- 10 hours ago
In this video, explore the intriguing topics of enhancing fruit flavors with salt, uncovering the consequences of consuming dropped food, and discovering everyday foods that
Category
🎈
FunTranscript
00:00So you're watching your favorite cooking show when suddenly, the star chef adds a pinch of salt to some jam
00:06that's supposed to go into a dessert.
00:09You pick up the phone to call and complain, but right then the chef explains.
00:13It turns out that adding salt to fruit is a common thing in different cuisines across the world.
00:19Like in Mexico, they like to spice up mango and citrus fruits with salt and chili powder.
00:24You can try mango with a shrimp taste in the Philippines and salted watermelon in the southern states.
00:30So how does it work?
00:32Well, let's say you're eating a raw mango sprinkled with salt.
00:36With the first bite, you notice the salty flavor, and the sweet, fruity taste is then slightly delayed.
00:42It feels as juicy and amazing as ever.
00:45It's most likely because salt affects the sweet taste receptor for sugar, and then really magic happens on a molecular
00:52level.
00:52One study even found that we have more sugar detectors in our taste cells than scientists previously thought.
00:59One of those detectors must direct sugar to a sweet taste cell when it gets in contact with salt.
01:04You can try and put salt on any fruit you like, but the effect will be different.
01:09Salt can make sweeter fruits like cherries and strawberries even sweeter and balance the flavor of grapefruit, pineapple, and watermelon.
01:17Just take a ripe fruit and slice it the regular way and sprinkle the pieces with salt.
01:22Large, flaked sea salt might taste more intense, plus it looks more beautiful.
01:27After 10 minutes, your gourmet dessert will be ready.
01:30So, you need to chop up a heap of iceberg lettuce, but that tough core in the middle doesn't want
01:36to leave.
01:37Just hold the lettuce head in both hands with the core end down and slam it against a cutting board
01:43or some other solid surface.
01:45Not your brother.
01:45Now, you should be able to pull the core right out of the bottom and slice the rest of the
01:51lettuce without a problem.
01:53The next time you take butter out of the fridge and struggle to spread it because, you know, it's hard
01:58as a rock, reach for your grater.
02:01With its help, you'll easily flake off tiny pieces of butter that will melt instantly on a warm toast.
02:07You can also spread them much easier on cold bread without putting your sandwich in the microwave or waiting for
02:13a while to soften the butter.
02:15Professional bakers approve of this tip and have been using it for a long time.
02:20When you're frying something, you first heat the pan and then put the food on it, right?
02:24Well, this logic won't work if you want to make your bacon crispy.
02:28On a hot pan, the meat will cook before the fat can melt out of it.
02:32Your bacon will be too fatty and rubbery.
02:35So, you gotta lay the strips on a cold pan and then turn on medium-low heat.
02:40The fat will render out of the meat, and the final result will be super yummy and crispy.
02:46Have you ever tried boiling pasta in a frying pan?
02:50I know it sounds a bit weird, but it can actually help you save a lot of time, water, and
02:55energy.
02:56Instead of filling a huge pot with water and waiting for it to boil, put your pasta in a frying
03:01pan and cover it with cold water and add some salt to it.
03:04Your pasta will be cooking while the water is getting to the boiling point, so it'll be ready much faster
03:10than normal.
03:11And the water that's left in the pan will make an excellent base for a sauce because it's filled with
03:16starch.
03:17Mix it with pesto, tomato sauce, and garlic butter.
03:21Mmm, it tastes like it's straight out of a gourmet restaurant.
03:25Now, the secret to cooking the most delicious and fluffy mashed potatoes is to dry them before you mash them.
03:32After boiling, you can either put them in a pot and leave them over low heat on the stovetop, or
03:37keep them in a baking sheet in a low oven.
03:40Then add melted butter that will coat the starch in the potatoes, and only then slowly add milk.
03:46Now your mashed potatoes will have the best possible structure and flavor.
03:51If you've shed enough tears over onions when trying to slice them, this one is a must-try for you.
03:57Peel the onions, cut them in half, and leave them in a fridge in a bowl of iced water for
04:03half an hour before you start cooking.
04:05The reason behind your tears is the sulfur that onions take from the soil while growing up.
04:11When you damage its cells, the acids contact the enzymes that start a whole bunch of reactions and release a
04:18chemical that makes your eyes water.
04:19Freezing the onion can weaken that chemical.
04:22To minimize it even more, only use a sharp knife to slice onions.
