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15 Enchanting Facts About Carambola

Carambola, or star fruit, is one of the exotic fruits that is a traditional food for people in Indonesia, Thailand, India, and other countries of Southeast Asia.

  1. The fruit has several names – starfruit, carom, star apple, tropical star. Several names of the fruit are associated with the star, and all because in the context of the slices of carambola are very similar to five-pointed stars.
  2. Fruits grow on low evergreen trees of the oxalis family, which reach a height of 3-5 m. The leaves of the tree are acacia-like, reaching 30 cm in length.
  3. The fruits are crispy and juicy, with an unusual oblong shape, with growths like sharp ribs. Ripe fruits are amber-yellow in color, up to 15 cm in length. Inside there are seeds that look like pumpkin seeds.
  4. Carambola is eaten with the peel. The fruit tastes like a combination of apple, citrus, grape, and pear.
  5. Carambola is divided into 2 types: sweet with large fruits up to 12 cm in length, and sour, with small fruits and sharper edges of the ribs.
  6. Carambola varieties differ in their taste. Some resemble a combination of an apple with grapes, a plum with a gooseberry, or a rose apple. There are several main varieties of this plant.
  7. The leaves of the tree curl up like the wings of a butterfly when they lack light or are touched.
  8. The carambola flowers have a very original taste; they are used as seasonings for salads. The unripe fruits are used as vegetables, and a delicious stew is obtained from stewed green star fruit.
  9. In India, the fruit is used as an effective hangover cure. Residents of Sri Lanka clean hard-to-remove stains from tissues with fruit juice.
  10. Green fruits are used to whiten dentures due to a large amount of oxalic acid.
  11. The leaves of the plant are similar in taste to spinach, they are actively used in cooking, especially in India.
  12. Fruit juice perfectly quenches thirst on hot days.
  13. Unripe fruits in Thailand are used as a shine for brass and copper products.
  14. Fruits contain a lot of vitamins C, A, and group B, they contain sodium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, magnesium, ascorbic acid, and fiber. The fruit is very useful and has medicinal properties.
  15. In the traditional medicine of warm countries, where the fruit comes from, carambola leaves, seeds, fruits, and flowers are used to treat many health problems.

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Food

10 Amazing Facts About Basils

Although the scope of its application is not as wide as it could be – all because of the powerful aroma of basil, which makes it unconditionally dominate in combination with delicate foods – where basil is appropriate, it literally transforms the dish, breathing new life into it. And of course, there are many other interesting facts to tell about the basilica.

  1. Basil comes from central and tropical Asia and Africa – according to one of the versions, we owe the origin of the basil to India. However, in the Mediterranean, basil grew extensively already in antiquity and is an integral part of Mediterranean cuisine.
  2. The name “basil” goes back to the Greek “royal”, “royal”. The Greeks believed that only the monarch himself, armed with a golden sickle, has the right to collect the basilica.
  3. In addition, the ancient Greeks, and with them, the Romans believed that basil would rise only if the sowers shouted curses and shouted wildly.
  4. In general, there are many superstitions associated with basil. For example, it was widely believed that a basil leaf, forgotten under an inverted bowl, after a while turns into a scorpion. Some even believed that sniffing basil would trigger a scorpion in the brain.
  5. It was also believed that Salome covered the severed head of John the Baptist in a pot of basil to hide the smell of decay. Let us also mention the terrible story told by Boccaccio about a girl who watered a pot of basil with her tears, in which the head of her lover was buried. Later, this story inspired the English poet John Keats to create the poem Isabella, or a pot of basil. However, it seems to me that the fault is not basil, but the overly violent and painful imagination of some creative personalities.
  6. However, the stories associated with the basil do not have to be chilling. In Italy, basil has always been considered a symbol of love, and in Romania, a young man who accepts a basil stalk as a gift from a girl agrees to be engaged. In Mexico, they believe that basil protects from the fact that the beloved will lay eyes on someone else, in Haiti, basil is generally considered a powerful amulet.
  7. A mixture of basil and rosemary is used as a salt substitute in a salt-free diet.
  8. Basil leaves are a valuable source of vitamin P-rutin and provitamin A. In addition, the aerial part of the plant is rich in essential oils, and therefore basil is widely used in medicine as an aphrodisiac and general tonic, to stimulate digestion and arouse appetite.
  9. Basil goes well with tomatoes and is one of the main ingredients of pesto, so a rare Italian dish does without basil.
  10. Basil is also famous for the fact that it suits almost any dish – fish, meat, vegetables. In addition, you can always add a spicy flavor to food by seasoning it with vinegar or olive oil infused with basil.
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Food

10 Amazing Facts About Beans

Beans are a unique plant that is grown almost all over the world. What do you know about Beans?

