A staple root vegetable found in almost every household. The root is fleshy and thickened, cylindrical or narrowly conical, usually unbranched and orange in colour (rarely white, yellow or red). It has a sweet flavour, though the skin may be slightly bitter – which is why carrots are often peeled. It is widely used, for example, in salads, spreads and soups, as a base for sauces, or roasted or stewed as an accompaniment to meat – whether glazed, puréed or roasted.