04:27This way, you'll do less damage to its cells.
04:30It's much easier to peel an avocado if you freeze it first.
04:34Just put it in the fridge as it is, give it some time, and then take it out and hold
04:39it under warm running water.
04:41Now you can peel it easily after you make a couple of crisscross incisions.
04:46The best way to keep herbs fresh and juicy is to store them like flowers.
04:51If you don't have the right size vase or vase, take a mason jar or a water glass and fill
04:57it with an inch of water.
04:59Now put the herbs inside as you would do to your roses.
05:02For parsley and cilantro, cover the jar with a plastic bag and store the bouquet in the fridge.
05:09Basil loves sunlight, so you better leave it uncovered on the counter.
05:14If you've made too much sauce, or have some leftovers in a can that doesn't seem to be enough for
05:19anything,
05:20you can save it from the trash can.
05:22Pour the sauce into an ice cube tray and keep it in the freezer.
05:26Now, if you need to spice up a meal, you can always add a couple of sauce cubes to it.
05:31Plus, as a bonus, which is redundant, the sauce will last longer this way than it would in the fridge.
05:38Do your meatballs always turn out to be perfectly the same shape and size?
05:43Then skip this one.
05:44But if you're like me, just use an ice cream scoop to get the right amount of your minced meat
05:49mix.
05:50Try saying that five times.
05:52The balls will be the ideal shape, and your fingers won't get sticky.
05:56The easiest and probably the most beautiful way to slice a mango is to turn it into a hedgehog.
06:03Wash the mango under running water.
06:05Don't squeeze it while doing it.
06:07Now, put it straight up on a cutting board and cut it into three pieces from the top downwards.
06:13Just leave that flat pit in the middle piece.
06:15There isn't much you can do with it anyway.
06:17Now your mango will have two cute cheeks.
06:20I mean, its fattest parts.
06:21Next, make crosswise and lengthwise cut in the mango cheeks.
06:26Leave some even distance between the incisions and don't go all the way through the skin.
06:31Now, press on the back side of the mango until the flesh pokes out.
06:36Does it look like something to you?
06:38Yep, a hedgehog.
06:39Hence the name of this slicing method.
06:41The final step will be to slice off the mango cubes into a bowl.
06:45Then eat.
06:46Now this one has all the potential to become your new breakfast favorite.
06:51You can cook an omelette in a mug.
06:53Take a large microwave-safe mug and coat the inside of it with olive oil or spray it with cookie
06:59spray.
07:00Add two eggs and one tablespoon of milk and mix them with a fork.
07:04Now add salt and pepper and any cheese, veggies, and herbs you like.
07:09Put it in the microwave on high for 30 seconds.
07:12Take it out, stir it with a fork, and then put it back for another 30 seconds.
07:16And voila!
07:18Your breakfast is served.
07:19Oh, be sure to use another mug for your coffee.
07:23Otherwise, you get eggs in your coffee, and nobody has a recipe for that.
07:28Wow, it's lunchtime!
07:30You choose a delicious-looking piece of chicken, but oh no!
07:33It ends up on the floor instead of your mouth.
07:36You quickly pick it up and eat it anyway.
07:39Because there is the five-second rule, you know.
07:42The bad bacteria simply won't have enough time to hop on your food off the floor if you're fat enough.
07:48But is it real, or is it just an urban legend?
07:51Some folks like to credit the famous Genghis Khan, the founder and ruler of the Mongol Empire, for the whole
07:57thing.
07:58According to the tale, if food fell on the floor at banquets, it was fair game as long as Khan
08:04said so.
08:05His food was supposedly so special that it was good for anyone, no matter where it landed.
08:10Back in the day, people didn't know much about those pesky microorganisms and how they could make a sip.
08:16So, eating dropped food wasn't really considered taboo.
08:20They figured if they wiped off the visible dirt, it was good to go.
08:24And that's how the Khan rule came to be.
08:27Hey, maybe they just had outstanding immune systems.
08:30Meanwhile, let's fast forward to the queen of culinary TV herself, Julia Child.
08:36As she whipped up mouth-watering meals on her show, The French Chef, some viewers claimed they saw her drop
08:43lamb, chicken, or even a turkey on the floor.
08:46But in reality, it was a potato pancake that landed on the stovetop, not the floor.
08:51In the spirit of having some fun in the kitchen, Julia famously said,
08:56But you can always pick it up, and if you are alone in the kitchen, who is going to see?
