What is black carrot
Black carrots are a variety of herbaceous plants from the Kozelets family, cultivated in some countries as a vegetable crop.
Black carrot
Botanical characteristic
A perennial plant belongs to the Asteraceae family. In the first years of life, the plant is pubescent, later - bare. It grows 0.25-0.75 m high. The stem is erect, branched. The foliage is dense. The leaves on the lower tier are lanceolate, ovate, oblong, pointed at the ends, with numerous veins. Leaves of the middle layer are oblong-lanceolate, subulate in the upper part.
The carrot, known by its name, has other scientific names - scorzonera, black and sweet root.
The inflorescences of the representatives of the variety are formed by bright yellow petals, often solitary, have a cylindrical shape, large, with a wrapper 20-30 mm in length. The fruits of the inflorescences are achenes.
The seeds of black carrots are 1.5-1.6 cm long. The flowering period is May. The root crop is cylindrical, thick, fleshy. Has a specific dark color. The inner flesh is white. The average length of root crops is 15 cm, diameter is 5 cm, weight is 150-200 g.
Unlike the classic orange, which has a sweetish taste, black carrots have bitter notes and are close to radish and radish in taste.
Growing places
The native land of the variety is the southern part of European territory and the southwest of Asia. Today, the plant is cultivated and distributed in different parts of the world: practically throughout Europe, including in areas from the countries of the eastern Mediterranean to East Asia. It is found in Georgian and Armenian sown areas, the vegetable is cultivated in Italy, France, Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan, the Netherlands, Belgium.
Scorzonera is a typical representative of the steppe vegetation.
In Russia, black carrots are cultivated in the Republic of Dagestan, in the foothills of the Caucasus, at the foot of the Ural Mountains, right up to the border with Kazakhstan, in Western Siberia.
The vegetable prefers arid regions. In the wild, it grows mainly on limestone soils, in steppes and on rocky slopes.
Under artificial conditions of growing by seeds, greenhouses are suitable for cultivating vegetables. Cultivation of scorzonera, which loves a warm climate, with seeds and seedlings on open soil is difficult.
Among the varieties that have successfully taken root in private gardens are Spanish, Black Knight, Purple Dragon.
Composition and scope
Fancy carrot
Black carrot roots contain a significant amount of health benefits, including:
- inulin from the group of polysaccharides,
- asparagine, which belongs to the amino acid group,
- levulin.
Unlike classic carrots, the black root vegetable has less beta-carotene in its chemical composition, which is compensated by the highest amount of alpha-carotene, anthocyanins, a large dose of antioxidants and lutein.
Cooking
Black carrots, along with white and orange carrots, are widely used in cooking. It is used as a seasoning for first and second courses and as an addition to soft drinks and desserts. At the same time, the anthocyanins included in black carrots provide coloring properties to the vegetable.
The medicine
Due to its high quality characteristics, black carrots are beneficial in dietary nutrition. It is especially useful for the older generation. Extracts with it are recommended for patients with diabetes mellitus and hypertension, gout and liver diseases.
Conclusion
The black carrot variety is a perennial plant belonging to the Kozelets family. The vegetable has a bitter taste, dark skin and white flesh. It is cultivated, and since the 16th century it has been cultivated in a number of countries for agricultural purposes.
Root vegetables are widely used in cooking, their benefits are appreciated by traditional medicine.