The Weird And Unusual Way Fruits, Veggies, And Nuts Look Before They’re Harvested
We all have certain fruits and vegetables that we don't like. It's human nature. Would knowing the way something looks while it is growing or just before being harvested change your opinion about it?
It would still taste the same, of course, but did you know that asparagus grows out of the ground like fingers, or that Brussel sprouts can grow really tall? Before you prepare your next meal, take a look at what these foods looked like before they hit the grocery store shelves.
Sesame Seeds Come In Creepy Pods
Sesame seeds are a robust crop, which means that they can grow in hostile conditions and they don't need a lot of tending to. It has even been known to grow in deserts where no other crops have been able to survive.
It is thought that Sesame was domesticated up to 5500 years ago in places like Babylon and Assyria. In Assyria, they believed that the gods drank Sesame wine before they created the world, and in Ancient Egypt, it was considered a medicinal drug.
Broccoli Grows From A Really Pretty Flower
Broccoli is actually a man-made vegetable. It was bred from the cabbage plant to create something that tasted better and was more appealing. But, broccoli is also really old. It is estimated that the selective breeding of cabbage started in the sixth century BC. It wasn't popular in North America until the 1920s.
It grows best in climates that are a little bit cooler and grows from seeds. It takes between 60-150 days for a broccoli head to be ready for picking.
Quinoa Is Actually A Super Pretty Flower
Quinoa is a superfood that has become super popular as a replacement for things like pasta and rice. But, quinoa isn't actually a grain, it's a seed and it's closely related to beets and spinach.
It has all nine essential amino acids, which make it a complete protein all on its own. Even though it has recently become popular for those of us who want to make healthy choices, quinoa has been part of our diets for over 4,000 years.
Ginger Kind Of Looks Like Feet
Though it may look like a root, ginger is actually a rhizome. A rhizome is an underground plant stem that creates the shoot and root system of new plants. It originated in the tropical forests of the Indian subcontinent and Southern Asia.
It is one of the world's best known and most used plants. It's been used for centuries as a medicine and for spices. It is believed to be an anti-inflammatory and it's also believed taking ginger with other herbs helps them be more effective.
Artichokes Look Like Alien Flowers
Artichokes come from the Mediterranean. They showed up in North America in the 1800s thanks to European Immigrants. They were first grown in Louisiana, and then later in California where the climate was ideal for cultivation.
If an artichoke isn't picked, it dies and blooms into a flower, which is also edible. Artichokes have a variety of uses. They are made into hot and cold dishes, dips, and even used in teas.
Agar Is Actually Algae
Agar is a jack of all trades and can be used for many different things. It can be used as a thickening agent of soups, a vegetarian alternative to gelatine, a clarifying agent for brewing, and even for sizing papers and fabrics. It's even become popular as a weight-loss technique since consuming it makes the eater feel more full.
It is created using two types of algae that are pliable and have desirable melting and solidifying temperature rates.
Dates Grow By The Masses On Trees
Dates come from the date palm tree, which is probably the most ancient cultivated tree in the world. It has been used in the Middle East and North Africa for 5000 years. They grow best in hot climates, so they are commonly seen in the Middle East, the Canary Islands, South Asia, Southern California, and Southern Florida.
Dates are a good source of vitamins and minerals, energy, fiber, and sugars. They've been shown to help regulate cholesterol, help with bone health, and promote skin and brain health.
Asparagus Grow Right Out Of The Ground And Look Like Creepy Fingers
Asparagus is a distant relative of the onion and has been consumed for over 2000 years. As a garden plant, it originated in the Mediterranean, but it has been known to grow in the wild in places like Africa.
It can grow to be up to 59 inches tall! They have thick stalks that have little needles on them, and, if left long enough, will grow tiny bell-shaped flowers.
Brussel Sprouts Are Super Tall
Brussel sprouts are part of the cabbage family and are named after the city of Brussel in Belgium. We began growing them in North America in the 18th century when French settlers brought them to Louisiana.
A Brussel sprout stalk can grow to be 47 inches high. One stalk can produce up to 2 pounds of Brussel sprouts per harvest. They do best in cooler temperatures and will eventually grow beautiful yellow flowers if kept for more than one season.
Olives Come From Some Ancient Looking Trees
Olives are a fruit and originate on the coast of the Mediterranean sea. The trees grow into a crown-like shape and can be up to 49 feet tall. Olive flowers are white and bloom after four years, but the first harvest of olives don't grow for fifteen years!
