Carrot

Carrots 101: How They Benefit Our Children

When we think about carrots, we usually picture cute little bunnies gnawing away on the delicious orange root with green leaves. Whether it’s Peter Rabbit with his cottontail and blue shirt eating carrots in Mr. McGregor’s Garden or Bugs Bunny loudly smacking away on the tasty veggie, the reality is that carrots are a great addition to any diet and come with plenty of benefits.

With Baked Smart Cookie, you don’t need to look any further for a scrumptious treat that’s made of plenty of nutritious ingredients — including carrots. Made from four carefully selected vegetables and four sweet fruits, our cookies are everything kids love and parents want for their children.

With this in mind, let’s give you some insight into carrots, what they are, how they are grown, and what makes them so healthy.

The Basics and History of Carrots

For starters, carrots are a root vegetable, which means when we consume carrots, we’re actually eating the root portion of the plant. Another interesting fact most don’t realize is that carrots can actually be found in various colors including yellow, white, orange, red, and purple.

While the most commonly known color of carrot is orange, the first domesticated carrots in Central Asia (around 900 C.E.) were purple and yellow. It wasn’t until six centuries after being domesticated that orange carrots became more common.

Wild carrots could be found in North Africa and Western Asia, and seeds have been found in Europe dating back nearly 5,000 years. It’s believed that in these ancient cultures, the vegetable was first used as a herb and medicine before it was actually used as a food.

The first known vegetable that is definitely a carrot dates from the 10th century in Persia and Asia Minor.

How Are Carrots Grown?

Carrots are typically grown in areas where they’ll reap the benefits of full sunlight, although sometimes a partially shaded area can be great for them. Additionally, the vegetable grows well in cool weather and is usually planted in early spring, although in warmer climates carrots are grown in fall and reach maturity during the winter.

Carrots grow best in loose, well-draining and slightly acidic soil. The seeds usually take 10 to 21 days to germinate, and harvest typically takes 50 to 75 days.

The Benefits of Carrots

Amazingly, carrots can also help boost your immune system. The key is in the vitamin C they provide, which helps your body build antibodies that, in turn, help to improve your immune system. Additionally, vitamin C can help brighten your skin and even the skin tone on your body.

Another great health benefit of eating carrots is that they help to strengthen your hair, providing it with crucial vitamins, making your mane stronger, thicker, and shinier.

And if you’re looking for a little bit of anti-aging benefits, carrots have been shown to help prevent wrinkles. That’s because the beta carotene found in carrots is converted into vitamin A in your body, which helps to promote firmness, elasticity, and healthy skin. The antioxidants in the veggie also improve skin complexion.

Baked Smart Cookie: We Proudly Use Carrots in Our Products

Because our cookies are so delicious, your little ones won’t even realize that they’re eating a healthy dose of fruits and vegetables. This is the perfect treat for kids who won’t eat vegetables!

Not only are our cookies made with plenty of fruits and veggies, but they’re also organic, non-GMO, vegan, and soy and peanut-free.

Ready to get your hands on our delicious treats?