Orange Carrots

Orange carrots are actually a somewhat recent development. The color comes from the pigment carotene which is a precursor for vitamin A, meaning that our bodies convert it into vitamin A. Purple, red, white, and yellow carrots have been eaten since medieval times, however the orange, carotene-rich carrots that are prevelant today seem to have developed in Holland in the 17th century. There are stories of the orange carrot being a point of pride for Dutch people as they often refer to their monarchy as the House of Orange, after William of Orange.