Amazing Onion Facts

Amazing Onion Facts

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1. Onions are yellow, red or white, with yellow being the most common color. When allowed to mature and dry, they develop firm flesh and dry, crackly outer skins.

2. The name onion comes from the Latin, "unio."  Unio is a mix of French "oignon" and the English "unyun." Allium Cepa is the scientific name for onion because an onion grows as a single bulb.

3. Humans have grown onions for at least 7000 years.

4. Egyptians believed onions had strength-producing powers.  Onions were fed to those who built the pyramids.

5. The onion is one of the top 5 fresh vegetables in the US.

6. An average American consumes around 21pounds of fresh and processed onion every year.

7. There are more than 500 varieties of onions. Onions can be put into two groups: dried and fresh.

8. When onions are cut, sulfur-containing gas (called the lachrymatory factor)is released. The gas spreads in the air and comes into contact with your eyes. The lachrymatory factor activates the nerves in the eyes. The nerves send signals to your brain. Your brain puts your gland that releases tears, causing you to cry.

9. Vidalia Onions have developed an international reputation as the "world's sweetest onion."

10. In 1990, a resolution was passed by the Georgia's legislature declaring the Vidalia Onion as Georgia's Official State Vegetable.

11. Vidalia Onions contain the highest sugar content and the lowest pungency levels of any sweet onion grown anywhere in the world.

12.Everybody who has ever had to cut up a lot of strong onions knows what happens. It is literally a job that makes all of us cry. That is because onions contain sulfur, and when you cut the onion sulfur is released into the air. This airborne sulfur reacts with the moisture in your eyes and creates a mild form of sulfuric acid! Your eyes tear up to flush this substance from your eyes.

13.Native Americans ate wild onions and the Pilgrims brought onions with them on the Mayflower. Onions were eaten at the first Thanksgiving dinner.

14.After slicing onions, wash your hands in cold water, then rub them with salt or vinegar. The salt or vinegar will remove onion smells from your hands.

15.If you need only half of an onion, use the top half. The root will stay fresh longer in the refrigerator.

16 In ancient Egypt, the onion was a symbol of eternity because it is a circle-within a circle. The Pharaoh Cheops paid workers who built the Great Pyramid in onions, garlic, and parsley and onions were painted on the walls of the pyramids. Mummies were even buried with onions.

17.Onions are a good source of Vitamin C and fiber. They are low in fat and calories. The antioxidants found in onions help prevent high blood pressure and some forms of cancer.

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18. The white onion bulb and the green stalk are both edible.

19. Humans have been cultivating onions since 3500 B.C.

20. Green onions are also known as scallions.

21. Yellow and Red Onions contain an antioxidant that is associated with beneficial effects on human diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

22. Onions were an important part of life in Ancient Egypt. Leaders took an oath of office with their right hand on an onion.

23. It is believed that onions originated in Asia, though it is also possible that onions may have been growing wild worldwide. Ancient Egyptians worshipped the onion, believing that the spherical shape and concentric rings symbolized eternity.

Health Benefits of Passion Fruit

Health Benefits of Passion Fruit

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Common Names: Passion Fruit, Granadilla, Purple Granadilla, Yellow Passion Fruit

Passion fruit is a plant that is commercially cultivated for its fruits. The fruit is oval and yellow or dark purple at maturity with a soft juicy interior.

Passiflora is from the Latin passus (suffering) and flos (flower), literally the Flower of Passion so called by the early Catholic Spanish priests in South America who regarded the plants features as symbols of the Crucifixion.

1. Passionfruit is believed to contain somniferous properties, which are calming and sleep-inducing. Many indigenous tribes of South America traditionally used passionfruit in calming tonics and as a sedative. 

2. Passionfruit contains high levels of fibre, which is essential for your toddler's digestive system, metabolism and eliminating toxins from his body.

3. Full of Vitamin A and flavonoid antioxidants, this fruit is great for your little one’s developing vision, mucous membranes and skin.

4. Vitamin C helps build up resistance against flu-like viruses and passionfruit is packed with it. So if your toddler gets the sniffles, the Vitamin C will lessen his symptoms and can help him make a faster recovery. 

