Wine vs. Juice
Fun fact! 3.8 million tons of grapes go toward wine production while 115 thousand tons go toward juice production.
Sorghum origins
Fun fact! Sorghum originates from Northeastern Africa where it was first domesticated, but made its way to the Americas during the mid-18th century. Click to read more.
Nectarines in a peach tree
Fun fact! Nectarines will sometimes grow on a peach tree. Click to read more.
Sugarbeet value
Fun fact! The value of sugarbeet crops are not measured by the ton, but the sucrose percentage in the sugarbeets.
Guava leaves and hair loss
Fun fact! Guava leaves have been used in Thai folk medicine as a hair loss remedy, but recent research suggests that there may be some truth to this old practice.
Fresh market vs. processed tomatoes
Fun fact! Processed tomato consumption is higher than fresh consumption at 73 pounds per capita vs. 20 pounds per capita.
Drought tolerant dragon fruit
Fun fact! A drought tolerant fruit, dragon fruit is being grown in certain drought-prone areas in place of more traditional crops such as citrus and avocado.
Chocolate aphrodisiac
Fun fact! Chocolate has long been associated with love. Click to read more.
Dates
Fun fact! Dates are typically left on the palm until completely ripe. That means they are already slightly dry prior to harvest. This is done to prolong shelf life, and the fruits are still considered fresh.
Pomegranate Fruit
Fun fact! Pomegranate fruit are non-climacteric. This means that they are unable to ripen off the tree and therefore must be picked at full maturity.
Papaya and Papain
Fun fact! The white juices of unripe papaya contains papain, a proteolytic enzyme that breaks down proteins.
Arugula
Fun fact! Raw arugula is a good source of calcium, iron, as well as vitamins A, C, and K.
Avocado Milkshake
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.
Where the flavor of brussel sprouts comes from
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!
Pine needle tea
Fun fact! Pine needles can be brewed into a tea that is rich in vitamin C. Click to read more!
Potato antioxidants
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.
Sugar in raisins
Fun fact! Drying grapes to make raisins reduces the water content and increases the proportion of sugar by weight. Click to read more.
Cook lima beans thoroughly
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!
The Yam Belt
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.
Asparagus Root System
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.
Sugarcane in Hawaii
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.
Zucchini skin
Fun fact! Zucchini is rich in antioxidants, and research indicates that the highest levels of antioxidants is contained in the fruit’s skin.
Turnip jack-o-lantern
Fun fact! Prior to pumpkins, large turnips were used to carve Jack-O-Lanterns.
Radish flavor
Fun fact! The “spicy” flavor radishes are known for comes predominantly from their skin. Click here to read more!
Agaricus bisporus
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!
Sunflower Seeds
Fun fact! Whole sunflower seeds are a good source of protein, fiber, vitamin E, zinc, iron, and alpha-tocopherols.
The sugar in maple sap
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!
Green almonds
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!
Beekeeping
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.
Kohlrabi
Fun fact! Kohlrabi’s name originates from the German words for cabbage (kohl) and turnip (rübe).