Take a look of what I found for you today. Sometimes it's good to be reminded how important it is to make good food choices and realizing what we actually eat and feed our bodies.
Here are some fun and interesting food facts that will blow your mind. We hope you enjoy reading about some of these random and interesting facts about food as much as we did putting them together.
Dark chocolate
Chocolate was first seen in bar form around 1910. Dark chocolate is made from the roasted beans of the cacao tree and has many health benefits. From improving bad cholesterol to lowering blood pressure, helping to reduce stress and improving vision, it’s definitely worth eating a square or two a day. A study by Harvard also found that drinking two cups of hot chocolate a day prevented memory decline. Drink up!
As sweet as nectar
Did you know that the word ‘nectarine’ means sweet like nectar and this is most likely the origin of the name. Studies have suggested that nectarines, like peaches originated in China over 2,000 years ago and were introduced to England in the late 16th or early 17th centuries.
Nutritionally, nectarines are a high source of Vitamin C and A and are abundant in antioxidants. They aid in weight loss, help regulate blood pressure levels and overall good health. They also help improve immunity and heart health.
Raspberries are a member of the rose family
As are cherries, apricots, plums, pears, apples, quinces, peaches, strawberries, and blackberries. These types of fruits typically have flowers with five equal petals arranged around a central core. Unlike many other fruits, once picked, unripe raspberries do not ripen.
Broccoli contains more protein than steak
Former President George W Bush may have once famously proclaimed: “I’m president of the United States and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli,” but don’t listen to him! Besides the usual nutrition one gets from eating their greens, broccoli has a great deal of protein. Calorie for calorie, there is more protein in broccoli than steak. And it doesn’t come with all those saturated and trans fats or cholesterol, so you can get all the protein you need with a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease with this healthy food.
Apples give you more energy than coffee
The coffee snobs may not don’t want to believe it, but it’s true. If you’re ever a little low on energy during the afternoon, then consider munching into an apple instead of buying a cup of coffee. Thanks to its high carbohydrate, fiber, vitamin C and mineral content, eating apples are the perfect (and healthy) option to help you stay energized all day.The world’s most hated vegetable is one of the best for you
Brussels sprouts may be the most hated vegetable, but it’s among the most nutritious veggies out there. It’s packed full of vitamins and minerals, has virtually no calories, no fat, no cholesterol, and it fills you up!
Pecans are rich with antioxidants
Here are more fun food facts you might find interesting about pecans. We don’t know anyone who eat pecans on a regular basis, but did you know that they are one of the most antioxidant rich nuts out there? Eat up!
Pistachios are actually fruits
Another unbelievable-but-true random fact! They are actually the seeds of a fruit (the outer fruit is removed during processing). Like other ‘nuts’, pistachios are a rich source of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals, which can help people with weight management, protect against diabetes and hypertension and improve digestion. The omega-3 fatty acids present in pistachios can help lower your blood pressure and may also reduce your risk of heart disease.
Caesar salad originated from a Mexican city
Bet you didn’t know this. We sure didn’t! The Caesar salad started in a Mexican city called Tijuana. Restaurateur Chef Caesar Cardini was hosting a 4th of July celebration. He ran out of food, and simply threw the ingredients he had lying around the kitchen into a unique salad. Obviously, it was a huge success.
Another weird and fun fact we bet you didn’t know, but the Caesar dressing is actually supposed to be a vinaigrette. It is made by combining minced garlic and anchovies into a bowl, which is than mixed with raw egg. Olive oil is progressively added to the mixture and the remaining ingredients (lime juice, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard) are added in. The resulting hue of the dressing should be yellow, not the fake white version you commonly find in supermarkets.
Avocados are fruit
Avocados are classified as a berry with a large seed. Avocados must be picked when matured in order to ripen, which can take between 1-2 weeks. In Spain and Mexico, avocados are called “alligator pears” due to their shape and bumpy, green skin, while in India and China, they are referred to as “butter pears”. This healthy food is good for you too! They're a great source of vitamin C, E, K, and B-6.
SPAM
We’re not talking about the unsolicited emails you get, but that mysterious meat in a can. Ever wondered what it means? It’s short for ‘Spiced Ham’
Hot dogs
It’s not clear where the hot dog originated from. Some say it was invented in the Austrian city of Vienna by two Austro-Hungarian immigrants who took the recipe with them when they left for Chicago. Others say that it originated from Frankfurt, Germany, while another state that a butcher from Coburg, Germany, invented the hot dog in the late 1600s.