  1. Beans are a unique plant that is grown almost all over the world. The total cultivated area of beans reaches 130 million square kilometers worldwide. The USA grows the largest amount of soybeans.
  2. The largest volumes of peas and beans are grown in Russia.
  3. Beans are very rich in nutrients. In addition, beans contain several times more protein than other foods. Because of this, beans are used dry or fresh for feeding animals and nature in human nutrition.
  4. The bean fruit can be very different. Usually, all fruits differ from each other in size (slightly).
  5. There are beans that are woven, and there are those that are compact.
  6. Basically, the roots of beans run deep underground, which naturally allows you to enrich the soil with nutrients.
  7. The beans tolerate cold very well and germinate even at temperatures around 5 degrees. However, beans are very fond of moisture, so growing them in dry areas is problematic.
  8. Beans can be grown in front of almost any other plant, as beans saturate the soil with nutrients and minerals, which other plants do not.
  9. The beans can grow alone, but they can grow with other plants. For example, you can plant beans along with corn so they grow up better, and use corn as a base to curl more.
  10. You need to sow beans quite early, to a depth of about 5 centimeters. You need to harvest the beans when about 70-80% of the crop is dry. Only in this case, it will be possible to obtain the maximum yield from the entire plantation.
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Food

10 Amazing Facts About Luffa

Each gardener has a corner on his site where he grows plants not only for food and benefit but also for the soul. This is how liana became for me – luffa. It belongs to the pumpkin family. It grows wild in India and Africa. This is a herbaceous liana-like plant of enormous size, has a powerful root system, rounded-heart-shaped, pointed leaves. Flowers are dioecious, yellow, rather decorative.

  1. More common is the Egyptian luffa, known as cylindrical, or pumpkin. It is grown mainly for the production of sponges. Doctors believe that natural washcloths are the best remedy for a wellness massage. In cosmetology, they are also used as a mild peeling agent, as well as for the prevention and control of cellulite.
  2. Luffa acute-angled, or ribbed, is more often used for food. She is more early maturing. Young fruits are fragile, juicy, aromatic, starchy, contain vitamins, calcium salts, and phosphoric acid. It is consumed fresh, like cucumbers, soups, sauces are prepared, and fried in oil is served with meat dishes. Infusion of luffa fruits is used in folk medicine.
  3. The fruits of these types of loofah are different: in the “washcloth” – cylindrical up to 70 cm long, up to 15 cm thick; in acute-angled – ribbed, clavate or pear-shaped, 15-40 cm long, 5-8 cm thick. Seeds in fruits are flat, black, rarely white, with a firm dense skin that does not allow moisture to pass through for a long time. Therefore, before sowing, the seeds are soaked in warm water for 2-3 days, changing the water every day.
  4. Luffa among the pumpkin seeds is the most demanding for heat and humidity. The growing season (until the seeds are fully ripe) is 180-200 days. The optimum temperature for growth and development is 25-30C. At a temperature of + 10C, its growth slows down, the seeds do not germinate, so it is best to grow luffa through seedlings. 30-day-old plants are planted in a permanent location, such as a greenhouse or along with a net that wraps around an arch or veranda on the sunny side of the house.
  5. Luffa needs frequent watering, especially when growing leaves. Responds well to spraying. Over the summer, it is advisable to feed her 3-4 times with a solution of mullein or chicken droppings.
  6. In mid-latitudes, it is quite possible to provide yourself with washcloths from your own beds.
  7. To do this, leave 2-3 fruits on the plant. Under favorable conditions and correct agricultural practices, 3-5 large cylindrical luffa fruits and 6-8 sharp-ribbed luffa fruits can be obtained from each plant.
  8. How to make a Luffa? It’s not tricky either. It is necessary to dip the fruit in boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Then remove the peel, shake out the seeds and rinse well in soapy water. The natural washcloth is ready.
  9. And also, for a long time, seals for mechanisms, hats, shoes, mats, and soap have been made from fruits. Luffa was also appreciated by manufacturers of pet products because toys made from it are an excellent toothbrush for beloved pets.
  10. There is no doubt about the decorativeness of the washcloths. Yellow bell-shaped flowers look very beautiful against the background of green leaves. You can decorate a gazebo with a loofah liana, hide from inquisitive neighbors by planting it by the fence, or simply disguise some garden bed.
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Food

9 Amazing Facts About Broccoli

Broccoli is a very healthy and tasty cabbage that is given to babies as a complementary food and is called the “product of the 21st century.” Here are some interesting facts about this bright and beautiful cabbage.

