Do Carrots Really Help You See Better? Here's What Science Says

Mom always said eating carrots would boost your eyesight. Was she right?

Carrots are a good source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), a nutrient that's essential for healthy eyes, according to a new video from the American Chemical Society's Reactions series (above).

But you can get add the vitamin A you need from peas, spinach, mangoes, and other foods--even cheese. So why are carrots often singled out?

The answer to that question dates back to World War II, when the Brits were trying hard to keep new radar technology a secret from the enemy.

"This fancy new radar system gave pilots a huge advantage," Chad Jones, a chemist and host of the Collapsed Wavefunction podcast, says in the video. "To keep the advantage a secret, the British Royal Air Force started a rumor that their pilots ate lots of carrots to help them see the enemy better at night."

Now you see how it is.