The olive tree can live to be up to 2000 years old, but the average life of an olive tree is between 300 and 600 years.
Cinnamon Is Actually Bark From A Tree
Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka and is the dried bark of a lushes tropical tree. The tree is very small, reaching only 30 feet in height. The leaves are long and oval-shaped, and can grow yellow and white flowers that actually smell pretty bad.
Cinnamon is believed to help manage diabetes, help with brain function, improve digestion and boost the immune system. It is also a rich source of Vitamin K.
Wasabi Is A Weird Worm-Looking Root Vegetable
The wasabi plant is actually really hard to grow. It comes from the horseradish family and has been around since the Jomon period (14,000 BC to 400 BC). It was used at one time for medical treatments.
It grows naturally along riverbeds and is one of the most expensive crops on the planet. It costs about $160 for every two pounds of wasabi harvested. It has become popular in North America because of the growing love of sushi.
Cashews Are A Small Part Of A Huge Fruit
Cashews grow best in warm, humid climates like in India, Brazil, and Vietnam. They grow on weirdly-shaped trees with long, thin branches that are very frost-sensitive. The leaves grow in spiral shapes and the flowers are small and often pink in color.
The cashew is a 'false fruit', which means that it doesn't grow from the flower of the plant. The cashew apple is edible and is often very sweet.
Leeks Have Purple Blooms That Look They Come From A Dr. Suess Book
Leeks are thought to be native to Central Asia and have been cultivated throughout Europe for thousands of years. They have been a prized piece of produce among the Romans and Greeks because of the benefits it has for our throats. It was believed to make someone's voice stronger and clearer.
They are easy to grow from seeds and thrive in a variety of climates. They have numerous health benefits including helping with eyesight, keeping clear and healthy skin, lowering blood pressure and improving kidney function.
Pineapples Grow In The Middle Of A Bush
It takes almost three years for a pineapple plant to reach maturation. The fruit actually starts as a bunch of individual berries that grow together as the plant matures. Once a pineapple is harvested, it stops ripening. The differences in color usually come from the region it was grown, not necessarily the ripeness of it.
In some places, pineapple is used to make wines! It is also commonly used to break down meats because of the Bromelain in the fruit.
Cranberries Are Harvested From Bogs
Cranberries are cultivated throughout North America and Chile. They've been a staple in Canada for the Native population as far back as the 1550s. Cultivated cranberries were developed in the last 100 years, making it the youngest domesticated fruit.
They grow in low shrubs and vines with slender stems and tiny fruits. They have small pink flowers that generally come out in June to be pollinated by bees. They grow in bogs that are flooded when it's time to harvest to make the berries easy to get to.
Pistachios Grow On Trees And Actually Start Yellow
Pistachios are members of the cashew family and are edible seeds from the cashew plant. They are native to central Asia and the Middle East. They are hardy trees and can thrive in a variety of different climates and now grow in places all over the world.
The tree can live to be 150 years old and can have branches that grow to be up to nine feet in height. Each pistachio tree averages about 110 pounds of seed every year.
Pomegranates Grown On Tress Because They Need To Be Dramatic
Pomegranates are native to the Middle East and their name means apple with many seeds even though they belong to the berry family. They grow on small trees that can live to be over 200 years old. They have glossy leaves and bright red flowers, not unlike the color of the fruit.
A pomegranate has between 200 to 1400 seeds when it is picked. It's well-loved for being an antioxidant, with antiviral properties.
Eggplants Are Technically Berries?
Botanically speaking, eggplants are berries, but it's considered a veggie in the culinary world because it isn't as sweet and is sometimes even used as a meat substitute. They were called eggplants because the fruit of early cultivators was yellow or white making them resemble a goose egg.
Eggplants are very good for you because of how rich they are in vitamins and minerals, but the eggplant was first introduced as the "mad apple." They believed that anyone who ate it would go insane.
Coffee Is A Pretty Flower That Turns Into Colorful Beans
It is thought that coffee was discovered by a goat herder in Ethiopia who noticed that his goats were especially energetic after eating the berries from the coffee plants.
The largest coffee producers in the world are Brazil, Vietnam, and Columbia. The coffee beans are actually the seeds of the coffee fruit and are very similar to cherries. Inside each berry are two coffee beans that sit side-by-side.
