Why are carrots red?

Question

Why are carrots red?

Answer 1

The carrot root gets its characteristic and bright orange red  colour from β-carotene, which is metabolised into vitamin A in humans when bile salts are present in the intestines.

Carrots are also rich in dietary fibre, antioxidants, and

minerals.

EDIT = Carrot roots are rich in the tetraterpene beta-carotene ( C40 H56 ), the precursor of the anti-oxidant vitamin A (C20H30O).

CLICK THE LINKS BELOW FOR INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT CARROT COLOR ==

http://www.cals.wisc.edu/media/news/02_0...

http://www.ars.usda.gov/Research/docs.ht...

http://www.ars.usda.gov/Research/docs.ht...

From ==wikipedia

Answer 2

They are rich in photosynthetic pigment called carotene, which actually makes carrots orange, rather than red.

The red pigment phycoerythrin is not usually found in carrots; rather, they are found in cyanobacteria, red algae, and cryptomonads.

Answer 3

they are orange not red.

Answer 4

Red?  Hmm, I guess I am color blind.  I thought carrots were orange.  I have never seen a red carrot.

Answer 5

The colour of the carrots is red as they contain various pigments such as carotene, xanthophylls etc. The color of the pigments changes according to the pH of the cell sap.

Answer 6

carrots are orange not red

Answer 7

I would freak out if I saw a RED carrot.  I thought they were orange.