How Good Is Your Tomato Tuition?

August 17th, 2012

Tomatoes. Whether you like them small and tangy, big and juicy, beefy and squishy, sun blushed or sun dried there’s no denying this fruit is one of the UK’s faves.

With tomato festivals popping up all over the UK, like the Great North East Tomato & Chilli Festival happening on the 18th August, it seems our love of this fab fruit is never ending!

But did you know there’s more to this crackin’ crop than just adding a dash of colour to your salad or livening up that pizza?

Well, after delving into the tomato world we thought you’d like to know some of the craziest facts we found along the way – enjoy!

1. They used to be a fruit to fear – It wasn’t until the 1700s UK peops started munching tomatoes regularly. In fact, our ancestors believed them to be poisonous – aren’t you glad they changed their minds!

2. They’re class copper cleaners – Well, not whole tomatoes but rather tomato sauce. I know, it goes against your natural instinct, but it’s true! The acidity and salt in the sauce blasts off any copper oxide build up leaving the metal shiny and like new.

3. There’re a lot of them – 10,000 varieties to be exact and all can be used for different things!

4. Fridge them not! – Most people keep tomatoes in the fridge because it’s a handy place to put them, but popping them in your chilled veggie drawer actually destroys their natural sugars. They should be kept at room temperature for natural sweetness and yummyness.

Try it yourself, pop a tomato in the fridge over night and keep one at room temperature then taste test them the next day.. We guarantee the one at room temp will taste better and sweeter.

5. Hangover wonder cure – It’s a Saturday morning and you’ve woken up feeling as though someone has hit your head with a mallet, you reach for 2 headache pills and a pint of water but nothing changes.

Well, instead of a pint of water reach for a Bloody Mary! The tomato juice is jam packed full of vitamins to help boost your system and, well, the vodka weans you off the previous night’s antics..

6. Chlorine buster – This applies more to people who are blonde or who have blonde highlights. Tomato paste actually removes the chlorine from your hair meaning it’s less likely to go a lovely shade of green!

There’re loads more fascinating facts about tomatoes but I simply don’t have to word count to fit them in, but do you know of even more quirky tomato truths? Why not share them with us on Facebook..

Tags: fun facts, Tomatoes
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