In any case, Americans eat approximately 20 million hot dogs a year, especially during baseball games. About 18.5 million hot dogs were consumed during the 2015 Major League Baseball season!
Water
Drinking enough water every day can help you lose weight, helps reduce heart disease and cancer and helps flush toxins out of your body. Keeping your body hydrated can also help reduce cavities and tooth decay. At work, ensure you drink enough water as it will help you stay focused and concentrate on mental tasks.
Peanut butter is good for you
Studies have shown that eating peanut butter can help lower cholesterol, aid in weight loss and prevent type 2 diabetes. Bet you didn't know this either, but peanut butter glows in the dark after it's exposed to intense light!
Peanut butter can also be made to make diamonds! How, you ask? Well, simply put, you must recreate the conditions of the lower mantle or Earth for weeks to create a 2-3mm wide diamond. So that’s only about 2,2000 degrees Celsius… On second thought, it may not be a great new business venture, but it’s still an interesting fact.
Jelly beans
Love jelly beans? Here are some random but fun food facts about jelly beans. Did you know it can take 7 to 21 days to make a jelly bean? There are approximately 130 calories and about 37 grams of sugar in 35 jelly beans and Very Cherry was the most popular flavor for two decades until 1998, when Buttered Popcorn became the most popular flavor.
The many uses of cucumbers
If your bathroom mirrors fog up all the time after a hot shower, rub a cucumber slice along the mirror. It will eliminate the mist and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance. If you’ve written something in pen and made a mistake, the outside waxy coating of the cucumber can also be used to erase pen writing! Fun fact: did you know that cucumbers are 96% water?
Bananas are berries... and strawberries aren't!
Bananas are actually classified as berries, while strawberries are members of the rose family.
Here are some seriously cool facts about bananas!
Bananas can float in water
Bananas can help improve your mood and lower blood pressure
Rubbing the inside of a banana peel on a mosquito bite can help keep it from itching
Humans share about 50% of their DNA with bananas!
Crazy right?!
The stickers on fruit are… edible!
The stickers that are placed on our favorite fruit are actually fine to eat. Now you don’t have to freak out when you accidentally take a chomp of one!
Although, just because they are ok to eat, doesn’t mean you should eat them.
The story of the sandwich
This lunch time classic is said to have been invented by the Earl of Sandwich. An avid gambler, John Montagu was on a 24-hour streak and did not want to leave his table. He wanted to eat without having to put his cards down… thus the sandwich was born!
One small step for man, one giant leap for…. sandwiches?
Another fun fact about sandwiches is that one has been smuggled into space!
Astronaut John Young smuggled a corned beef sandwich onto his spacecraft for a six-hour mission. The sandwich didn’t go too well in zero gravity conditions and could have actually had grave consequences. Floating crumbs or debris could have caused serious damage to the shuttle, but luckily they returned unharmed. NASA have since taken steps to ensure no sandwich goes into space again.
Green, yellow and red capsicums are not the same vegetable
The different colored capsicums are not always from the same plant. Although some green capsicums are just unripe red capsicums, the yellow, orange and even red capsicums are all unique plants with their own seeds.
Got any other fun, interesting or just plain weird and random food facts? Share them with us!
There are so many health benefits to fresh fruit and vegetables!
9 Amazing Advantages Of Early Dinner You Should Know
'Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper''
Happy Monday everyone!!! A famous quote known to most of us
But, most of us follow this quote in reverse, i.e., we breakfast like a pauper, lunch like a prince, and dine like a king. Nowadays, everyone is busy in their life, and don’t have time to pay attention to health. Because of this, people are suffering from several diseases. However, irregular timing of food consumption results in some severe health issues, especially for those who take their dinner late at night. Fortunately, if we slightly change our dinner time, we can get magical changes in our health. Advantages of early dinner are undoubtedly going to surprise you.
Let’s touch upon one aspect of yogic lifestyle; having your dinner within half an hour of the sunset! Early Dinner Is Secret to Healthier Lifestyle
Let’s explore the advantages of early dinner.
1. Better Sleep Quality
Sleep quality will be much better. Since there is a gap of 2-2.5 hours between our last meal and our sleep, the primary digestion has already taken place, and the digestive system won’t be working overtime during sleep. Hence, the digestive system gets much-required rest. Moreover, this practice also reduces oversleeping. The bodily systems work less, get the required rest, and thus need less time to recuperate and work more efficiently.
