Carrots are vegetables that can be cultivated in various parts of the world.  They can be eaten raw or as part of any vegetable-based dish.  Some people also use them as the main ingredient for desserts like cakes and ice creams.  For many kids, a carrot may be one of the few vegetables that are introduced to their meals.  Many people already know that vegetables like carrots are good for the body.  The following are 10 interesting facts about this vegetable that many people love:

Fact 1: Carrots were first cultivated for medicinal purposes.  This vegetable was actually used as a medicinal plant in the past way before people started eating it raw or including it in various meal preparations and dishes.

Fact 2:  Most carrots that are cultivated and available in markets and grocery stores are orange but there are actually other colors of this healthy vegetable.  Some carrot varieties are lighter in color ranging from white to yellowish.  There are even carrots that are purple in color.   Most of these non-orange carrots can be found only in specialty grocery stores.

Fact 3:  A medium carrot can provide various nutrients of up to 200% of a person’s daily requirements.  The fiber, Vitamin A, carbohydrate, and calorie content of a medium-sized carrot is more than enough for a person in a day.

Fact 4:  Carrots that have dark orange hues contain more beta-carotene than the paler ones.  The darker the orange color, the more nutritious will the carrot become.  The beta-carotene content in carrots literally provides the orange pigment in this vegetable.  More of this nutrient will simply mean a darker orange color for some carrots.

Fact 5:  Purple carrots are rich in the antioxidant called anthocyanin.  Antioxidants are known to be highly effective against free radicals and toxins in the body which could lead to the development of the dreaded disease called cancer.

Fact 6:  A carrot is one of only a few vegetables that is naturally sweet.  Its natural sugar content makes it very palatable for many people who may not like vegetables a lot.  Kids often get introduced to the veggie group starting with some greens and carrots.  Its semi-sweet flavor makes carrots and ideal vegetable to be eaten raw just like their fruit counterparts.

Fact 7:  Carrots have zero cholesterol content.  This is obviously a great health news because people can basically munch this vegetable without any guilty feeling.  All they will get are nutrients for optimal health.

Fact 8:  Carrots also contain an ample amount of Vitamin C.  This orange vegetable or root crop may be very popular with its Vitamin A or beta-carotene content, but it actually contains Vitamin C also.

 Fact 9:  One regular medium-sized carrot is packed with other important nutrients like calcium, potassium, magnesium, and B-vitamins.  These nutrients are essential for various cellular processes in the body and contribute to the overall health of an individual.

Fact 10:  Carrots are made famous by Bugs Bunny, a cartoon character.  Interestingly, the man who provides the voice of this character is reported to actually dislike eating carrots.