09:01And just like that, the misremembered story became part of popular culture.
09:06In real life, when your food hits the floor, it's like a bacteria magnet.
09:11That chicken piece is bound to pick up some unwanted microbial hitchhikers.
09:16You just can't give your fallen lunch a quick sanitizing session like you would with your hands.
09:21As for the five-second rule, it's not all so simple.
09:25Some foods may have a better chance of survival after taking a tumble.
09:29Researchers from Rutgers University discovered that moisture, surface type, and contact time all play a role in the degree of
09:37cross-contamination.
09:39Foods with high moisture levels, like juicy watermelon, are the biggest culprits for contamination.
09:45That means they attract more bacteria than any other food tested.
09:49And not all environments and surfaces are created equal.
09:53Carpet had a low transfer rate in the experiment.
09:56Stainless steel and wood had higher transfer rates.
09:59In a different study, researchers swabbed the floors around the University of Illinois in the lab, hall, dormitory, and cafeteria
10:07to see how many organisms they could find.
10:10They were surprised to see very few microorganisms.
10:14It was probably because most malicious bacteria, like salmonella, listeria, or E. coli, can't survive without moisture, and the floors
10:23were all dry.
10:24But even on dry, sterile surfaces, germs relocated onto cookies and gummy bears in less than five seconds.
10:31For some foods, it takes less than one second for the transfer to begin.
10:36So, the five-second rule doesn't really rule, after all.
10:40It's more of an urban legend and a psychological trick your mind plays on you.
10:44Experimental psychologists explain that when it comes to decision-making, we humans don't always go through a rigorous risk-benefit
10:52analysis.
10:53Nah, we rely on our brain's trusty sidekicks, called heuristics.
10:57These little shortcuts help us make lightning-fast decisions based on whatever info we've got at hand.
11:04Sometimes, these shortcuts can lead us in the wrong direction, though, like in the case of germs.
11:09Those are invisible little troublemakers, and food is real and valuable.
11:13So, when you drop a precious piece of food on the floor, say, a yellow peanut M&M,
11:19your brain goes like,
11:20Hey, I can't see any germs, so it must be safe to snatch it up.
11:25Not every floor snack will make you sick, but it also depends on you.
11:30Our immune systems, especially in the very young and the very old, can be a bit more fragile and vulnerable.
11:36So, it's crucial not to pass on this questionable habit to the little ones.
11:41Remember, they're always watching!
11:44Another popular food-related myth is that carbs are always bad for you.
11:49In reality, some carbs are pretty important because they're converted into fuel for our bodies.
11:55You can find those complex carbs, as they're called, in plant-based foods.
12:00They're the ones that keep our digestive system happy and our metabolism in check.
12:05The real villains are the simple carbs.
12:08Manufacturers add them to processed foods, like starches and sugars.
12:11When we gobble them up, they quickly turn into blood sugar, causing all sorts of havoc.
12:17Think sudden spikes, feeling hungry again in no time, and some more serious consequences for your health.
12:23The good carbs come packed with nutritional goodies, like fiber and bran, which makes them digest slower and release glucose
12:30gradually.
12:31To make smarter carb choices, try going for whole-grain bread alternatives and swap soda for sparkling water.
12:38You can also try the plate method.
12:41Fill half your plate with fiber-rich, starch-free veggies.
12:45Reserve a quarter for starchy delights, like potatoes or a fruity treat.
12:49And the last quarter is for proteins.
12:51Fish, poultry, beans, nuts, eggs, and lentils should become your new dietary besties.
12:58Now, frozen or canned fruits and veggies aren't useless, like the rumor has it.
13:03Studies have shown that frozen, dried, juiced, or canned plant-based foods can be just as nutritious as their fresh
13:10counterparts.
13:11You just need to keep an eye out for any sneaky added ingredients, like sugars, saturated fats, or sodium.
13:18High temperatures during the canning process can cause some vitamins, like C and B, to take a hit.
13:24But those vitamins can be a bit sensitive to heat and air in general, so they might leave even during
13:30regular cooking and storage at home.
13:33Some canned foods, like tomatoes and corn, actually release more antioxidants when they're heated up.
13:41Now, have you ever tried adding celery to your diet just because eating it is supposed to burn more calories
13:47than you take in?
13:48Experts say that negative-calorie foods are nothing more than a fantastical idea.
13:53Sure, the process of munching and digesting celery burns a few calories, but not a significant amount.
