Carrot is a fundamental root vegetable that we cannot do without in the kitchen at any time of the year. And it’s not just about overcooked pieces of carrot in soup or a strange mush with boiled meat. Carrot plays an almost irreplaceable role in our diet and has many positions in gastronomy.
Mentions of carrot cultivation come from Afghanistan around the year 900 AD. We most often encounter orange carrots, but there are also many other color variants: purple, yellow, red, or white. Originally cultivated carrots were purple or yellow. Orange carrots were bred in Central Europe around the 15th or 16th century.
This popular and versatile vegetable can taste slightly different depending on the color, size, and place of cultivation. Thanks to the sugar content (sucrose and glucose), most types of carrots have a pleasantly sweet taste. Carrot is also a relatively good source of fiber – 100 g of carrot contains 2-3 grams. Pectin is the main form of soluble fiber in carrots. Soluble fiber stabilizes blood sugar levels by slowing the digestion of sugar and starch. It also impairs the reabsorption of cholesterol from the digestive tract back into the blood, thus lowering blood cholesterol levels. It is also food for friendly bacteria in our large intestine, essential for our good health and reducing the risk of a wide range of diseases.
Carrot is a good source of several vitamins and minerals, especially biotin, potassium, and vitamins A, K1, and B6. It also contains a range of plant compounds with strong antioxidant activity (beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, lutein, lycopene, anthocyanins), associated with improved immune function and reduced risk of many diseases, including heart disease, various degenerative diseases, and certain types of cancer.
The culinary preparation of carrots could probably fill a small cookbook, as carrots can serve as a side dish to the main course in the form of boiled, slowly roasted, or glazed, and in many other forms – as “ordinary” boiled carrots, carrot mash or puree, carrot fries, … Carrot is a perfect component of many vegetable and fruit salads and can also be consumed as a quick snack. It can also be used for the preparation of fresh juices.