2. Weight Loss
This practice helps reduce weight loss and triggers the metabolism. There have been several studies that have proven the above-stated fact. This practice automatically leads to Intermittent Fasting. During the state of fasting, the body fulfills its energy demands from the stored body fat instead of the glucose in the fed state. Therefore, metabolism is triggered, which leads to better weight management. It is also found to be especially beneficial for diabetic patients. Intermittent Fasting has been proven to provide a host of benefits including a better immune system and cellular regeneration & repair.
3. Relief from Constipation
If you are suffering from constipation, this practice should improve your chances for a better dump significantly. A properly rested digestive system leads to a much with healthier excretory system. This practice would also help people fighting with flatulence.
4. Feel Energetic
You feel lighter and more energetic in the morning. There is less trouble waking up. You wake up early and utilize the most productive time of the day. Your workout session or your yoga practice; all activities will be more fruitful and productive.
5. Better Appetite.
You will not be skipping the most important meal of the day, i.e., breakfast for sure. Moreover, your overall appetite becomes more balanced. As stated earlier, the age-old proverb says breakfast like a king, have lunch like a commoner and dine like a pauper. This advice is excellent one for healthy dietary habits.
6. Relief from acid reflux
When we eat just before bedtime, it can trigger acid reflux, i.e., burning sensation near the chest region. Research proves that people who take their dinner 3 hours before sleep have the least possibility with this problem.
7. Minimize the risk of heart attack
Out of all the advantages of early dinner, this is a crucial one. In general, when we sleep, our blood pressure is decreased by nearly 10%, which allows our body to rest. In the morning, before we wake up, it begins to increase. This pattern repeats daily. When we take dinner just before bedtime, this pattern gets disturbed and impacts your blood pressure. As blood pressure remains at a high level, there are more chances of a heart attack. Taking dinner early (3 hours before bed) decreases the risk of heart attack significantly.
8. Lower the Risk of Diabetes
Having early dinner can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. This diabetes can occur when our body cannot use insulin properly. When we eat 2-3 hours before sleep, our body utilizes insulin properly, by converting our food to glucose. Hence, by maintaining proper insulin level, the risk of diabetes decreases.
9. Decrease the Risk of Cancer
People who take their dinner just before bedtime had 15% more chance of prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women. That means you can reduce the risk of cancer by 15% by just eating dinner earlier.
Implementation
Regardless of the vast health benefits of the above practice, it might not be practical for a lot of people because of work-related issues, etc. Hence, they should at least try to avoid carbohydrates after sunset; this, too, would be highly beneficial. Excess of carbs in the diet leads to a host of problems, including early aging and wrinkles. Consequently, alternatives to carbs at dinner are seasonal vegetables and fruits, soups, lentils, buttermilk, etc. While it takes a little bit of doing in the initial days, this practice is worth it. However, most of us do not eat when hungry, but when we think we are hungry.
There has been a lot of research on this subject in a lot of western and eastern countries. Most results show this practice in a very favorable light. It seems like yogis of the yore knew about the benefits and hence propagated this practice.
I strongly encourage you to incorporate this into your life as much as possible.
Below are some of the benefits of consuming pineapples
Help in building and strengthen immunity
Apart from pineapples containing so many nutrients, they can also help in strengthening the immunity of a person. The nutrients and minerals such as bromelain may increase immunity.
Helps fight inflammation
Pineapples are rich in anti-inflammatory properties that help in fighting inflammation. The anti-inflammatory compounds in pineapples also help to strengthen immunity, so if your body is prone to infections, you might as well consider eating pineapples every day.
Aids in quick recovery after surgery
After surgery, some people may tend to have inflamed skin, especially around the wound. If the skin or wound is inflamed, it might take longer for the wound to heal. Pineapples might come in handy after surgery since they are rich in anti-inflammatory properties. Eating pineapples in plenty might help in fast recovery.
Ease symptoms of arthritis
People who have arthritis are affected with inflammation on the joints. Pineapples have an anti-inflammatory property that aids in easing arthritis symptoms such as inflammation on the joints
Known Side effects of eating pineapples
Eating pineapples is the best thing you can do to your body. Pineapples are very easily accessible just as we had mentioned earlier. The known side effect of eating pineapples in large amounts is that they can cause a tingling feeling on the tongue, which can be very uncomfortable. You should take less of pineapples but in intervals in a day. Just make sure that you take a pineapple a day. You can take them in the morning or at any other time of the day. Pineapples are also very delicious so you can also give them to your children.
