The wild carrot, a relative of parsley, coriander and fennel, originates from Central Asia (around where modern-day Afghanistan is now), and was originally grown for its leaves and seeds.
The roots of some of these early varieties were white, but by the time it was domesticated in the 10th century, the dominant variety was actually a deep purple.
Orange varieties didn’t appear until the 16th century, when Dutch horticulturists cross-bred different strains to reduce the bitterness and improve the ability to store the roots over winter.
The colour comes from beta-carotene (the chemical is named after the vegetable), and although it was probably a coincidence, it didn’t hurt that orange was also the heraldic colour of the Dutch Royal Family.
This article is an answer to the question (asked by Billy Young, Peterborough) 'Why are carrots orange?'
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