Why do we peel carrots?

Question

So I was sitting there, looking down at my counter, realizing that I probably had a good carrot or two of shavings just going to waste. (well, I'll compost it, but it's non-food at that point).

Is there any reason we peel carrots and don't just give them a good scrubbing? I mean, the scrubbing works for potatoes (so long as they're not green under the skin), and carrots grow in dirt, too. I don't think it's a pesticide issue, as we did it growing up, and I don't think we cared about pesticides back then.

I admit that sometimes there's odd crooks that might be harder to scrub dirt out of, but is there something fundamental that I'm missing here?

Answer

I find when cooked, the skin retains a bit of bitterness and toughness, so in desserts, juices or when shaved/julienned , I'm inclined to peel them. In fast salads, quick application, I usually don't bother.

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