Carrots (Daucus carota) are a rich source of antioxidant phytochemicals and play an important nutritional role because so many of them are eaten. In terms of vegetables, carrots are one of the most commonly eaten root vegetables alongside potatoes, turnips and parsnips. Carrots contain a large number of phytochemicals including carotenoids, flavonoids, polyacetylenes and vitamins, and may also contain high levels of minerals if they are grown in mineral rich soils. The nutritional content of carrots has been shown to have a number of health effects including anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, cardioprotective and anti-cancer effects. The orange colour of carrots is due to the high concentration of alpha- and beta-carotene, but wild carrots do not have the same vibrant colour and tend to be smaller and more brown. Yellow carrots are high in lutein, which is also responsible for the yellow colour of egg yolks. Red carrots are coloured mainly by lycopene, the main carotenoid that is responsible for the red colour of tomatoes.
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