  1. Broccoli is one of the oldest vegetables on earth. It did not exist in the wild: scientists found out that this variety of cabbage was bred in the 6-5 centuries BC. In the 1st century BC, the ancient Roman scientist Pliny wrote a description of broccoli, where he called it “a blessed plant.”
  2. Despite the fact that in ancient Rome broccoli was very popular, the rest of the world did not even know about its existence. After Rome, broccoli was recognized in ancient Greece – more than 2,000 years ago. Then, centuries later, broccoli came to Byzantium (modern Turkey), and from there it spread throughout the world.
  3. The name “broccoli” was popular only in Rome. In the rest of the world, it was called “Italian asparagus” – everywhere except in Germany. There they called the cabbage “Brown Copf” – brown head.
  4. Since then, more than 200 varieties of broccoli have been developed. Despite such a large number of species, only 6 varieties are mainly grown. And recently, scientists have created another variety, Beneforte – this broccoli contains three times more beneficial anti-cancer substances than ordinary cabbage.
  5. Broccoli is considered a negative calorie food. This is the name of foods, the digestion of which the body spends more calories than they contain. By the way, the calorie content of broccoli is very low: only 34 kcal per 100 grams.
  6. And that’s why broccoli is used for weight loss. It is a part of many diets. For example, recently broccoli has become very popular in America: more than 76,000 tons of this cabbage are eaten there a year!
  7. Moreover, this cabbage is very useful and contains almost all the substances the body needs. It is considered a superfood: broccoli contains a large amount of antioxidants, vitamins A, E, and C, PP and B group, many minerals, proteins, and carbohydrates.
  8. By the way, the proteins that are part of broccoli are compared with proteins of animal origin. In terms of their nutritional properties, they are practically equivalent, but they are much easier to digest.
  9. In order for the beneficial properties of broccoli not to be destroyed, it must be cooked correctly: it is best to steam the cabbage, lightly fry or bake it, eat it raw. You should not overcook broccoli: it should be damp, and tastier, and healthier.
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23 Amazing Facts About Peas

If you intend to grow peas, you will have to put in a lot of effort, as this plant can sometimes be quite moody and does not want to grow properly. However, everything is relative – if it were so difficult, peas would not be grown all over the world in incredible quantities. In addition, this plant is very valuable, and dishes from it can be found in the cuisines of various nations.

  1. The very concept of heredity in biology was discovered thanks to peas. The Austrian scientist Mendel studied this plant, and thanks to his research, heredity was discovered.
  2. As an experiment, peas were grown on the ISS in zero gravity.
  3. Farmers know that after peas, other crops grow very well in their former place. This is because the roots of this plant contain a lot of nitrogen, which is a valuable fertilizer. After harvesting the pea crop, the roots remain in the ground and rot, enriching the soil.
  4. Archaeologists have established that peas became the first cultivated plant that was grown by people thousands of years ago in Central Asia and the Middle East.
  5. Peas were part of wedding ceremonies among a number of peoples, in particular among the Poles.
  6. The starch obtained from it is used in the production of modern bioplastics.
  7. A thousand years ago, peas were the most widely grown crop in the British Isles.
  8. The ancient Chinese considered peas, not rice, to be a symbol of wealth and fertility.
  9. More than half of the world’s total pea crop is harvested in three countries – China, Russia, and Canada. But the leadership in its production is firmly held by the Chinese.
  10. In the Middle Ages, peas in Europe were as important a part of the diet as rice in Asia.
  11. At the end of the 19th and the first half of the 20th centuries, pea sausage, which was made from pea flour, bacon, and meat, was consistently included in the army’s diet.
  12. People have been eating peas since time immemorial, but the so-called “green peas”, that is, not yet ripe, began to be eaten about three hundred years ago.
  13. Peas are the seeds of peas. Strictly speaking, they do not belong to vegetables.
  14. There are seven types of peas in the world. There are much fewer kinds of beans, of which there are several hundred.
  15. Among all the vegetable crops used for food, peas are second only to lentils in terms of protein content. Beans are slightly inferior to him in this parameter.
  16. Archaeologists have discovered pea seeds in Switzerland, which are about 20 thousand years old.
  17. The protein content of peas is comparable to that of beef. True, this is a vegetable protein, not an animal protein, but it is useful and well absorbed.
  18. Eating peas regularly in moderation helps the body flush out excess bile and also reduces the risk of blood clots in the blood vessels.
  19. Common peas, the same ones that are grown in almost all countries, can grow up to two meters in height.
  20. It contains a huge amount of fiber, which helps to remove toxins and excess fluid from the body.
  21. When and where people first began to cultivate peas is not known for certain. But in Ancient China and Ancient India, he was already widely known. True, flour was usually made from it.
  22. The total harvest of peas around the world is about 15 million tons per year.
  23. Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, was fond of growing peas in his spare time. On his land, he cultivated about thirty varieties of this plant.

