How to choose the right carrot?

In addition to the shape and size, carrots can vary significantly in color. The characteristic orange hue is due to the high beta-carotene content. The lower the content of this substance, the paler the carrots will be. In addition, there are some varieties with bright yellow or purple roots. There is also a variety of completely white carrots.

The palatability of root crops is to some extent dependent on color. Orange carrots are the juiciest, and pale carrots have less pronounced flavor characteristics. Purple carrots have their own characteristics, including in the area of ​​taste.

The rarest varieties of carrots are red and pink root vegetables.… On the Russian markets, they are practically not available for free sale. If such a carrot appears on the counter, then not everyone risks buying it, suspecting that the root crop was grown using a large amount of dyes or chemicals. In fact, the color of carrots directly depends on the ratio of the components in it, which, in addition to useful properties, differ in their ability to color the roots in different shades.

How to choose a carrot

When choosing carrots, first of all, you need to pay attention to the degree of its ripeness and quality. The shade in this case does not play a special role. However, when buying exotic varieties, you need to find out in advance exactly how good root crops should look like.

What kind of carrots should you buy:

• unlike many vegetables and fruits, the external attractiveness of which may be a sign of the presence of nitrates, carrots are primarily assessed by their beauty and brightness (the brighter the root vegetable, the more useful vitamins it contains);
• the surface of the carrot should be smooth, not deformed and not damaged or cracked;
• carrots must be firm;
• the area between the tops and the root crop should have a rich green color;
• There is no difference in washed or unwashed carrots, but the washed version can be stored a little less than the unwashed one.

What carrots you shouldn’t buy:

• carrots with damage or too much deformation of the root vegetable may differ in taste;
• dark spots or dots can be signs of the beginning of the decay process;
• if on the cut the middle of the root vegetable differs sharply in contrast with the area located closer to the skin, then the carrots were grown using a large number of chemicals;
• carrots with green spots that are not ripe or have been stored in the sun for too long (such carrots can taste bitter);
• carrots with sprouts will be overripe, and their taste will be less pronounced (growths may also indicate the presence of nitrates or root diseases);
• if the surface of the root crop is soft or easily crumpled, then inside the carrots, most likely, decay processes have already begun;
• if there are numerous cracks on the surface of the carrots, then the inside of the root vegetable may be dark and spoiled;
• for a long time, light carrots were considered fodder, now new varieties have been bred, but when buying root crops it is better to give preference to a bright and rich color;
• if the surface of the carrot is wet and as if covered with fat, then it is not recommended to buy it (the root crop is either spoiled or treated with chemicals);
• if black thin stripes are clearly visible on the root crop, then the carrots are affected by pests (eating them can be harmful to health);
• if the green area between the tops and the root crop exceeds 1 cm, then the carrots are not ripe (a brown tint instead of green indicates too long storage of root crops or their overripe);
• in no case should you buy carrots with obvious signs of damage by rodents or insects;
• sluggish carrots in taste are radically different from the standard fresh version (there is practically no juice in the root vegetable, and in terms of consistency it will be tough and not crunchy).

It is believed that carrots weighing no more than 150 g are the most delicious and juicy. In addition, even when using nitrates when growing it, at the moment of its growth to such a mark, the root crop does not have time to absorb a significant amount of harmful substances.

If carrots are bought for casseroles or salads, then it is better to give preference to light root vegetables. For the first or second courses, as well as juices, it is better to purchase carrots with a bright and rich shade. Juicy roots can be identified by lightly scratching the surface of the carrot with your fingernail. If there is a lot of juice, then it will immediately stand out. Such an experiment will not work on sluggish carrots, and there will be a minimum amount of juice in it.