Night Vision: True or False?

“Carrots keep you healthy and help you see in the dark.” Have you ever heard the rumour that eating carrots will give you night vision? It’s a bit of an exaggeration that started during WWII,¹ but carrots do contain a number of compounds that support optimal eye health. Carrots are especially known as a potent source of carotenes. Beta-carotene for example, a precursor to vitamin A, is a vital nutrient for supporting eye function and immune health. Another reason to include carrots in your next meal? Carrots are a fantastic source of lutein, the most dominant carotene in brain tissue and vital to healthy eyesight, as it accumulates in the macula of the eye where it filters damaging blue light.^{2 3} While we may not get night-vision superpowers from eating carrots, the superpower of good health is worth a carrot or two… or more.

Microplastics in WHAT?!

We often hear about microplastics in our oceans, but did you know microplastics have also made their way into our fruits and vegetables? A 2021 study found micro- and nano-plastics in carrot roots and leaves.⁴ Plastic is everywhere and enters agricultural systems through our water and wastewater systems, plastic mulches, and the degradation of plastic materials used in farming. Though more research is needed to learn how we can get these microplastics out of our food systems for good, choosing organic carrots grown in healthy, biodiverse soil promotes the wellbeing of all ecosystems, keeping the harm from other toxic chemicals like pesticides at bay.

The Root of The Matter

Healthy soil is everything when it comes to growing optimally nutritious (and delicious!) fruits and veggies. Healthy soil is organic, with no pesticide or other harmful sprays, is biodiverse, and full of organic matter that helps to retain water and sequester CO2 from the atmosphere.5 When it comes to carrots, organic is the way to go. Conventionally grown carrots absorb large amounts of organochlorines and other harmful sprays right into the root that we eat .^{6 7 8} Additionally, organic carrots have proven to be more resilient to extreme weather than conventionally grown carrots.⁹ Choosing organic carrots helps maintain good health all around—for you, for the soil, for the planet—a superhero move if you ask us!

Mexican-Inspired Carrot Fries Recipe

Shake up Taco Tuesday with these Mexican-Inspired Carrot Fries! These crunchy-sweet carrot sticks have a spicy kick and make the perfect dipper for sour cream, guacamole, and salsa.

References

1. Carrots and night vision - WW2. World Carrot Museum. (n.d.). Retrieved June 2022, from http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/ww2seeinthedark.html
2. Ahmad, Cawood, Iqbal, Ariño, Batool, Tariq, Azam, & Akhtar. (2019). Phytochemicals in Daucus carota and Their Health Benefits—Review Article. Foods, 8(9), 424. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods8090424
3. Kirsten L Molldrem, Jialiang Li, Philipp W Simon, Sherry A Tanumihardjo, Lutein and β- carotene from lutein-containing yellow carrots are bioavailable in humans, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 80, Issue 1, July 2004, Pages 131–136, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/80.1.131
4. Dong, Y., Gao, M., Qiu, W., & Song, Z. (2021). Uptake of microplastics by carrots in presence of As (III): Combined toxic effects. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 411, 125055.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125055
5. Soil Health. Rodale Institute. (2020, September 29). https://rodaleinstitute.org/why-                               organic/organic-farming-practices/soil-health/.
6. Waliszewski, S. M., Carvajal, O., Gómez-Arroyo, S., Amador-Muñoz, O., Villalobos-Pietrini, R., Hayward-Jones, P. M., & Valencia-Quintana, R. (2008). DDT and HCH Isomer Levels in Soils, Carrot Root and Carrot Leaf Samples. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 81(4), 343–347. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-008-9484-8
7. Petersen, K. S. (2020, October 6). Microplastics in farm soils: A growing concern. Organic Consumers Association. Retrieved June 2022, from https://www.organicconsumers.org/news/microplastics-in-farm-soils-growi…
8. Not Skin Deep: The benefits of organic go beyond the peel. The Organic Center. (2014, May 15). Retrieved June 2022, from https://www.organic-center.org/not-skin-deep-benefits-organic-go-beyond…
9. Bender, I., Ess, M., Matt, D., Moor, U., Tõnutare, T., & Luik, A. (n.d.). Quality of organic and conventional carrots. 7.