Have you ever heard of the black carrot or seen it? We've all eaten or seen orange carrots eat them, but black? Well yes, black carrots (Daucus carota sativus var. atrorubens) are a variety of carrots that are quite striking for their rare color and come from Turkey and the Middle East.
Do you want to know everything about this special type of carrot?
The black carrot
The black carrot is characterized mainly by its deep purple or purple color. Although it is called a black carrot, its color is not completely black. However, this is not the only characteristic that distinguishes it from the common carrot, since the black carrot contains a specific component that distinguishes it and, in turn, makes it a source of health to take into account.
This carrot has this special color thanks to a natural coloring called anthocyanin. It is a powerful natural antioxidant, also present in red, blue and violet berries, as well as black grapes.
Among the properties of anthocyanin we highlight:
- Elimination of reactive oxygen and nitrogen molecules that can produce oxidative damage to proteins, lipids and DNA
- They can slow blood clotting and reduce thrombocyte aggregation. Improve blood circulation
- Improve visual acuity and cognitive behavior
- They have a vasoprotective action
- They have anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic effects
- They inhibit the release of histamine, which is why they are very useful to combat allergies
Properties
Various studies have been carried out on the properties and effect of anthocyanins. These studies could give the explanation of the French Paradox. This paradox consists of the following: in France, large quantities of food rich in saturated fat are consumed, such as cheese, butter, foie gras, etc. Nevertheless, the incidence of cardiovascular diseases is lower than in other countries. In France, red wine is also consumed a lot (rich in anthocyanins) and as it is a strong antioxidant it could explain the origin of this paradox.
At first the carrot It was cultivated for its leaves and its aromatic properties and that it was used as a pasture (hence parsnip) and the idea of consuming the root is attributed to the Arabs. It is also believed that these were the ones who introduced the cultivation of this carrot in Spain.
Unlike other vegetables, the black carrot is more nutritious when eaten cooked than when eaten raw. This is because when eaten raw, its firm cell walls do not allow the body to convert vitamin A. It is only capable of converting 25% of the vitamin it contains. When cooked, the walls break down, allowing more than 50% of the vitamin A to be assimilated.
Dishes with black carrots
Dishes cooked with this carrot are dyed as if we were using beets, without adding that earthy flavor. In Mallorca it was traditionally used in a dish called purple carrot frit
The advantage that the consumption of this carrot offers is that, as it is not so well known, most of the orchards where it is planted are ecological gardens of farmers who did not want to lose the seed despite the fact that their benefit would be less as they are not so appreciated as the orange one. By being consumed without artificial products we are not introducing toxic agents in our body, such as fertilizers, herbicides, etc.
How to cook black carrots and where to find them? To take full advantage of the antioxidant and anti-aging properties of these carrots we can eat them in different ways. First of all, we can prepare a good homemade juice. In this case, the carrots must be previously peeled.
Black carrots can also be used to prepare salads, seasoned with a pinch of salt and olive oil. They are also perfect for those on a weight loss diet.
Black carrots can be found in supermarkets with a well-stocked greengrocer section, so feel free to try them as soon as you see them, because you won't regret it.