Food Facts for Kids
Tasty facts about the food we eat
Unripe lychees contain toxins that can cause a dangerous drop in blood sugar, particularly in malnourished children. Outbreaks of mysterious illness in India were traced back to children eating unripe lychees.
Pickling is one of the world's oldest food preservation methods, dating back around 4,000 years to ancient Mesopotamia. Cleopatra reportedly credited pickles for her beauty and health.
The claim that celery burns more calories to digest than it contains is a popular myth. Celery is very low in calories, but it does not create a 'negative calorie' effect — digesting it costs much less energy than eating it.
Original sushi was nothing like the fresh dish we know today. It was developed in Southeast Asia as a way to preserve fish in fermented rice for months — the rice was discarded and only the fish was eaten.
You cannot make a jelly that contains fresh pineapple because the bromelain enzyme in pineapple breaks down the gelatine proteins before they can set. Cooking or tinning the pineapple first destroys the enzyme.
Crisps (potato chips) are the world's best-selling snack food. The global crisp market is worth tens of billions of pounds, and the average British person eats around six bags per week.
Authentic Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano) must be aged for at least 12 months, and the best quality wheels are aged for 24 or 36 months. The older it gets, the stronger and more complex its flavour becomes.
Lotus roots have large air-filled tunnels running through them, which help the plant breathe even when submerged in muddy water. These holes make lotus root look beautiful when sliced.
The British eat more baked beans than any other nation in the world. The UK consumes around two million cans of Heinz baked beans every single day.
The jackfruit is the world's largest tree-borne fruit, sometimes weighing more than 35 kilograms. It is native to South Asia and has a stringy texture that makes it popular as a meat substitute.