Did you know that you can taste garlic without even eating it? If you rub a clove of garlic on your feet, you’ll taste it in about 15 minutes! It’s a weird trick that actually works, although it might just be a placebo effect.
Want to get more juice out of a lemon? Just warm it up in the microwave. The heat softens the membranes inside, making the juice flow more freely. Also, there’s a fruit called the keppel fruit that can make your sweat smell like violets. How cool is that?
The first vegetable grown in space was a potato! NASA managed to grow five small potatoes, and who knows, maybe one day we’ll be eating space French fries. Speaking of watery foods, did you know that watermelons, tomatoes, and celery are mostly water? Even potatoes are 80% water, which helps them absorb and reflect Wi-Fi and radio signals.
Oranges aren’t always orange! In subtropical regions, the climate isn’t cold enough to break down the chlorophyll, so the peel stays yellow or greenish. These oranges are often treated with ethylene gas to turn them orange. And if you want to know if cranberries are tasty, drop them! They bounce because of tiny air pockets inside. The higher they bounce, the better they are.
If you love beef, you might be surprised to learn that pumpkin seeds and broccoli have more protein per calorie than any meat. Also, almonds are often mistaken for nuts, but they’re actually seeds with a fruity layer, like a peach.
Your morning coffee is actually made from stewed fruit! Coffee beans are berries, so you’re basically drinking a berry juice. If you cry while cutting onions, try rinsing your knife with cold water or chilling the onion first. And did you know there are two types of baby carrots? Some are picked early, while others are trimmed adult carrots.
Some people think eating certain veggies like lettuce and celery burns more calories than they contain, but that’s not true. They still have a few calories, and digesting them uses only about half a calorie. Also, if you heard that cucumber skin can be used as an eraser, don’t try it—it’ll ruin your notebook!
When you eat a lollipop, you’re actually just swallowing flavored saliva. The world’s largest lollipop weighed over 7,000 pounds! And here’s a fun fact: scientists can turn peanut butter into diamonds by extracting oxygen from carbon dioxide and putting the remaining carbon under intense pressure.
If you buy grated cheese, check the label. If it says it contains cellulose, it means there’s wood pulp in it to prevent clumping. And if you think you’re buying wasabi at the supermarket, it’s probably just horseradish with extra flavorings and colorants. True wasabi is hard to make!
Ranch dressing is usually white because producers add titanium oxide, the same thing used in sunscreen. And your favorite fruit candies might be shiny because they’re covered with carnauba wax, which is also used to make cars shine.
Peaches and nectarines are basically the same fruit. If the fluffiness gene is dominant, you get peaches; if not, you get smooth nectarines. Apples taste better when sliced because exposure to oxygen activates an enzyme that helps them ripen. And if you’re into white chocolate, it’s not real chocolate—it’s just a mix of sugar, milk, vanilla, and cocoa butter.
Did you know ketchup was once used as medicine? Doctors believed tomatoes had medicinal properties. And chipotle peppers are just dried and smoked jalapeños.
Honey never expires, even if you don’t store it in the fridge. It has a low pH and lots of sugar, which prevents spoilage. And those red candies and lipsticks? They’re colored with carmine, made from cochineal beetles.
Strawberries and raspberries aren’t true berries because their seeds are on the outside. True berries, like grapes and tomatoes, have seeds inside. To ripen a banana fast, put it in a plastic bag with an apple or tomato, which produce ethylene gas that helps ripen other fruits.
Farm-raised salmon are actually white, but they’re dyed pink to look like their wild counterparts. There’s even a story about a cannery labeling their white salmon as “guaranteed not to turn pink in the can” to sell them!
Try the garlic trick! Rub a clove of garlic on your feet and see if you can taste it after 15 minutes. Discuss with your classmates whether you think it’s a placebo effect or if there’s a scientific explanation behind it.
Bring some cranberries to class and test their bounce. Drop them from different heights and observe which ones bounce the highest. Discuss why you think the air pockets inside make them bounce and how this relates to their quality.
Research more about the vegetables grown in space. Create a poster or presentation about the challenges and benefits of growing food in space. Share your findings with the class and discuss the future of space farming.
Conduct an experiment to ripen bananas quickly. Place a banana in a plastic bag with an apple or tomato and observe the changes over a few days. Record your observations and discuss the role of ethylene gas in fruit ripening.
Choose a food myth mentioned in the article, such as the calorie-burning effect of celery or the use of cucumber skin as an eraser. Investigate the truth behind the myth and present your findings to the class. Discuss why these myths might have started and how they can be debunked.
Garlic – A plant related to the onion, used in cooking and medicine, known for its strong smell and taste. – Garlic has natural antibacterial properties that can help boost the immune system.
Lemon – A yellow citrus fruit known for its sour taste, often used in cooking and as a source of vitamin C. – The vitamin C in lemon juice can help protect cells from damage and support the immune system.
Potato – A starchy tuber that is a staple food in many parts of the world, rich in carbohydrates and vitamins. – Potatoes are a good source of vitamin C and potassium, which are important for maintaining healthy body functions.
Protein – A nutrient made of amino acids that is essential for building and repairing tissues in the body. – Proteins are crucial for muscle growth and repair, making them important for athletes and active individuals.
Almond – A type of nut that is high in healthy fats, protein, and vitamin E. – Eating almonds can provide a good source of energy and help maintain healthy skin due to their vitamin E content.
Onion – A vegetable with a pungent taste and smell, often used in cooking for flavor and health benefits. – Onions contain antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation and lower the risk of chronic diseases.
Cucumber – A long, green vegetable with a refreshing taste, often eaten raw in salads. – Cucumbers are mostly water, making them a hydrating and low-calorie snack option.
Fruit – The edible part of a plant that contains seeds, often sweet and consumed as food. – Eating a variety of fruits provides essential vitamins and minerals that support overall health.
Honey – A sweet substance made by bees from flower nectar, often used as a natural sweetener. – Honey has antibacterial properties and can be used to soothe a sore throat.
Salmon – A type of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, known for its health benefits. – Eating salmon can support heart health due to its high content of omega-3 fatty acids.
