10 things you didn’t know about food
Has a conversation gone a little quiet, is your date not much of a talker, or do you want to steer a conversation away from a difficult subject towards something lighter? Almost no one knows these weird food facts. Do you?
Clear head
Two cups of hot chocolate are good for your memory. That’s the conclusion of a Harvard study. The effect of whipped cream and rum wasn’t investigated, but if it does no good, it does no harm, right?
Dark chocolate
The first chocolate bar was made in 1910. It’s incredibly healthy, as they already knew back then: dark chocolate (with at least 70% cocoa) helps lower your cholesterol, improves your eyesight and reduces stress.
Food of the gods
Did you know that the name ‘nectarine’ means: as sweet as nectar? And nectar is the food of the gods, according to Greek mythology. Research shows that the first peaches were picked in China two thousand years ago; they were first eaten in Europe at the end of the sixteenth century.
A rose, by any other name
Raspberries belong to the rose family. Just like cherries, apricots, plums, pears, apples, quinces, peaches, strawberries and blackberries. They all have flowers with five identical petals, around a yellow, white or green centre.
Ripe raspberry
Most fruit continues to ripen in the fruit bowl. One exception: raspberries. You have to pick them as ripe as possible – and then eat them as quickly as possible. Delicious!
Broccoli out the door
‘I am now president of the United States, and therefore I never have to eat broccoli again.’ A famous president said that. Who do you think it was? Trump? No, it was George Bush Jr.
An apple rather than a cup of coffee
Believe it or not, if you hit an afternoon slump, you’re better off eating an apple than drinking a cup of coffee. Thanks to its carbohydrates, fibre, vitamin C and minerals, an apple gives you an instant energy boost.
Bring on the sprout
Not everyone likes Brussels sprouts, but perhaps you’ll think differently once you know that sprouts are true power food. Move over quinoa, step aside chia seeds, because sprouts beat you all. They’re packed with vitamins and minerals, contain almost no calories, zero cholesterol and are wonderfully filling.
Two pieces of fruit
Pistachios are actually fruit. The nuts you snack on (and those shells you nearly break your nails on) are found inside a fruit, which is removed. They grow in clusters on a tree, just like grapes. There are male and female pistachio trees, and only the female trees produce those delicious nuts.
Avocados are berries
Here’s another one: avocados are actually berries. In Spain, avocados are called ‘alligator pears’, because of their shape and green, bumpy skin.
Read also:
- Restaurant staff reveal: these are the strangest orders ever
- 7 tips: how to avoid disappointment with mandarins
- 7 remarkable facts about Coca-Cola: did you know these already?
Source: EatFirst
