Subtitles section Play video Print subtitles Does eating carrots actually enhance your ability to see in the dark? According to an article published in Smithsonian Magazine written by K. Annabelle Smith, the widely believed notion that eating carrots enhances night vision is largely a myth popularized by a British World War II propaganda campaign. Although carrots are rich in Vitamin A, which is essential for eye health, and a study from Johns Hopkins in 1998 indicated that vitamin A supplements could reverse poor vision in those with a deficiency, the vegetable's abilities have been notably exaggerated. During WWII, the British government spread the belief that carrots could help people see in the dark as a misdirection tactic. The Royal Air Force (RAF) had developed a new radar technology, the Airborne Interception Radar (AI), which allowed them to locate enemy bombers before they reached the English Channel. To keep this technology secret and perhaps mislead German forces, the Ministry of Information promulgated the idea that RAF pilots, like John Cunningham who was known for his exceptional night-flying abilities, were consuming large amounts of carrots to enhance their night vision. This idea was so widely publicized that not only did it infiltrate public belief during the wartime period, but it also lingered long afterward, developing into the common belief that carrots are a sort of superfood for eyesight. While it's true that a lack of Vitamin A (which carrots are rich in) can lead to impaired night vision, the narrative that excess consumption could provide almost superhuman abilities to see in the dark was a clever exaggeration utilized for strategic misdirection during the war. During this time, with resources like sugar and other food items becoming scarce due to German blockades, the British government encouraged citizens to be self-sustaining and to consume surplus vegetables like carrots. Campaigns and characters like "Dr. Carrot" and "Potato Pete" were introduced, advocating for the consumption of these vegetables and spreading alternative recipes utilizing them as sugar substitutes in a variety of dishes. Although this myth of carrots improving night vision is still widely believed today, it is essential to recognize its origin as a tool of wartime propaganda and not as a scientific fact. While carrots do play a role in maintaining eye health due to their Vitamin A content, their supposed night-vision superpowers were an exaggeration meant to protect a military secret.
B2 vision vitamin belief dark widely wartime Do carrots actually help you see in the dark? Do carrots improve night vision? 1676 2 Jay posted on 2024/05/04 More Share Save Report Video vocabulary