Food Facts for Kids
Tasty facts about the food we eat
The idea that spinach is especially high in iron is largely a myth. A decimal point error in an 1870s scientific study caused the iron content to be recorded as ten times higher than it actually is.
Bananas are curved because they grow towards the sun in a process called negative geotropism — they grow upwards rather than following gravity downwards, which gives them their distinctive shape.
Cheddar cheese is naturally white or pale yellow, not orange. The orange colour is added using annatto, a natural dye from the achiote tree. This tradition began in the 17th century.
Lemons actually contain more sugar than strawberries. Lemons contain about 70 grams of sugar per kilogram, compared to about 40 grams in strawberries — but the sourness from citric acid masks the sweetness.
A single honeybee will produce only about one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its entire lifetime. It takes around 60,000 bees working together to fill a standard jar of honey.
Despite their name, French fries are believed to have been invented in Belgium, not France. Belgians claim to have been frying potatoes since the late 1600s.
Warm milk before bed may actually help you sleep. Milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid the body converts into the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin.
Turmeric has been used in Indian medicine for over 4,000 years. Its active ingredient, curcumin, is being studied by scientists for its potential anti-inflammatory properties.
The origins of ice cream can be traced back to ancient China, where Emperor Tang of the Shang Dynasty had a collection of 94 men who made frozen dishes with snow and buffalo milk.
Cacao trees, which produce the pods used to make chocolate, can only grow within about 20 degrees north or south of the equator. They need tropical warmth and rainfall to thrive.