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12 Amazing Facts About Mustards

This is a favorite seasoning on our table, especially when combined with meat dishes. Its taste has been appreciated for a long time. It has not lost its popularity today. What do you know about Mustard?

  1. Mustard from the cabbage family (not to be confused with cabbage), which includes herbs, occasionally shrubs or shrubs.
  2. The Latin name Sinapis goes back to the Greek words meaning “harm to vision”: when the seeds are rubbed, lacrimation begins.
  3. A mustard seed does not exceed 1.1 mm in diameter, and a black mustard bush can reach 3 m in height.
  4. The first known mustard seasoning dates back to 42 AD.
  5. Mustard did not immediately become a food crop, at first, it was used as a medicine.
  6. Pope John XXII (13-14 centuries) added mustard to all dishes in a row.
  7. For German brides, a mustard seed is sewn into a veil for a lasting marriage.
  8. India is the largest mustard cultivation center.
  9. It is most popular in Europe.
  10. There are a couple of dozen varieties of Dijon mustard. But usually, by moutarde de Dijon they mean mustard on white wine.
  11. During Oktoberfest Germans pour Munich mustard on Bavarian sausages: it tastes fresh and can sweeten by adding caramel syrup.
  12. During cooking, the British add apple juice to it. Italians are coarsely chopped fruits. Americans make incredibly liquid mustard, to which they add a lot of sugar.
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11 Amazing Facts About Bulgarian Peppers

Let’s talk about bell pepper, its benefits, dietary properties, how much pepper you can eat per day and how to save it for the winter.

  1. Thanks to the large amount of B vitamins, it serves as a natural antidepressant, relieves stress, helps to get rid of insomnia and normalizes the nervous system.
  2. It contains the hormone of joy – just like chocolate. Only unlike chocolate, pepper will not add extra inches to your waist.
  3. Pepper improves memory.
  4. The pepper will help improve the condition of hair, skin and teeth.
  5. It thins the blood and prevents blood clots.
  6. It improves immunity due to the large amount of vitamin C – especially high in yellow bell peppers.
  7. It contains a lot of fiber, which removes toxins, toxins and bad cholesterol from the body.
  8. Yellow pepper contains a lot of potassium and iron, which are necessary for good heart function, and it also improves blood composition.
  9. Peppers are high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, making them ideal for dieters. There are even diets based on this vegetable that help you quickly shed those extra pounds. However, it is worth remembering that before any diet, it is imperative to consult a doctor so as not to harm the body.
  10. By the way, remember: many vitamins in pepper are fat-soluble, which means that the body simply cannot absorb them. If you are making a salad with fresh peppers, season it with vegetable oil.
  11. The most useful pepper is seasonally ripe. It can be saved for the winter by freezing in bags. Keep in mind that re-freezing destroys nutrients, so it’s best to freeze it in batches.
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13 Terrific Facts About Durian

Recently, various exotic fruits have begun to gain more and more popularity. At least those that can tolerate long-term transportation and storage. But there is one special fruit that has remained inaccessible to our fellow citizens.

