Carrots and Parsnips
Carrots and Parsnips
Carrots
Description
Annual or biennial erect herb up to 50 cm tall at the mature vegetative stage and up to 150 cm tall when flowering; taproot fleshy, straight, conical to cylindrical, 5-50 cm long and 2-5 cm in diameter at top, orange (most common), reddish violet, yellow or white (1, 2).
Origin and geographic distribution
It is generally assumed that the eastern, purple-rooted carrot originated in Afghanistan in the region where the Himalayan and Hindu Kush mountains meet, and that it was domesticated in Afghanistan and adjacent regions of Russia, Iran, India, Pakistan and Anatolia.(1) Purple carrot, together with a yellow variant, spread to the Mediterranean region and western Europe in the 11-14th centuries, and to China, India and Japan in the 14-17th centuries (1).
The western, orange carrot probably arose in Europe or in the western Mediterranean region through gradual selection within yellow carrot populations. The Dutch landraces Long Orange and the finer Horn types, first described in 1721, were an important basis for the western carrot cultivars grown at present all over the world. In addition, a number of new coloured varieties such as the "BetaSweet" a purple carrot with an orange core have been developed by plant breeding (3, 4).
Uses
Carrots are an important market vegetable. The roots are consumed raw or cooked, alone or in combination with other vegetables, as an ingredient of soups, dishes, sauces, juices and in dietary compositions. Essential oil extracted from the seed is used for flavouring. In addition, beneficial health effects associated with carrot consumption include reduced incidence of lung and breast cancer, enhanced immune response, increased levels of serum antioxidants and improved vitamin A concentrations (reviewed in (5)). The carotenoid β-carotene has shown anticarcinogenic, anti-proliferative and cytotoxic effects in human colon cancer cell lines although human intervention and epidemiological studies have failed to demonstrate a clear protective effect of β-carotene against colon cancer (6). Falcarinol ( a polyacetylene from carrot) is cytotoxic to several human cancer cell lines in vitro. In addition a some tests have demonstrated the anti-inflammatory potential of falcarinol from carrots (5).
Parsnips
Description
Glabrous to slightly hairy biennial herb up to 150 cm tall, fleshy white taproot; stem erect, hollow, grooved. Parsnip is a self-fertile slow-growing, deep-rooted plant (7).
Origin and geographic distribution
Parsnip is native to Europe and temperate Asia (7). It is cultivated mainly in temperate regions worldwide. It is mainly grown in home gardens and for specialty markets. It was already a popular crop during Roman times (7).
Uses
The fleshy, aromatic and slightly mucilaginous root is eaten as a cooked or fried vegetable. It is also used in soups and to add flavour to stews. It is especially popular in Ireland and UK (7). In some African regions the seed, which tastes similar to dill, is occasionally used as a condiment. Historically, parsnips roots were used in poultices to treat sores, inflammations and skin diseases and the leaves seem to have diuretic properties (7).
References
- van der Vossen, H. A. M.; Kahangi, E., Daucus carota L. [Internet] Record from Protabase. In Grubben, G.J.H. & Denton, O.A. (Editors): 2004.
- Clapham, A. R.; Tutin, T. G.; Warburg, E. F., Flora of the British Isles. 3rd ed.; University Press, Cambridge: London, 1958; p 1592.
- Surles, R. L.; Weng, N.; Simon, P. W.; Sherry, A. T. T., Carotenoid profiles and consumer sensory evaluation of specialty carrots (Daucus carota, L.) of various colors. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2004, 52, (11), 3417-3421.
- Simon, P. W., Plant pigments for color and nutrition. Hortscience 1997, 32, (1), 12-13.
- Metzger, B. T.; Barnes, D. M.; Reed, J. D., Purple carrot (Daucus carota L.) polyacetylenes decrease lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of inflammatory proteins in macrophage and endothelial cells. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2008, 56, (10), 3554-3560.
- Schnabele, K.; Briviba, K.; Bub, A.; Roserl, S.; Pool-Zobel, B. L.; Rechkemmer, G., Effects of carrot and tomato juice consumption on faecal markers relevant to colon carcinogenesis in humans. British Journal of Nutrition 2008, 99, (3), 606-613.
- Oyen, L. P. A., Pastinaca sativa L. [Internet] Record from Protabase. In Grubben, G.J.H. & Denton, O.A. (Editors): 2004.
- Messiaen, C.-M.; Rouamba, A., Allium cepa L. [Internet] Record from Protabase. . In Grubben, G.J.H. & Denton, O.A. (Editors): 2004.
- Lanzotti, V., The analysis of onion and garlic. Journal of Chromatography A 2006, 1112, (1-2), 3-22.
- Desjardins, Y., Onion as a Nutraceutical and Functional Food. Chronica Horticulturae 2008, 48, (2), 8 - 14.
- Galeone, C.; Pelucchi, C.; Levi, F.; Negri, E.; Franceschi, S.; Talamini, R.; Giacosa, A.; La Vecchia, C., Onion and garlic use and human cancer. Am J Clin Nutr 2006, 84, (5), 1027-1032.
- Tjeertes, P., Brassica oleracea L. (cauliflower and broccoli) [Internet] Record from Protabase. . In Grubben, G.J.H. & Denton, O.A. (Editors): 2004.
