Food is one of our basic necessities and it is said to have the most diverse ecosystem. We eat varied foods to keep ourselves healthy. Be it nourishment or medicinal requirements, they fulfill all kinds of necessities. If we start exploring, it might take years to cover all of them. And the list is unending, from the variety of fruits and vegetables to seeds, herbs, meat and what not. If food items are combined in the right quantity and cooked perfectly, they can give out a delicious outcome. Several experiments have been done with food and the results have always shocked us. Either they turn out to be very delicious or they can ruin your day. But at the end, food is essential for survival.
Here are ten surprising facts about food that will definitely blow your mind.
1. Strawberries Are Not Berries
Yes, you read it right. Strawberry is not a berry at all, they are called a ‘false fruit’. It comes out of a flower which has more than one ovary and they actually consist of multiple tiny fruits that are embedded in a fleshy receptacle. On the other hand, berries arise from flowers that has only one ovary and also have seeds inside the fruit.
2. Avocados Are Plucked Green
This fruit does not ripe on the tree, rather they are plucked green. The ripening process starts after they are harvested. If avocados are left in the tree for too long then the oil inside the fruit will turn rancid and it will naturally fall from the tree. In order to speed up the ripening process, they can be kept in brown paper bag with an apple or banana for two to three days.
3. Fresh Cranberries Go Through Bounce Test
These beautiful and tangy fruits are used in lots of dishes. But did you know, they have to go through a bounce test to prove their freshness? It is said that the more a berry can bounce when dropped from a bit of height on the floor, the firmer and appetizing it will taste. It is due to the tiny air pockets cranberries have.
4. Pure Honey Can Last Up to 3000 Years
Pure honey is low in water and high on sugar that prevents bacteria to grow on it. This makes the shelf life of sweet syrup longer than any one can imagine. It is due to the plant nectar that the bees use to make honey. In 2015, archaeologists found 3000-year-old honey sample that was said to be still edible.
5. Bananas Are Berries
Bananas grow from a flower that has single ovary. They also have soft skin, fleshy middle and small seeds that make it a berry. Hence, it can be considered both a berry as well as a fruit. Another interesting fact is that cucumber, kiwi, avocado and pumpkin also fall in the class of berries.
6. Mushrooms Cannot Be Overcooked
The special feature of this healthy food item that it cannot be overcooked. This is because of their cell wall which is made up of a polymer called chitin. This polymer is very heat-stable that prevents it from overcooking. They remain firm and tender even after prolonged cooking.
7. White Chocolate Is Not Actual Chocolate
Shocked right? It is because they do not contain any cocoa particle. White chocolate is actually made up of a blend of sugar, milk products, vanilla and cocoa butter. It contains no chocolate solids, so next time you eat it, remember, it is not an actual chocolate.
Food has never missed any chance to surprise us and there is still a lot left to be discovered. Do share it with your friends and let us know how many of them were you aware of.
