The many health benefits of carrots have been lauded by mothers for centuries. From improving eyesight to curing digestive problems, carrots are nature’s super food. Unfortunately, their delicious flavor and texture is often masked by memories of cold wet carrot sticks brought to school in brown paper bags. Now is the time to reconsider the carrot, which just happens to be at its seasonal peak in the winter. And with the right preparation, your carrots might start to look more attractive.

Most likely originating in Afghanistan, carrots developed from the naturally occurring wild carrot to become the garden vegetable that we all know and love today. Like their relatives, fennel, dill, and cumin, carrots were originally grown for their aromatic seeds and leaves, not their roots. The root, of course, is currently the only part of the carrot that most people eat. Carrots gained popularity after being introduced to Europe in the eighth century. It was the Dutch in the 17th century, though, who were able to breed the bright, orange-colored carrot with which we are familiar. This new variety was less bitter than its yellow predecessor.

Carrots are known, first and foremost, as healthful vegetables. For over 2,000 years, people have been eating carrots for their health-promoting properties. No other vegetable contains as much beta-carotene, which is metabolized as vitamin A. It is this fact that gave rise to the discussion of carrots' role in vision. Lack of vitamin A does cause poor vision and an increase in consumption of vitamin A can help restore it—your mother was right all along. In addition to improving vision, carrots have been traditionally known to treat digestive problems and parasites. Carrots may even have anticancer properties, but too many carrots may temporarily turn skin a yellowish color, due to excess amounts of beta-carotene. Unfortunately, the urban legend that eating massive amounts of carrots will make you see in the dark is false.

There are many different kinds of carrots in addition to the traditional orange. In the Western variety alone, carrots come in many shapes and sizes, from conical to almost cylindrical. Those with the long root and pointed tip that are most commonly sold in supermarkets are called Imperator carrots. Carrots harvested before reaching full size are “baby carrots” and tend to be more tender than their mature counterparts. Lest you be fooled, however, many baby carrots packaged and sold in stores are not actually a smaller variety, but rather full-sized carrots cut and peeled to an identical shape and size.

Though the carrot may seem like a perfect food, the Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center at Texas A&M University has managed to make some enhancements. The BetaSweet or maroon carrot has purple skin—due to high levels of beta-carotene—orange flesh, and cancer-preventing traits. It is currently in very limited commercial distribution.

Based on their carotene content, carrots can come in many colors. Eastern carrots are often purple and yellow. Throughout Europe, novelty carrots in varying colors have been grown.

But the health benefits of carrots are completely useless if nobody eats them. Stigmatized for being bland or tough because of poor preparation (or lack thereof),carrots have been unfairly pushed to the wayside. There is something about carrots that conjures up one’s youth. I remember being served cold,wet carrots in Ziploc bags and being told to eat them, whether I wanted to eat them or not. This sad memory is enough to turn anyone off to them. Nonetheless, upon further examination, carrots are exceedingly versatile and even sweet when prepared the right way.
If you want to cook carrots at home, it’s important to start with the proper ones. At the grocery store, make sure that the carrots do not have cracks and are not soft or withering. The best carrots are young and slim. Remove any carrot greenery right away, as it steals moisture and nutrients from the vegetable. Store carrots in a plastic bag in the vegetable bin of the refrigerator and avoid placing them near apples, which can actually make carrots taste bitter. Young and baby carrots need only to be rinsed, while older carrots should be peeled and have their bitter core removed. If your carrots become limp, re-crisp them in a bowl of ice water.

Once the carrots have been prepared, there are an infinite number of possibilities. Obviously, carrots make a good snack raw. However, they can be cooked in almost any way imaginable. Carrots can be boiled, steamed, and sautéed. They are often used in soups and stews, their sturdy texture breaking down and becoming tender through slow cooking. Carrots can be found in many tomato sauce recipes, acting as a natural sweetener for the sauce. Along with onions and celery, carrots are part of the holy trinity of vegetable soup broth, called the mirepoix

Unlike most vegetables, carrots play a primary role in many desserts. When grated, carrots can provide the base for sumptuous carrot cakes or carrot puddings, providing a wonderful excuse to eat your veggies. They can be glazed or candied when baked or mixed with brown sugar and butter sauce. Carrots are in practically all coleslaw recipes, providing color and flavor to the slaw. They are often juiced and marketed as a health drink, either alone or mixed with other fruits and vegetables. Luckily, carrot juice tastes slightly better than it sounds.

Truly international vegetables, carrots can be found in dishes from all over the world. In Morocco, carrots are boiled and then sautéed with cumin, paprika, and other spices. In Japan, they are pickled. They are used in curries in India and roasted in France.

Though carrots can be found year-round, there is no better time to enjoy them than in the dead of winter. Whether in a warm stew or a sweet carrot cake, there is no need to fear the carrot any longer. Banish bad childhood memories and enjoy eating you