Carrots and Yellowstone
Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone, Wyoming / © I.A. Daglis
The amazingly brilliant colors of the Grand Prismatic Spring at the Yellowstone National Park share a common origin with carrots: they are caused by carotenoids – a class of natural pigments found principally in plants, algae, and photosynthetic bacteria. In the case of the Grand Prismatic Spring the colors are due to thermophile bacteria.
Moreover...carotenoids are important in human nutrition as a source of Vitamin A (e.g., from beta-carotene) and as a prevention agent for cancer and heart disease (e.g. lycopene). In addition, carotenoids add color to foods and beverages (e.g. orange juice). And in addition, carotenoids are the precursors of many important chemicals responsible for the flavor of foods and the fragrance of flowers....
ReplyDeleteThey are also responsible for the beautiful colors of many fruits (pine-apple, citrus fruits, tomatoes, paprika, rose hips) and flowers (Eschscholtzia, Narcissus), as well as the colors of many birds (flamingo, cock of rock, ibis, canary), insects (lady bird), and marine animals (crustaceans, salmon).
What do Tea, Rose, Osmanthus flowers, Tobacco, Grapes and Saffron all have in common?
Flavor & aroma constituents derived from carotenoids!
...for more info: http://leffingwell.com/caroten.htm