5. Did you know one passionfruit contains the same amount of potassium as a banana? Potassium aids the function of the body’s cells, tissues and organs, which is vital for growing bodies.

6. Just because a passionfruit has wrinkly skin does not mean it’s ripe. Passionfruit is best judged by weight, rather than skin. If it feels heavy and ‘full’ it’s probably ripe but if it’s wrinkled it may have started to dry up.

7. Passionfruit crops are mainly pollinated by honeybees. If you’re ever near a passionfruit farm you will notice hives strategically placed throughout the crop to encourage pollination.

8. The passionfruit is technically a berry. This is because, by botanical definition, it is a fleshy fruit grown from a single ovary.

9. The passionfruit takes its name from the fruit’s exotic-looking flower and is said to symbolise the Passion of Christ. The three stigmas are said to reflect the three nails in Jesus’ hands and feet, the 10 petals represent the Apostles (not including Peter or Judas), and the vines represent the whips used on Jesus.

10. Another type of supplement extracted from passion fruit peel was found to improve physical function and decrease the pain and the stiffness among patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. The reported beneficial effects were thought to be due to the antioxidant properties and antiinflammatory chemicals of the passion fruit peel.

Health Benefits Of Beetroot

Health Benefits Of Beetroot

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Commonly known as the garden beet, this firm, round root vegetable has leafy green tops, which are also edible and highly nutritious. While the most common color for beets (called “beetroots” in the British Isles) is garnet red, they can range in color from deep red to purple and from yellow to white, allowing these vegetables to create a distinctively vibrant presentation. However, their most intriguing hue is concentric rings of red and white known as chioggia, or candy cane.

Beetroot, also often known as the beet, is a root vegetable that has been consumed since ancient times. Even the ancient Romans and Greeks thought beetroot had vitamins and minerals. In fact, today's studies prove that not only are they loaded with beneficial nutrients, but beetroot is an amazing way to ensure that a person stays healthy. 

A root vegetable, the reddish and bulbous portion of the beetroot is grown underground while its leafy top is seen above the ground. It grows in both tropical and temperate areas, and takes about two months to reach maturity. Though the plants have been cultivated for thousands of years due to their dietary benefits, it is only recently that their many health benefits have been 
explored. 

1. Beetroot enhances sex 
The ancient Romans prized beetroot as an aphrodisiac and raised them as such. Today's science supports this Roman practice. Researchers have found that beets contain high amounts of boron, an element that relates directly to the production of sex hormones in humans. 

2. Beetroot equalizes mental health Betaine, the same component that is used by practitioners to treat depression using certain methods, is found in beetroot. Another great element that beetroot contains is tryptophan, which has been shown to create a sense of well-being while also relaxing the mind. They are also a great way to lower blood pressure, which can help offset the effects of stress on the body. 

3. Beetroot increases energy levels 
Because the sugar contained in beetroot is released slowly throughout the body, even though the sugar levels are high, they help maintain steady energy levels. When compared to foods such as chocolate whose sugars are processed quickly by the body, beetroot, which is also low in calories, makes its energy boost last a great deal longer.

4. Beetroot is high in vitamins and minerals 
Because they are high in vitamin B and iron, beetroot is especially beneficial to those women who are pregnant. Vitamin B and iron are necessary for the growth of new cells as well as replenishing the iron levels that often dip at this time of life. In addition, beetroot is high in the following vitamins and minerals: fiber, phosphorus, potassium, folic acid, beta-carotene, vitamin A, magnesium, vitamin C and betacyanin. 

5. Beetroot helps cleanse the body 
Beetroot works to cleanse and clarify the liver. It can also purify the blood and has been shown to help prevent some forms of cancer. Eating beetroot can also indicate whether a person has low amounts of stomach acid. This is shown if their urine turns pink.

6. Beetroot is great to help the bodies natural defence and strengthen the immune system.

7. Antioxidants: The red pigment found in beets is loaded with antioxidants that may help protect the body against heart disease, certain cancers and even birth defects.

8. Folate: A half-cup serving of cooked beets provides about a quarter of the recommended daily requirements of folate. Folate is used in metabolic functions and plays a critical role during pregnancy, specifically in preventing certain birth defects.

