The carrot is a biennial plant in the umbellifer family, Apiaceae. At birth, it grows a rosette of leaves while building up the enlarged taproot. Fast-growing cultivars mature within about three months (90 days) of sowing the seed, while slower-maturing cultivars need a month longer (120 days). The roots contain high quantities of alpha- and beta-carotene, lycopene, anthocyanins, lutein, and are a good source of vitamin A, vitamin K, and vitamin B6. Carrots are 88% water, 9% carbohydrates, 0.9% protein, 2.8% dietary fiber, 1% ash and 0.2% fat.
