Carrots were purple, white and yellow long before they were orange.
The carrot was domesticated in Central Asia, and the early varieties were mostly purple or pale. Orange carrots were bred and popularised in the Netherlands in the 17th century.
Why is this true?
Orange carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A. Purple carrots get their colour from anthocyanins, the same pigments found in blueberries.
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