Generations of kids have heard it at the dinner table: eat your carrots and you'll be able to see in the dark. It sounds believable enough. Carrots are good for you, and they really do have something to do with eyesight. So is there any truth to it?
The short answer is no, at least not for most people. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which the body uses to make vitamin A, and vitamin A really does matter for vision. But eating extra carrots won't sharpen your night vision unless you're actually lacking vitamin A. The famous claim got a huge boost during World War II, when it was used to hide a military secret.
A Pilot Called Cat's Eyes
During the war, British night fighter planes had a new edge: radar that could find enemy aircraft in the dark. The Air Ministry didn't want the enemy to learn about it. So a different story was put out to explain why the Royal Air Force was suddenly so successful at night.
The face of that story was John Cunningham, the first night fighter ace. Newspapers were allowed to print his picture, with captions saying his eyesight was so exceptional he could see in the dark like a cat. His diet of carrots, the story went, gave him the vitamin A to keep his night vision sharp. The tale went public in January 1941, and the nickname Cat's Eyes stuck.
Cunningham reportedly hated the attention, but he accepted the nickname as a necessary deception. The real hero of those nighttime battles was radar, not root vegetables.
Where the Grain of Truth Comes From
The myth stuck partly because it isn't completely made up. Vitamin A plays a major role in how the eye turns light into signals for the brain. When people don't get enough of it, one of the first signs is often night blindness, trouble seeing in dim light.
Vitamin A deficiency is rare in wealthier countries, but it's still common in poorer parts of the world, especially among young children and women of childbearing age. It's the most common cause of blindness in developing countries. For people who truly lack vitamin A, getting more of it matters a great deal. For everyone else, an extra helping of carrots won't turn on any superpowers. If you're worried about your eyesight, talk to your doctor.
Too Many Carrots Can Turn You Orange
Here's a funny side effect. Eating a very large amount of carrots for a long time can cause a condition called carotenemia. The pigments build up and give the skin a yellow-orange tint. It's harmless, but it's a colorful reminder that more isn't always better.
Carrots Weren't Always Orange
The familiar orange carrot is the work of Dutch growers. A stable orange variety called the Long Orange was bred in the Netherlands around the start of the 1700s. Heirloom carrots still come in white, yellow, red, purple, and even black.
You may have heard that the Dutch bred orange carrots to honor William of Orange. That's another popular story with little solid evidence behind it. Some experts think Europeans simply preferred orange carrots because, unlike purple ones, they don't turn soups and stews brown.
So go ahead and keep carrots on the menu. They're crunchy, colorful, and full of good things. Just don't expect to read the newspaper by moonlight afterward.
