I have to make an admission….I don’t do the cooking in our household! But luckily, my husband does enjoy cooking….plus he also likes being in control of what we eat.

Because since he had a liver transplant, and I had my own thyroid issues, he has been doing lots of research into what foods we should be eating to ensure good health and well being.

And one such food is carrots….but not the humble orange carrot as we know it….purple carrots!

Yep, they are actually purple!

Purple Carrots

I had never heard of, let alone seen, a purple carrot till recently, but apparently purple was the colour that the very first carrots were…originally from ancient Persia!

The orange carrot wasn’t cultivated until the 16th century, when Dutch growers gradually developed the purple carrot into the orange version we know today….so in reality, the orange carrot is actually a mutant!

So whats better about being purple?

Purple carrots have all the benefits that their orange counterparts have …plus more!

Carrots are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, folic acid, potassium, and fibre….they are not only good for eye health, but are also beneficial for the liver,  heart, and glucose levels!

They can help reduce inflammation in the body, and help to get rid of those horrible free radicals which cause damage to cells.

But purple carrots take this to a higher level….because of their colour, purple carrots have up to 28 times more anthocyanins then orange ones!

This is a very powerful antioxidant that creates the purple-red pigment in blueberries and raspberries…and these pigments are reported to improve memory, enhance vision, protect against heart attacks and even help control weight.

Purple carrots also have two times more beta carotene…which converts in Vitamin A….

And they are anti-inflammatory, anti-viral as well as antimicrobial!

So I guess you could say that purple carrots are a “superfood”!

Some supermarkets and fruit shops are regularly stocking purple carrots, but you may have to go searching for them….we get ours from our local fruit shop!

There are a couple of types…you can get ones that are just purple on the outside…the ones we get are purple right through!

So don’t be put off by the colour….if you have a chance to try these, give it a go as these are carrots with an extra health boost!

They also aren’t as sweet tasting as orange carrots, but I think they taste fine…both raw and cooked!

But I do have to warn you, adding purple carrots to a casserole or stew can do weird things with the colour….