Grow carrots for diversification and nutritional security

摘要

Carrot is an important winter season vegetable which is grown for its edible tap roots. It is widely grown both for fresh market and processing. In Punjab, root crops are grown on an area of 19.57 thousand hectares with an annual production of 400.76thousand tonnes, out of which 60 per cent share is of carrot. A large section of population of India is suffering from micronutrient deficiency. Nearly 70 per cent of children below the age of five and 55 per cent of women are anemic in India. About 62 per cent of children are suffering from vitamin A deficiency, which causes night blindness. Carrots are the best alternative to tackle the malnutrition of masses because they are loaded with antioxidants and nutrients. Carrot is a rich source of (3-carotene, iron, thiamine (Vitamin-B1), riboflavin (Vitamin-B2) and sugar content. Red carrots contain lycopene pigment which helps to prevent lung and other cancers. Black carrots contains anthocyanin pigment that acts as a powerful antioxidant and protect human body against cardiovascular diseases, inhibit the development of cancer cells in body and reserve the negative effects of high fat diet. Black carrots are rich source of iron which protects from anemia. A special type of beverage known as kanji is prepared from black carrot which is a good probiotic. Carrot is becoming popular day by day which is diuretic and removes uric acid through urine. The f3-carotene largely found in carrots is important antioxidant which traps and scavenges free radicals in human body, thereby delaying the process ol aging, p-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body which is vital to human vision.