Carrots

The wild carrot came from Afghanistan long before the time of Christ. The Greeks and Romans did not set much store by it, and it was used only for limited medicinal purposes before the 16th century, when the Italians brought it to the world's attention. Although it was tasty, the carrot of the time had almost nothing in common with the vegetable of today. It was a thin white or yellow root and fairly tough. It took centuries of selection and hybridization to give it the orange color it has had since the early 19th century. (Inventions and Discoveries)