Carrots have been grown for thousands of years. We will inform you about the origin, provenance and history of this healthy and delicious vegetable.
The healthy root with many names: the carrot is known, among other things, as yellow beet, carrot, root, carrot, yellow beet, in Switzerland as carrot and in English as carrot. The correct botanical name is Daucus carota subsp. sativus. It belongs to the umbelliferae family and has an extraordinarily high carotene content. The name carrot is derived from the Latin word “carota”. However, this is not a reference to the appetizing orange color caused by the beta-carotene. “Carota” means “burnt” in English, suggesting that the tasty roots were purplish in color in ancient times.
Possible places of origin
The origin is suspected in different regions worldwide. However, the exact region of origin could not be found so far. However, it is assumed that possible areas of origin could be in North Africa, in the Near East and in southern Europe. The spread of the crisp and colorful roots was probably quick, because it feels very comfortable in both temperate and subtropical climates. However, there are currently two other options about the origin or the crossing to the carrot that we know. For one, the carrot could be a hybrid of wild carrot and giant carrot, both found in southern Europe. Another option is that today's orange carrot was grown from Turkey's native black carrot for many years. However, the experts still do not agree on this.
Popular from the Neolithic Age to the present day
Finds from a wide variety of regions have proven that the carrot was eaten as early as the Neolithic Age, and not too scarcely so. This is probably also a reason for the many names, because the valued vegetable has always been given different names regionally. It doesn't matter whether it was with the Greeks or the Romans: here, too, the carrot was a common vegetable in all social classes. At that time, experts assume, the coloring was more white and creamy to crimson. The breeding skills of the green-fingered Dutch brought about Century probably the well-known and popular yellow-orange coloration to this day. However, the success of the carrots is not only due to their great colour: they are very healthy, easily digestible and also convince children with their sweet taste. The carrot also ranks second in the list of the most popular vegetables among Germans, just ahead of the onion and behind the potato.
If you too want to grow the popular vegetable, you will find our best ones here Tips for the perfect carrot from your own garden.