9. Iron: Beets are a good source of iron. While iron is considered a trace mineral, which means it’s needed in very small amounts, it is still critical to healthy blood because it’s a key component of hemoglobin.

10. PotassiuM: Being high in potassium, beets help maintain healthful blood pressure by maintaining proper fluid balance.

Interesting Facts About Carrots Part II

Interesting Facts About Carrots Part II

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1. Orange carrots were not developed until the 1500s in the Netherlands.

2. Carrots can be white, yellow, orange, red, purple or black! 

3. The root hairs on carrots can extend 2.13-2.44 metre's (7-8 feet) into the soil in search of water and nutrients; beet root hairs travel even deeper.

4. Carrots are biennials, which means that it takes two years for them to produce seeds; in order for carrots to produce seeds in Canada, we have to pull them in the fall, store them all winter in a cold storage, replant in the ground the next spring, and let the leafy green tops send out a flowers which will turn to seeds! That’s why most people go to the garden centre to get fresh seed every spring.

5. The world’s longest carrot ever recorded was 5.839 metre's and was grown in the United Kingdom 

6. The world’s heaviest carrot weighed 8.44 kg (18.6 lbs) and was grown in the United States 

7. The average American eats 6.17 kg (13.6 pounds) of carrots in a year 

8. If babies have a diet high in pureed carrots (baby food) they often develop orange skin from the carotene, which disappears when they decrease their carrot intake!

9. Excellent source of vitamin A (beta-carotene) which promotes good vision. 

10. Beta-carotene also acts as an antioxidant, which can help to keep the heart healthy. 

11. Carrots are usually orange, but can also be white, yellow, red, or purple. 

12. Carrots were grown thousands of years ago in Asia and Middle Eastern countries (purple carrots).

13. Carrots became popular in the 1800's, and were the first vegetable to be canned.

14. “Baby carrots” from the store are actually big carrots washed and cut into smaller pieces.

Interesting Facts About Carrots Part I

Interesting Facts About Carrots Part I

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1. Over 3000 years ago in Asia, carrots were first used for medicine.  These carrots were very different from the carrots we see now - they were purple and yellow!  It wasn’t until 900 BC when carrots were first grown for food in Afghanistan. Purple and yellow carrots didn’t make their way to Western Europe until the 1300’s.

2.  The orange carrot was developed in Holland as a tribute to William of Orange during the Dutch fight for independence.  However, its popularity was likely due to the fact that the new orange carrot was less bitter than the purple and red varieties.

3. To achieve a perfect orange color, carrots should be grown between 60-75°F weather.

4. Carrots are a type of root vegetable - meaning the edible portion of the plant is grown underground.

5. Carrots are related to celery, dill, fennel, parsley, and parsnip.

6. The flower called Queen Anne’s Lace is actually a wild carrot.

7. European ladies would wear lacy carrot flowers in their hair in the 15th century.

8. After the United States, China is the biggest producer of carrots.

9. Half a cup of carrots provides more than one day’s worth of vitamin A.

10. Raw carrots can be eaten plain as a snack or an appetizer, and sliced, chopped, or grated to add to salads. 

11. Slice carrots into carrot sticks and dip in low-fat dressing or other low-fat dip.

12. Carrots can be cooked using many different methods, such as boiling, steaming, roasting, or grilling, and can be eaten as a side dish on their own or cooked with other vegetables.

13. Carrots are the second most popular vegetable in the world after potatoes.

14. Carrots were first grown as a medicine, not for food! 

15. The first carrots were purple and yellow.

Health benefits of Fenugreek

Health benefits of Fenugreek

1. Despite the fact that fenugreek(Methi) one of the oldest medicinal herbs, ongoing research in India and abroad is currently uncovering new possibilities for its potential role in the treatment of diabetes and high cholesterol levels associated with coronary heart disease, both of which plague many industrial societies.

2. Fenugreek (methi) has been used as both a food and a medicine in many different cultures, but especially in Asia and the Mediterranean region. The medicinal value of its seeds is mentioned in Ayurvedic texts as well as in Greek and Latin pharmacopoeia.

3. In ancient Egypt, methiwas used to ease childbirth and to increase milk flow, and modern Egyptian women are still using it today to relieve menstrual cramps, as well as making hilbatea out of it to ease other kinds of abdominal pain. The Chinese call it hu lu ba, and also use it for treating abdominal pain.

