- Broccoli contains more protein than steak!
Yes, you read that correct! Calorie for calorie, there is more protein in broccoli than steak. This means that on top of all the usual nutrients that broccoli has, it also has more protein than steak and does not come with all the saturated and trans fats or cholesterol that comes with steak.
2. Apples give you more energy than coffee
Thanks to its high carbohydrate, fibre, vitamin C and mineral content, eating apples are the perfect (and healthy) option to help you stay energised all day. If you are ever a little low on energy during the afternoon, then consider munching into an apple instead of buying a cup of coffee.
As the saying goes, “an apple a day, keeps the doctor away”.
3. Putting tomatos in the fridge damages them
The cold temperature of a fridge damages tomatoes, as storing tomatoes in a fridge will stop the fruit’s enzyme process. This will reduce flavour, increase sugars, and may create a mealy texture. Sometimes, cold tomatoes lose their beautiful colours, too.
While chilling may keep it from over ripening too quickly, it will affect the overall properties of the fruit.
4. Store your tomatoes upside down
The “shoulders” of the tomato, or the part nearest the stem, are sturdier than the delicate bottoms of the fruits. A bit of pressure from a countertop or basket is all it takes to bruise the bottoms, causing them to rot. For better storage, flip the tomatoes upside down, keeping the shoulders on the hard counter. If that part of the tomato bruises, you won’t lose much. You will be slicing it off and discarding it anyway. Also, don’t stack tomatoes on one another. The pressure can be enough to bruise the fruits and invite rot.
5. If eggs sink, they are fresh
The best-kept secret in determining an egg’s freshness is to see if it sinks in water. Fill a glass or bowl with cold water and submerge the eggs. If the eggs sink to the bottom and lie flat on their sides, they are still fresh.
If they sink, but stand on one end at the bottom of the glass or bowl, they are not as fresh but still edible.
If any eggs float to the top, they are no longer edible.
The science behind this is based on the fact that eggshells are semipermeable, which means air can get through. So the older the egg, the more air can penetrate its shell, causing it to float.
6. If you can hear it, the egg is good
Another method (although not as reliable as the float trick above) is to hold an egg up to your ear and shake it. If you hear liquid swishing around inside, it has gone bad. On the other hand, no sound equals good news. The sloshing sound usually points to an old, watery yolk.
7. Bananas are actually berries while strawberries are not
Bananas are actually classified as berries, while strawberries are members of the rose family. Yes, you read right!
8. Put an apple with the potatoes
Sprouted potatoes are at the top of nobody’s to-eat list. It turns out the best way to prevent them from going bad is to keep an apple in the bag. Apples produce ethylene gas, which keeps potatoes fresher and firmer for a few more weeks.
However, please note that while Ethylene gas may be good for potatoes, but it is bad for almost everything else. Keep apples out of the fruit bowl (and in a plastic bag in the fridge) and you should suddenly find that your other purchases keep much better.
9. Put your onions in tights
Yes, you read right, I said tights as in hosiery!
Put the onions in one at a time, knot between each bulb and keep them in a dark, dry place until you need them. This may sound strange but is genius hack to keep onions fresh. Also saves one pair of laddered tights from the landfill.
10. Wrap your celery in foil
In the plastic wrapper you get from the supermarket, celery will last a week or two at most. Swap the original packaging for a sheet of aluminium foil as that lets the gas that spoils your celery escape, rather than trapping it like plastic. This helps the celery stay crisp long enough for much longer.
