The carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) is a root vegetable, typically orange in color, though heirloom variants including purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild carrot, Daucus carota, native to Europe and Southwestern Asia. The plant probably originated in Iran and was originally cultivated for its leaves and seeds. The characteristic orange colour is from beta-carotene, making carrots a rich source of vitamin A. A myth that carrots help people to see in the dark was spread as propaganda in the Second World War, to account for the ability of British pilots to fight in the dark; the real explanation was the introduction of radar.

Source: Wikipedia