Rainbow baby carrots ... from Eirini’s field to our multi culti bowl!

It's strange to imagine a carrot without its nice orange color. However strange as it may seem, purple carrots were more widespread in the past and consumed more than any other type of carrot in Asia and Europe.
In the past carrots had many different colors. Depending on the area where they were grown, they were white, yellow, and even very dark - almost black - purple.
The modern variety, which we all know nowadays, was cultivated in the late 16th century by Dutch producers, who took purple carrot stems and crossed them with white, gradually achieving the orange color. They had such success that they soon began selling them outside their borders, thus establishing the path to orange carrots in today's market.
It's an interesting and well-documented story that explains why we don't often see purple carrots in the market.
However, today purple carrots are coming back and are even described as "overpriced".
Let's start with their characteristic color and properties.
The purple color in these carrots is due to a water-soluble anthocyanin. Anthocyanin is an antioxidant found in many foods, such as red grapes, berries, red beans, red cabbage or pomegranates.
Specifically:

• They can improve the health of our heart. Activate a number of proteins that can heal damaged blood vessel walls.
• They have anti-cancer properties
• They lower "bad" cholesterol
• The use of their active substance, anthocyanin, is recommended for people with diabetes. Their regular consumption controls their blood sugar levels
• Their antioxidants protect blood vessels and neutralize enzymes that destroy collagen and connective tissue
• They have few calories. You can eat them raw or steamed. They are filling, hearty and high in fiber
• They have anti-inflammatory action

The varieties are selected for their high nutritional value as well as for their excellent organoleptic characteristics. Each crop is cultivated in the most natural way using good farming practices, with an emphasis on high quality and healthy nutrition.

How to cook them

The carrots are delicious raw and cooked, while the beta carotene is not destroyed by cooking. In fact, cooking breaks down fiber, making their nutrients and sugars more available and making carrots sweeter. Just be careful not to over-cook the carrots to better preserve their taste and nutritional value. And because carrots have fat-soluble substances, their nutrients are better absorbed by the addition of olive oil.

Information by Eirini Korkou, cultivator, agriculturist.