There are all kinds of fruits on the market now, but their prices and nutritional values vary. Sometimes, we spend a lot of money only to buy ordinary fruit. Why is that? Because we don't know that some fruits look very similar, but their prices and nutritional values are worlds apart. So, which fruits are similar in appearance but different in substance? What are the differences between them? Let's find out together!
Bananas and Plantains
These two should be considered the closest but easiest to distinguish fruits. Bananas are long and round with few ridges, and their flesh is yellowish-white; while plantains are thicker and larger than bananas with more ridges, and their flesh is milky white. In terms of taste, bananas are sweeter, while plantains are a bit sour and astringent. Generally, we still prefer to eat bananas.
However, their nutritional values are very similar. Both are high-potassium fruits and also contain a large amount of magnesium. Potassium can maintain the normal function of our heart rate and blood pressure, preventing symptoms such as high blood pressure and muscle cramps; while magnesium can help us eliminate fatigue. Therefore, eating them regularly is very beneficial to our health.
People can eat more bananas after exercise because their sugar can be directly and quickly converted into glucose to replenish the energy needed by the body. Plantains are warm in nature and rich in dietary fiber and water-soluble fiber, which have a remarkable effect on moistening the intestines and promoting bowel movements, and their effect on treating constipation is much higher than that of bananas. They are more suitable for the elderly who are afraid of cold. After reading this, we know that the effect of bananas on treating constipation is not as good as we imagined.
Kiwifruit and Chinese Gooseberry
The two are very similar in appearance, with the difference being their place of origin. Kiwifruit comes from New Zealand, with evenly distributed fuzz on its skin and a smooth feel; while Chinese gooseberry comes from China, with unevenly distributed fuzz on its skin and a rough feel. Kiwifruit also has a beautiful legend: it is said that a New Zealand female teacher took kiwi seeds from Yichang, Hunan, to cultivate in New Zealand, and its name is taken from the translated name of New Zealand's national bird.
Their eating times are different. Kiwifruit is best eaten when it is hard, and its taste is sweet and fragrant. Chinese gooseberry, on the other hand, needs to be eaten when it is soft, and its taste is sweet and sour. In addition, their prices are surprisingly different. Kiwifruit is sold by the piece, usually three to four yuan each, while Chinese gooseberry is sold by the jin, four to five yuan per jin. It can be seen that they are still different.
The biggest difference in their nutrition is the vitamin C content. Kiwifruit is far higher than Chinese gooseberry, which may be the reason for its higher price. Kiwifruit is very suitable for people who lack vitamin C, because whether it is ripe or not, its vitamin content is about 100mg/100g. New varieties of kiwifruit even have a vitamin C content of up to 160mg/100g, which is twice as high as vitamin C-rich citrus, not to mention compared to fruits like apples. So, if you need to supplement sufficient vitamin C, then kiwifruit is your best choice, but you must keep your eyes open and don't buy the wrong one, spending a lot of money on cheap Chinese gooseberries!
Pineapple and Ananas
I always thought they were the same, just different names in different places. In fact, they are different, especially when pineapples are in large supply in summer, we can hardly distinguish them. Pineapple skin is more yellow, and its leaves have teeth; ananas skin is more green, and its leaves have no teeth. Pineapple has internal thorns and needs to be removed after peeling, while ananas can be eaten directly after peeling. Pineapple needs to be soaked in salt water to taste sweet, while ananas does not.
The best way to eat pineapple is to soak it in salt water for a while, which is healthier. Because it contains a "pineapple enzyme", eating it directly will irritate our oral mucosa and epidermis, while salt water can destroy this enzyme, reduce the irritation to the mouth, and make the pineapple taste sweeter. In addition, pineapple itself contains oxalic acid, which will hinder the absorption of calcium and iron by the human body. Using salt water can reduce its acidity and reduce the harm to the body. Soaking pineapple in salt water for about half an hour is the best, which will not cause the loss of nutrients and can also make the pineapple enzyme inactive.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, ananas is sweet in taste, has the functions of strengthening the spleen to stop diarrhea, eliminating food and quenching thirst, clearing the stomach and supplementing the spleen; while pineapple is sour in taste, belongs to cold food, has the functions of clearing heat and detoxifying, facilitating defecation, quenching thirst, etc. It is the best holy fruit for treating summer heat prevention and cooling, indigestion, heat and irritability.
Cherries and Cherries
Many people's first reaction when they see cherries is cherries, just thinking that this cherry is so red and big? It should be difficult for ordinary people to distinguish between cherries and cherries. In fact, they are very different. Cherries are produced in American countries such as the United States and Chile, and are a kind of imported cherry. They are large, thick-skinned, and dark in color; while cherries are produced in China, they are small in size, light red in color, thin-skinned and less flesh. Of course, there is also a price difference. Cherries are expensive, while cherries are relatively much cheaper and affordable by most people. So, they are still easy to distinguish.
Although the difference in their nutritional value is not very big, the iron content of cherries is the highest among fruits. For people with iron deficiency, eating cherries regularly is a very good choice, which can promote the regeneration of hemoglobin in the body, has a good effect on preventing iron-deficiency anemia, enhancing physical fitness, and promoting brain intelligence. Cherries are even more of a holy product for beauty and beauty, which can relieve loss of appetite, rheumatism and other symptoms. Eating cherries often can make the skin ruddy and fair, with beauty and other effects. Some people must not know that there are two such similar fruits in the fruit world. Understanding this knowledge, we can better choose the fruits we need.