Carrot-eating was a political statement

                   Long before we ever thought to dip the crunchy wonders in a gob of ranch dressing, carrots naturally and popularly existed in a variety of colors from white, to red, to purple and beyond. The fact that the vast majority of carrots we now see are orange is due to a Dutch botanist who hybridized the carrot to create a tasty orange variety in tribute to William of Orange, who led the struggle for Dutch independence from Spain in the 16th century.