Fun Facts

Fun fact! In countries such as Brazil, Vietnam, and Taiwan, avocados are used frequently in milkshakes and even added to ice cream sometimes. Click to learn more.

Fun fact! Cruciferous vegetables such as brussel sprouts are made up of sulfur-containing compounds called glucosinolates that give them their distinct smell and bitter flavor when cooked. Click to read more!

Fun fact! Pine needles can be brewed into a tea that is rich in vitamin C. Click to read more!

Fun fact! There are 12 times more antioxidants in potato skin than the flesh. Also, the more colorful varieties of potato are richer in antioxidants.

Fun fact! Drying grapes to make raisins reduces the water content and increases the proportion of sugar by weight. Click to read more.

Fun fact! Lima beans contain linamarin, a cyanogenic glycoside. This means that when consumed raw, the plant releases cyanide as a defense mechanism. Click to learn more!

Fun fact! Ninety percent of global production of yams takes place in the sub-Saharan African countries of Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire.

Fun fact! The crown and root system of asparagus can grow to be up to 5-6 feet in diameter and 10-15 feet deep.

Fun fact! While sugarcane has historically been a major crop in Hawaii, the last sugar mill in the state closed in 2016. The island’s first settlers brought a variety of sugarcane to Hawaii around 600 AD.

Fun fact! Prior to pumpkins, large turnips were used to carve Jack-O-Lanterns.

Fun fact! The “spicy” flavor radishes are known for comes predominantly from their skin. Click here to read more!

Fun fact! White button mushrooms, cremini mushrooms (also known as baby bella mushrooms), and portabellas are all the same type of mushroom (Agaricus bisporus), just harvested at different times. Click to read more fun fact!

Fun fact! Whole sunflower seeds are a good source of protein, fiber, vitamin E, zinc, iron, and alpha-tocopherols.

Fun fact! The sugar in maple sap is the result of starch produced between May and August, which is stored in the tree roots. When the snow begins to melt, the starch turns into sucrose and circulates through the tree in preparation for the growing season. Click to read more!

Fun fact! Before almonds become the hard nut we know and love, they can be harvested early as green almonds. They have a fuzzy green exterior reminiscent of peaches, and its insides have a jelly-like consistency. Click to read more!

Fun fact! Hobbyist and part-time beekeepers, defined as a having 25 or less colonies and 25-300 colonies, respectively, make up 40% of honey production in the U.S.

Fun fact! Kohlrabi’s name originates from the German words for cabbage (kohl) and turnip (rübe).

Fun fact! Before the widespread use and availability of cane sugar and beet sugar, parsnips were used as a natural sweetener in cakes and other baked goods.

Fun fact! Belgian endive is grown in a two-part process. Click to learn more.

Fun fact! The edible part of the passion fruit is composed of up to 250 seeds surrounded by an orange-colored juicy pulp.

Fun fact! Guava is rich in vitamin C, phosphorous, iron, and calcium, even surpassing the vitamin C content of oranges.

Fun fact! While jicama can grow to be as large as 50 pounds, it should be harvested when under five pounds. They can be woody if when too large.

Fun fact! The bark of jackfruit trees is used by some Buddhist monks in Southeast Asia to dye their robes.

Fun fact! Pomelo, a citrus fruit native to Southeast Asia, can grow to weigh up to 25 pounds.

Fun fact! Rambutan is a fruit rich in potassium and vitamin C.

Fun fact! The bulb of the turnip provides a good source of vitamin C while the greens offer folate, calcium, and vitamin E.

Fun fact! Ninety percent of the cauliflower grown in the U.S. comes from California.

Fun fact! The term “gumbo” is derived from the West African word for okra: “ki ngombo.”