14:00There may be around 10 calories in a hefty celery stick, but the body only uses one-fifth of that
14:06to process it.
14:07So it's still a calorie-plus situation.
14:10Plus, you'll unlikely survive just on celery, and it's often a gateway to more yummy foods like cream cheese or
14:17peanut butter.
14:18Hey, tell me about it.
14:19Meanwhile, high-fiber, water-dense fruits and veggies, like celery, can indeed have value as weight-loss allies.
14:26They fill up your stomach and increase satiety, preventing you from gorging on more calories later.
14:32But they won't magically burn off the calories you've already consumed.
14:36Some people claim that certain foods or beverages make your body work harder.
14:42For example, your body needs to warm up cold water to a toasty 98 degrees Fahrenheit.
14:47But there's no solid research to support the idea that cold-water drinkers burn significantly more calories.
14:54Maybe a measly 5 calories if you're lucky.
14:58Caffeine, guanine, taurine, and green tea extracts have been touted for their metabolism-boosting properties.
15:04But again, we're talking about a tiny boost that could potentially result in losing around 10 pounds over a year.
15:12So, looks like the best way to keep your calories under control is to consume fewer of them than you
15:18burn through exercise, not just digestion.
15:22Carbonated water isn't any worse than its still version.
15:25When carbon dioxide and water get together, they chemically react to create a weak acid called carbonic acid.
15:32It tickles the same nerve receptors in your mouth as mustard.
15:36That's why you get that delightful and prickly sensation.
15:39Although carbonated water is a bit acidic, drinking it won't make your entire body acidic.
15:45Your kidneys and lungs step in to remove any excess carbon dioxide from your system.
15:50And it's not terrible for your tooth enamel.
15:53One study found that sparkling mineral water had only a slight impact on enamel compared to still water.
15:59It was a whopping 100 times less damaging than a sugary soft drink.
16:05So, keep your bubbly drink sugar-free, and you should be safe and healthy.
16:11There's a dangerous dish that can poison you when prepared incorrectly.
16:15Everyday food like honey and cashew can be harmful, too, in certain conditions.
16:20You should know these facts before you eat some products.
16:24Have you ever chewed the seeds when eating an apple?
16:26Then you know that unpleasant taste the seeds have.
16:29That's because of cyanide.
16:31Don't be alarmed yet.
16:33The seeds have a protective cloak covering them.
16:36That's why cyanide doesn't enter your system if you accidentally swallow the seeds.
16:41Better be cautious, though.
16:42Even small doses of cyanide can result in rapid breathing and more extreme and unpleasant results.
16:49Another danger lurking in your kitchen is potatoes.
16:52The ones with sprouts and green spots.
16:55Cutting off the green parts or sprouts solves the problem only visibly.
16:59The toxic substance called glycoalkaloid may have already spread through the whole potato.
17:04This substance turns some parts of a potato green for some reason.
17:09It's a sign for you.
17:11Eating this kind of potato can cause nausea, headaches, and other consequences.
17:16Are you a bubble tea fan?
17:18Then maybe you're familiar with cassava, a.k.a. tapioca.
17:22This is a root veggie, and it's cultivated in South America.
17:27It's also often used to make cakes and chips.
17:30It can be either sweet or bitter.
17:32It's common for root and tuber varieties of cassava to contain toxins.
17:37Tapioca must be prepared properly before you consume it.
17:41If it's served incorrectly or eaten raw, the consequences are pretty serious.
17:46But when it's processed correctly, it's delicious and safe to eat.
17:52Elderberries are known as a supplement to boost your immune system and help your body fight a cold or the
17:57flu.
17:58This medicinal plant needs to be handled and prepared with care, too.
18:02If you eat unripe berries, they can do more harm than good.
18:06Here comes lectin and cyanide.
18:09These chemicals can cause stomach problems, for instance.
18:13This one makes me sad more than any other thing on the list.
18:16And this list includes a lot of healthy products.
18:19Anyway, here I spell it out.
18:21Popcorn.
18:22There are many studies saying that microwave popcorn is harmful for you.
18:28First, you consume the chemicals used in packaging.
18:31There are also flavoring additives that aren't healthy.
18:34Now remember that moment when you open the bag and hot popcorn-smelling air goes up into your nose?
18:40It can lead to irreversible lung damage.
18:43For instance, there's a diagnosis named popcorn lung.
18:47A chemical used to provide microwave popcorn with its buttery flavor is related to that diagnosis.
18:53What can you do?
