Carrots do not improve healthy or declining eyesight. I know, I was shocked too when I heard it, but if carrots don’t improve eyesight, then why does every middle-aged mother advise her kids to eat carrots for better eyesight?
This is where the great lie comes into play. During World War II, Nazi Germany spent many years bombarding the United Kingdom’s towns and cities at night. This caused the British government to schedule blackouts, where they would cut power to a city to prevent Nazi bombers from being able to spot citizens, similar to a lockdown drill in school. The British also sent out fighter pilots equipped with the newest radar technology at night to repel the bombers.
The reason radar was crucial is it allowed pilots to spot enemy bomber planes without having to rely on their night vision alone. However, the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Information didn’t want Nazi Germany to figure out that radar existed, so they came up with a lie that would span generations. They knew that people deficient in vitamin A, the main vitamin in carrots, suffered from poor eyesight, and especially poor night vision.
Using this kernel of truth, they concocted a clever falsehood that carrots improved eyesight. It’s unclear just how effective this lie was on the Nazi’s, but the British public fell for it with ease. This lie was also aided by the British Food Ministry’s marketing, as they wanted to shift British diets away from the cabbage and brussels sprout household staples.
The Food Ministry created cartoons and shows that featured anthropomorphised carrots or promoted recipes that included carrots. Ever since then, the myth about carrots improving eyesight can be seen in old wives’ tales and has become a staple of British and American culture.
The truth about carrots? It’s simple. Beta carotin, the nutrient the body turns into vitamin A, is necessary to keep eyesight from deteriorating. However, there are many other foods that contain beta carotin. This means that a vitamin A deficiency is uncommon in the modern-day diet. So, in conclusion: carrots can maintain eyesight, but they cannot improve eyesight.
