5 Amazing Facts About Food

Asian Palm Civet, Civettictis civettaFACT 1. THE WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE COFFEE
The world's most expensive coffee, Kopi Luwak⁽¹⁾ is brewed from coffee beans that have been eaten and partially digested by the Asian Palm Civet. The beans are harvested from the droppings of the Civet. The coffee is full bodied with a hint of chocolate. A pound of Kopi Luwak cost $100 to $3,000 and a cup may cost $80.











FACT 2. TAPIOCA'S MAIN INGREDIENT HAS THE THIRD MOST CARBS.
After rice and wheat the most important human carbohydrate is cassava⁽²⁾ the main ingredient in tapioca pudding. Cassava is a good source of fiber, calcium and phosphorus among other nutrients. Cassava can be eaten like a potato, or ground into a flour. The starch of the cassava is called tapioca, the main ingredient in tapioca pudding.












FACT 3. BIRD'S NEST SOUP MADE FROM BIRD SALIVA
For more then 400 years bird's nest soup⁽³⁾ has been one of the most expensive foods. A bowl cost between $30 and $100 and only the cave swiftlet is edible. The nest is made entirely of bird saliva and is high in calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium. The nest is hard until boiled into soup. The harvested nest still sell for as much as $10,000 per kilogram. !!













FACT 4. CHERRIES EASE INFLAMMATION AND GOUT
Cherries, like all dark-skinned fruits, are high in antioxidants and other photo-chemicals that promote health in ways that science is just beginning to understand. The most potent inflammation-fighting cherries are the tart variety⁽⁴⁾. Cherries have also been found to fight gout, reduce body fat and lower levels of cholesterol.













Quinoa, Chenopodium quinoaFACT 5. SPANISH CONQUISTADORS FORBADE THE CULTIVATION OF TWO OF BEST SOURCES OF VEGETABLE PROTEIN
Quinoa⁽⁵⁾ and amaranth⁽⁶⁾ are high protein grains, containing eight to nine grams per one serving. The protein is actually complete, meaning that it has all the essential amino acids in the ratios needed by the human body. Both grains were banned by Spaniards who were scornful of their use in native religious ceremonies. Quinoa and amaranth can be used like grains in cooking, they are not members of the grass family and are completely safe for people with gluten or corn allergies.