  1. The durian fruit is a very unusual product that is gaining more and more popularity. He came to us from Asia, where it has been growing for several hundred years. The product is in great demand in South America, India, Malaysia.
  2. It is a fairly large ball, covered with spiny skin with spines. It has a unique composition, which includes a lot of useful elements necessary for human health.
  3. The main distinguishing feature of durian is an incredibly disgusting smell, because of which it rightfully ranks first in the ranking of the most unpleasant smelling products. However, the unbearable aroma does not affect the taste in any way.
  4. The delicate creamy pulp of the fruit has notes of walnut, banana, strawberry, and buttercream. This strange combination of a very delicate taste and an unbearable smell has not yet been solved even by scientists. However, you should definitely try the fruit.
  5. It has no cholesterol at all, with an extremely high-fat content for a plant.
  6. It contains the essential amino acid tryptophan, which can only be found in some animal products.
  7. It is rich in copper, iron, and manganese, which makes it extremely useful for people who have problems with hematopoiesis.
  8. It is rich in simple sugars and fructose, vitamin C, and other vitamins, which is why it is often given to weakened children with a lack of body weight.
  9. The ripe fruit is 20 cm in diameter and reaches 3 kg. There are instances of the size of a soccer ball. Durians do not pluck from trees but wait for them to fall to the ground. Unripe fruits are cooked and included in all kinds of dishes.
  10. The main rule is that durian can be eaten no later than 2-3 days after ripening since the creamy pulp becomes slippery.
  11. Picking unripe fruit is very dangerous and pickers must wear a helmet. It’s just that the flesh of the fruit is hidden under a thick peel with many thorns. And falling on the head of such a ball with spikes weighing 2-8 kg is fraught with unpleasant consequences.
  12. Even the durian tree blooms unusually. Flowers with long legs grow directly on the trunk or thick branches. And quite often, besides bees, bats become their pollinators.
  13. Due to the smell of durian fruits, in many states, it is forbidden to bring in and eat in public transport, hotels, and other institutions, which is warned about by special stickers on the doors. Also, durian is practically not exported to other countries. Unless the fruit is picked unripe and stored during transportation.

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20 Amazing Facts About Potatoes

Many of us eat potatoes almost every day, and this product is very important in the diet of the average European. However, this was not always the case, and before the discovery of the New World, potatoes were known only to Native Americans. But thanks to the discoveries of Christopher Columbus, the rest of humanity also learned about this tasty and healthy root crop.

  1. Tomatoes and eggplants are botanically related to potatoes.
  2. Wild potatoes are found only in South America.
  3. Until the end of the 18th century, potatoes were practically not eaten in Europe. Many believed that it caused leprosy and other incurable diseases.
  4. The French agronomist Antoine-Auguste Parmentier used a psychological technique to train his fellow citizens to potatoes. His field was intensely guarded from day to day by special people, not even letting anyone close to the territory entrusted to them. At night, there were no guards, and people used this to steal some potatoes – everyone wondered why they were so carefully guarded.
  5. There are many potato varieties. They differ not only in appearance (white, purple, dark, and so on) but also in the amount of starch content, as well as some other substances.
  6. Everyone knows that if iodine is dropped on a potato, it will turn blue. However, there are potato varieties that initially have a blue color not only of the peel but also of the pulp. One of the common varieties of such potatoes is Linzer Blaue.
  7. In addition to cooking, the Inca culture used potatoes for medicinal purposes. Slices of raw potatoes were applied to broken bones to speed healing and were used as a prophylactic against rheumatism and toothache.
  8. This root vegetable is about 80% water.
  9. One medium potato contains only about 100 calories.
  10. In France, the potato, nicknamed “earthen apples”, became famous in 1600. At first, the unusual product was recognized by French doctors as poisonous, and in 1630 the parliament completely banned the cultivation of potatoes in France.
  11. For the first time, people began to eat this root vegetable about 8000 years ago.
  12. Potatoes contain more potassium than bananas, more vitamin C than oranges, and more fiber than apples.
  13. The French queen Marie Antoinette was so fond of potato flowers that she decorated her hair with them.
  14. The poisonous plant belladonna belongs to the same nightshade family as potatoes.
  15. Gastroenterologists and nutritionists have ranked potato dishes in terms of their harmfulness to the body. French fries turned out to be the leader of this list. Large amounts of fat and spices are harmful to digestion and contribute to weight gain.
  16. Potatoes are a perennial plant. We dig it up every year because we are interested in tubers. However, if not for our intervention, potato bushes could grow and grow for themselves.
  17. If you see green or greenish-brown spots on the potato, discard it. Such a vegetable is not only unsuitable for food but also very harmful. Green roots contain a lot of a substance called solanine. It is toxic, indigestible, and extremely difficult to remove from the body.
  18. Potatoes cooked with the skin are only useful while they are young. The more the root crop has been in the ground, the more solanine its rind has accumulated.
  19. The starch content in potato tubers reaches 15%.
  20. It was the potato that was the first vegetable grown outside our planet. It happened in 1995 onboard the American space shuttle Columbia.
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