AGRICULTURE REPORT - Purple Carrots

AGRICULTURE REPORT
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July 2, 2002: Purple Carrots

By George Grow

This is the VOA Special English AGRICULTURE REPORT.

The carrot is a plant with a root that is eaten as a vegetable. Carrots are grown throughout¹ the world. When
people think about carrots, they create a mental picture of a long, thin, orange-colored vegetable. Yet carrots
come in many different sizes, shapes and colors.

This summer, food stores in Britain will have a new product: purple-colored carrots.
However, purple carrots are not really new. Reports say the carrot is simply
returning to its true color.

The history of the carrot dates back thousands of years. Purple carrots are native to
the Middle East and the area that is now Afghanistan. There are reports that pictures
made in Egypt four-thousand years ago show a plant believed to be a purple carrot.

People in ancient Greece and Rome grew carrots that had thin, hard roots. They
used the plants as a medicine, not as a food. Carrots similar to modern ones were
common in Europe by the thirteenth century. They were several different colors.

It was not until about four-hundred years ago that carrots became orange. That is when farmers in The
Netherlands produced orange carrots from yellow and red ones in honor² of their national color.

Carrots are easy to grow and harvest. They grow best in deep, rich soil that contains sand or soft, wet dirt. A crop
takes about one-hundred days to grow.

Carrots have a pleasing taste. People eat uncooked carrots alone or with other vegetables. Cooked carrots also are
popular.Orange carrots contain carotene, a substance³ used by the human body to produce Vitamin⁴ A. Vitamin A
is important for healthy skin and eyes. Carrots also contain other vitamins⁵ and are rich in sugar and the element⁶
potassium.

Farmers in eastern England are growing the new purple-colored carrots. They call their crop Purple Haze⁷. The
vegetables are purple on the outside and orange in the inside. The carrots contain anthocyanin (an-tho-S(EYE)ah-
nihn), a substance believed to increase protection⁸ against cancer.

Food store officials in Britain say they hope children will eat more of the brightly colored carrots. They say the
new product will cost a little more than other carrots.

Reports say carrot buyers in Britain soon will have other colors to choose from, including yellow, red, and even
black and white.

This VOA Special English AGRICULTURE REPORT was written by George Grow.

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1 throughout   

adv.到处，自始至终；prep.遍及，贯穿

参考例句：

• These magazines are sold at bookstores throughout the country.这些杂志在全国各地书店均有发售。
• Guilin is known throughout the world for its scenery.桂林以山水著称于世。

2 honor   

n.光荣；敬意；荣幸；vt.给…以荣誉；尊敬

参考例句：

• I take your visit as a great honor.您的来访是我莫大的光荣。
• It is a great honor to receive that prize.能拿到那个奖是无上的光荣。

3 substance   

n.物质，实质，主旨

参考例句：

• There isn't anything of real substance in her book.她的书中没有任何真正实质性的内容。
• How long will the substance take to salt out?这种物质需要多长时间来盐析？

4 vitamin   

n.维他命，维生素

参考例句：

• Oranges are rich in vitamin C.橙子富含维生素C。
• Vitamin pills make up what you lack in your diet.维生素丸可补充你食物中所缺乏的营养。

5 vitamins   

n.维生素（ vitamin的名词复数 ）

参考例句：

• essential proteins and vitamins 必不可少的蛋白质和维生素
• the vitamins that are vital for health 保持健康必不可少的维生素

6 element   

n.元素；组成部分，成分；零件，元件

参考例句：

• Justice is an important element of good government.公正是仁政的要素。
• Carbon is an element,while carbon dioxide is a compound.碳是一种(化学)元素，而二氧化碳则是一种化合物。

7 haze   

n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊

参考例句：

• I couldn't see her through the haze of smoke.在烟雾弥漫中，我看不见她。
• He often lives in a haze of whisky.他常常是在威士忌的懵懂醉意中度过的。

8 protection   

n.保护，防卫，保护制度

参考例句：

• The protection of the country is the duty of everyone.保卫国家是每个人的责任。
• The young in our society need care and protection.我们社会的年轻人需要关怀和照顾。