Where did the belief come from that carrots improve vision and what does British pilots have to do with it

We are all taught from childhood that carrots can improve vision. However, no one could explain the mechanism of action of the root crop on the organs of vision. Most often they joked that there are no hares in glasses, which means that carrots work. With age, we understand that carotene may be useful for vision, but it is unlikely to be able to return it or make it sharper. Where did this myth come from?

It turns out that the story of carrots was invented by the inhabitants of Foggy Albion. Or rather, the British military during the Second World War. The legend of carrots is connected with the latest developments of the military-industrial complex of that time.

For many decades, since the creation of combat aviation, pilots and air defense shooters have been forced to rely solely on their senses. During night sorties, the advantage was with the pilot who would be the first to notice the enemy aircraft. British designers have created an aviation radar that has no analogues. AI (Airborne Interception Radar) could detect an enemy bomber for many miles, even if the noise of its engines was not yet heard.

The secret development, which gave a huge advantage in a night battle, was vigilantly guarded. So that the Germans would not guess that the British use innovative devices, they launched a "duck" about the carrot diet. Several British publications published articles at once that British Air Force pilots and air defense fighters are given carrots in large quantities.

Carrots, especially fresh ones, are actually good for the eyes. It contains beta-carotene and vitamin A, but these substances are unable to improve vision and especially do not help to see in the dark. Vitamins prevent macular degeneration and reduce the likelihood of getting cataracts. The yellow spot is the area in the central part of the retina of the eye responsible for central vision. Macular degeneration or AMD is most often an age—related process that manifests itself after 50 years.