Food Facts for Kids
Tasty facts about the food we eat
In ancient Egypt, radishes were so valuable that they were used as currency to pay the labourers who built the pyramids, alongside garlic and onions.
Despite their name, digestive biscuits have no special digestive properties. They were named in the 1830s because the bicarbonate of soda they contained was mistakenly believed to aid digestion.
Ancient Greek athletes rubbed olive oil all over their bodies before competitions, both as a beauty treatment and to help show off their muscles. Olive oil was central to Greek culture, religion, and commerce.
The true origin of mayonnaise is disputed, but many historians believe it was created in Mahon, on the Spanish island of Menorca, in 1756 following a French military victory there.
Bean sprouts are seeds that have been sprouted in water. The sprouting process increases the nutritional value of the bean, breaking down some anti-nutrients and producing extra vitamins.
Dragon fruit grows on a type of cactus called the Hylocereus cactus, which blooms only at night. The flowers last just one single night before they wither and a fruit begins to form.
Bread crusts contain more antioxidants than the soft inside. When bread bakes, a chemical reaction called the Maillard reaction creates new antioxidant compounds in the crust.
The Carolina Reaper holds the Guinness World Record as the world's hottest chilli pepper. It was developed by Ed Curlin in South Carolina and averages over 1.6 million Scoville units.
The kiwi fruit was renamed after the kiwi bird to help sell it in New Zealand. It was originally called 'Chinese gooseberry' because it came from China, but the new name helped exports grow enormously.
Free school meals in Britain were introduced during the Second World War to ensure children got at least one nutritious meal a day, as food rationing made it hard for many families to feed their children properly.