4. The leaves of methiare highly alkaline, and rich in iron, calcium, sulphur, chlorine, and vitamins A and C.

5. Indigestion, flatulence, diarrhoea, dysentery, peptic ulcers and colic are all complaints that may be relieved with the use of methi. In addition, people who suffer from biliousness or a sluggish liver may derive benefit.

6. Methi has been used effectively in the treatment of ulcers, boils, arthritis, sinusitis (an inflammation of the mucuous membranes of the nasal passages) and sore throat.

7. For external use, such as in the treatment of burns or boils, a poultice made from the leaves can be applied.

8. The seeds or the leaves can be eaten to soothe internal inflammation or swelling.

9. To relieve a sore throat, a strong methi brew can be prepared by simmering two tablespoons of the seeds in a quart of cold water for a half hour. After allowing it to cool, strain it and use the entire quantity as a gargle.

10. Fenugreek seeds have hypoglycaemic properties and can be used in the management of diabetes. The fenugreek diet significantly reduced fasting blood sugar and improved the glucose tolerance test.

25 Interesting Facts about Girls

25 Interesting Facts about Girls

1. The vagina is only as deep as your middle finger.

2. The vagina keeps itself clean and healthy by constantly producing mucus which turns white when it’s exposed to the air.Discharge also prevents the vagina from drying out. Discharge will begin to appear some time before your first period begins.

3. Females can ovulate before they have their period.

4. Cramps and painful periods may be caused by low calcium and magnesium levels.

5. The usual amount of blood lost during a period is between one and six tablespoons(120 ml blood and tissue).

6. Menstrual fluid is mostly made up of water.

7. A lot of girls’ hymen are broken through using a tampon or during active sports such as horse back riding or cycling. Masturbation, too, can break the hymen. There is an opening in the hymen that lets menstrual fluid flow out.

8. The fallopian tubes are about 10 cm long. The egg travels from the ovary to the uterus along these tubes.

9. Girls are born with about 300,000 eggs.

10. Ovary is about the size of a walnut/olive. The uterus is about the size of a pear/clenched fist.

11. The average woman has about 500 periods in her lifetime.

12. If a tampon has absorbed as much as it can and has to be changed within 4 hours, try a tampon with a higher absorbency. If a tampon still has lots of white patches showing when you take it out after about four hours, try a tampon with lower absorbency. Change your tampon every 4-8 hours.

13. PMS symptoms: breast tenderness, feeling swollen or bloated, change in appetite, headaches, acne or skin rash, constipation or diarrhea, abdominal cramps, feeling sad/tired/irritable or clumsy.

14. You get cramps when your uterus contracts (squeezes) slightly to help get rid of most of its lining.

15. If you are taking the birth control pill these five drugs may interfere with its effectiveness: antihistamines, alcohol, analgesics, antacids, antibiotics.

16. A pregnancy test only works 2 weeks after a suspected conception.

17.Girls’ primary school completion rates are below 50 per cent in most poor countries.

18.One in seven girls in developing countries is married before age 15, and 38 per cent are married before age 18.

19. In sub-Saharan Africa, more women than men are living with HIV, and young women 
aged 15–24  years are as much as eight times more likely than men to be HIV positive.

20. Both Barbie and Bratz dolls are so thin, they lack the internal proportions to have bodily organs like kidneys or large intestines; both would lack the 17-22% of body fat necessary for females to menstruate.

21. If Barbie were a real woman, she would be 7'2", weigh 101 pounds, and have a 19” waist and 39FF chest. A real woman with these proportions would be unable to support her upper body and stand up straight.

22. Female characters in children’s cartoon shows are five times more likely to be shown in revealing, skimpy clothing (even when they are animals) and three times more likely to be shown with physically-impossible tiny waists.

23. Eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia used to start in the “tweens” – doctors are now treating them in girls as young as five or six.

24. Three-quarters of female characters in TV situation comedies are underweight; only 1 in 20 is average size. Moreover, female characters that are heavier tend to get made fun of more often, and 80% of the time these negative comments are rewarded with audience laughter.

25. By the time they graduate high school, children will have spent more time watching TV than in the classroom or talking with their parents.