Queen Anne's Carrot

The carotenoids in carrots have proved effective at preventing cancer, heart problems, and cataracts, as well as improving skin health and night vision. The vegetable also lowers blood cholesterol and blood pressure and helps detoxify the liver.

Carrot greens are antiseptic, so they have been added to mouthwashes and, mixed with honey, to disinfect sores. They are also diuretic (increase urine flow), and can help treat kidney disease and edema. In his Encyclopedia of Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs, John Heinerman reports that "English theologian, Reverend John Wesley, who founded the Methodist church, recommended eating boiled carrots and drinking the warm broth thereof as a 'seldom fail' remedy for relieving asthma." Duke agrees that there are four anti-asthma compounds in carrots, but tea, fennel, and cayenne-which each have six of those compounds--may be even more effective.

Although the original carrot, Queen Anne's Lace, is not all that tasty, it remains quite pretty. My sister once made me some Christmas tree decorations by drying and pressing heads of the plant and adding ribbons for hanging them. Looking very much like large white snowflakes themselves, they went very well with my crocheted ornaments. There is an old superstition that bringing Queen Anne's Lace into the house will doom your mother to death. But, so far, mine has proved as resilient as the flower itself!

Note: Note: Daucus carota image is from Otto Wilhelm Thomé's Flora von Deutschland Österreich und der Schweiz, courtesy of the Texas Vascular Plant Image Gallery at http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/gallery . Carrots photo is by Stephen Ausmus, courtesy of the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture at http://www.ars.usda.gov . Queen Anne's Lace photo is by author, all rights reserved, and may not be copied or reproduced without permission.

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