw

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy 173 kJ (41 kcal)

Carbohydrates

9.6 g

Sugars 4.7 g

Dietary fiber 2.8 g

Fat

0.24 g

Protein

0.93 g

Vitamins Quantity%DV†

Vitamin A equiv.

beta-Carotene

lutein zeaxanthin

104%835 μg

77%8285 μg

256 μg

Thiamine (B1) 6%0.066 mg

Riboflavin (B2) 5%0.058 mg

Niacin (B3) 7%0.983 mg

Pantothenic acid (B5) 5%0.273 mg

Vitamin B6 11%0.138 mg

Folate (B9) 5%19 μg

Vitamin C 7%5.9 mg

Vitamin E 4%0.66 mg

Vitamin K 13%13.2 μg

Minerals Quantity%DV†

Calcium3%33 mg
Iron 2%0.3 mg

Magnesium 3%12 mg

Manganese 7%0.143 mg

Phosphorus 5%35 mg

Potassium 7%320 mg

Sodium 5%69 mg

Zinc 3%0.24 mg

Other constituents Quantity

Water 88 g

Link to USDA Database Entry

Units

μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams

IU = International units

†Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults.

Carrots, boiled

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy 147 kJ (35 kcal)

Carbohydrates

8.22 g

Sugars 3.45 g

Dietary fiber 3g

Fat

0.18 g

Protein

0.76 g

Vitamins Quantity%DV†

Vitamin A equiv.

beta-Carotene

lutein zeaxanthin
107%852 μg

77%8330 μg

687 μg

Thiamine (B1) 6%0.066 mg

Riboflavin (B2) 4%0.044 mg

Niacin (B3) 4%0.645 mg

Pantothenic acid (B5) 5%0.232 mg

Vitamin B6 12%0.153 mg

Folate (B9) 4%14 μg

Vitamin C 4%3.6 mg

Vitamin E 7%1.03 mg

Vitamin K 13%13.7 μg

Minerals Quantity%DV†

Calcium3%30 mg

Iron 3%0.34 mg

Magnesium 3%10 mg

Manganese 7%0.155 mg

Phosphorus 4%30 mg

Potassium 5%235 mg

Sodium 4%58 mg

Zinc 2%0.2 mg

Other constituents Quantity

Water 90.2 g

Link to USDA Database Entry

Units

μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams

IU = International units

†Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults.

Raw carrots are 88% water, 9% carbohydrates, 0.9% protein, 2.8% dietary fiber, 1% ash and 0.2% fat.
[72] Carrot dietary fiber comprises mostly cellulose, with smaller proportions of hemicellulose, lignin
and starch.[68] Free sugars in carrot include sucrose, glucose, and fructose.[72]

The carrot gets its characteristic, bright orange colour from β-carotene, and lesser amounts of α-
carotene, γ-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.[73] α- and β-carotenes are partly metabolized into vitamin
A,[74][75] 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).[72]

Night vision

The provitamin A β-carotene from carrots does not actually help people to see in the dark unless they
suffer from vitamin A deficiency.[76] 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.[77]

Nevertheless, the consumption of carrots was advocated in Britain at the time as part of a 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 Lord
Woolton, the Minister for Food.[78] 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.[79]

See also

Carrot and stick – Metaphor for the use of punishment and reward to induce a desired behavior

Carrot fly – Species of fly

Carrot harvester – Harvesting machine

Carrot seed oil

Turnip

List of carrot dishes

icon Food portal

References