Heather Rockwood is a food science junior and Mustang Daily food columnist.
“Eh…what’s up, doc?” The famous words of one very popular bunny unintentionally gave a quick peek into the life of the bright orange carrot Bugs is always seen munching on.
If you got the clue from last week, you know British pilots were forced to eat carrots to help their vision during WWII but, were you aware the British government wasn’t just promoting pilots to increase carrot consumption, but all citizens? A whole campaign was created to increase vegetable consumption and Doctor Carrot spearheaded the operation.
November is the prime season for carrots so this is as good a time as any to investigate just how the British saw it appropriate to honor the humble carrot with the gallant title of Doctor. A brief look into the history of the carrot may offer a glimpse of the carrot’s qualifications for such a title.
In earlier seasons, carrots were typically seen in color varieties such as purple, white, yellow and red but not orange. These carrots were often used for medical purposes to treat ailments that ranged from dog bites to syphilis. As time continued and carrots became cultivated, the orange carrot, which rules the Western markets today, was selectively bred into existence.
Now that the orange carrot exists, what does it have to offer nutritionally that will benefit our health? The carrots found in today’s markets are loaded with carotene which is converted to vitamin A when digested. This vitamin was what the British found so valuable for its pilots because of its ability to help improve vision. Vitamin A also helps neutralize free radicals found in the body and promotes healthy skin. Even better, concentrations found in the vitamin increase while the carrot is stored in your fridge waiting to be eaten. Carrots are also rich in potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure.
Be sure to cook this vegetable to get the most out of it. Human bodies absorb the nutrients found in carrots better after gentle cooking because the tough cell membranes of the carrots break down. Although more nutrients can be absorbed after cooking, raw carrots still offer health benefits, so if you like your carrots raw instead of cooked don’t be alarmed.
All those nutrients are beneficial to our bodies, but what makes the carrot a better choice than any other vegetable? Having a strong sweet tooth myself, I know the sugar found in carrots makes them the best choice. Carrots have been well known for their sweetness long before carrot cake made them great candidates for desserts and a key ingredient in V8 — who can really drink vegetables alone without a little sweetness?
So, what qualifies a carrot to become Doctor Carrot and lead a nation into health? Years of service to the medicinal world, nutritious health benefits and sweetness even a screaming 4-year-old will accept after a shot. I do not know if these qualifications give me enough confidence to want Doctor Carrot operating on me if need be, but I will surely take his prescription to eat more carrots to keep me healthy and vital.
CLUE: This food is native to North America and present at 94 percent of American Thanksgiving dinners.
Moroccan Carrot Salad
(courtesy of foodnetwork.com)
6 to 8 medium carrots, peeled and sliced in 1/4-inch rounds
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon honey
3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup mint leaves, washed and chopped
Directions:
Cover carrots and cook in two cups of water until just tender (approximately six minutes).
In a medium-sized bowl, mix cayenne, cumin, honey and lemon juice. Whisk in olive oil. Drain excess water (if any) and toss warm carrots with vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.