International Carrot Day is celebrated every year on April 4 in honor of the carrot - the (usually) orange root healthy vegetable that stars in so many recipes. Carrot Day was founded in 2003 to spread information about carrots and their good qualities around the world.
Every year the day becomes more and more popular and is reported to be celebrated already in France, Italy, Sweden, Russia, Australia, Britain and Japan. So now it's your turn to be the carrot ambassador and keep spreading the message!
Carrots are a root vegetable, usually orange in color, although there are purple, black, red, white and yellow varieties. Carrots are a domesticated type of wild carrot, probably originating in Afghanistan, which is still the center for various types of carrots. The most common part of eating the plant is the root, although the stems and leaves can also be eaten. Carrots are a key ingredient in many dishes, salads and cakes in many regional cuisines.
Carrot is a biennial plant of the Apiaceae family. At first it grows a rosette of leaves as the root develops. The carrot has a flower with five petals separated by a yellowish-white color and five stamens. The flowers attract insects that move the seeds and thus aid in the pollination process of the carrots. Carrots grow quickly and ripen within three months (90 days) after sowing the seed. Varieties that ripen more slowly need a longer month (120 days).
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reports that global production of carrots and turnips (these plants are incorporated by the FAO) for 2018 was 40 million tonnes, with 45% of the world grown in China.
Nutritional values
Carrot roots contain high amounts of alpha and beta carotene, a substance used to make vitamin A and it is the one that gives carrots their orange color. They are a good source of vitamin K and vitamin B6. Carrot roots are also rich in dietary fiber, antioxidants and minerals.
Did you know that over-consumption of beta carotene can cause the skin to get an orange-yellow tint?
Carrots are also good for dieting because they contain dietary fiber that contributes to the feeling of satiety and is therefore considered an excellent snack.
Does carrots improve eyesight?
There is a myth that vitamin A improves vision, but the improvement is only in case there is a deficiency in vitamin A, and carrots do not really have virtues for improving vision. The myth that carrots improve eyesight at night was spread during World War II for the purpose of military propaganda by the British Air Force. They argued this to explain why their pilots had improved their success during air battles at night, but in fact the argument was used to disguise advances in radar technology and the use of red lights on instrument panels.
How to celebrate Carrot Day?
Gather your friends for a carrot party. For a first course, serve freshly cut carrots (in all kinds of colors), or a carrot salad. For a main course, you can eat any dish that contains carrots, and for dessert, a carrot cake. A recommended drink is carrot juice of course.
Dress is an important part of the celebration - for the carrot party, wear an orange shirt and a green hat, or orange pants and a green shirt. If you do not want to be meticulous in the mitzvos, you can just wear something symbolic orange.
April 4 is also Rat Day