18:55Choose other packaging options or invest in an air popper.
18:59Air popped popcorn has only 90 calories and less than 1 gram of fat.
19:04Yay!
19:06Number 6 is honey.
19:08Honey is a sweet liquid made by…
19:10I'm joking.
19:11But do you know that natural honey is dangerous to eat if the amount is more than a teaspoon?
19:16Let's move on to cherry pits.
19:18If you don't chew or crunch them, you'll probably be fine.
19:21Yet, keep in mind that these pits contain prusic acid, and this stuff is poisonous.
19:28What about ackee fruit?
19:30It's the national fruit of Jamaica, and it turns out unripe ackee contains a poison called hypoglycem.
19:37Ackee fruit must be fully ripe if you want to eat it.
19:40In other words, this fruit should open up by itself.
19:43Once it's ready to be picked up, it'll split wide open.
19:46No to the highly toxic pink flesh or black seeds, and yes to the delicious creamy pulp near the seeds.
19:54Eating this fruit incorrectly can cause Jamaican stomach sickness.
19:59Fugu is the Japanese word for puffer fish, and the dish prepared from it.
20:04What's interesting about this dish is that it can be the last dish in your life if you don't prepare
20:09it properly.
20:11This fish contains a very powerful toxin that's very dangerous to humans.
20:15A single fish has enough poison to harm 30 people.
20:20Because of this, Japanese chefs undergo years of training to get a special license.
20:25Despite all precautions and preparations, fugu still sometimes becomes the last meal for some people.
20:32Would you take that risk?
20:34Perfect Ciders
20:35Cashews
20:36They can also be very risky to eat when they're raw.
20:39You probably get cashews from stores with raw cashew labels, but they aren't 100% raw.
20:46Before they find their spots on the shelves, they're processed with steam to remove a toxin called urushiol.
20:53Cashew shells contain this toxin.
20:55What would happen to you if you ate these nuts raw?
20:58A dangerous allergic reaction if you have a tendency to allergies.
21:02This depends on your sensitivity to poison ivy.
21:06Speaking of raw food, raw kidney beans are risky too.
21:11They contain a toxin called lectin.
21:13This one can give you stomach aches and other digestion-related issues as a bonus.
21:18All you need is to swallow 4 to 5 raw beans to experience these side effects.
21:24Red beans are rich in plant-based protein, essential vitamins, and minerals.
21:28Cook them correctly to enjoy these goodies.
21:31For this, keep dried red beans on the stove for at least 10 minutes.
21:35Boiling them for a shorter time and at a lower temperature can actually increase their toxicity.
21:41Beans can become even more toxic than if they are consumed raw.
21:45So yeah, a minimum of 10 minutes at high temperatures.
21:49Eating too many untreated bitter almonds can cause many unpleasant symptoms and health issues.
21:56Rhubarb leaves are a bit tricky too.
21:58You can eat the stalk, but don't munch on the leaves.
22:01The leaves contain oxalic acid, which ties to calcium.
22:05This makes it harder for the body to absorb the needed amounts of calcium.
22:10Mushrooms
22:10For plenty of people, pizza and pasta wouldn't be so great without mushrooms.
22:16We all know that mushrooms are kinda unpredictable, especially if they grow in the wild.
22:21Here are two of the most dangerous ones.
22:23The death cap and the destroying angel.
22:27Starfruit is a risky choice for people with sensitive kidneys.
22:31If you're one of them, you might want to keep this fruit out of your meals.
22:35Regularly functioning kidneys can filter out the toxins starfruit contains.
22:39Otherwise, the toxin will hang around and cause some problems there.
22:43The next product on the list is nutmeg.
22:46If you find that nutty flavor super nice like me, hear me out before adding it everywhere.
22:52Small amounts of nutmeg are fine and healthy.
22:55But if you, let's say, eat spoonfuls of nutmeg, it can cause problems.
23:00Even with two teaspoons.
23:02Knock knock, you get poisoned.
23:05Canned tuna can be a lifesaver.
23:07It's not pricey.
23:08It's a good source of protein.
23:10And with its help, you can prepare a delicious meal quickly.
23:14No cooking, just lettuce, bread, and a few more ingredients.
23:18There you go.
23:19How about three to five times a week?
23:21And you might experience a side effect called mercury poisoning.
23:25Now, this is related to how much and what type of food you consume.
23:30Canned tuna contains mercury, and that's why eating too much of it can lead to mercury poisoning.
23:36Medical advisors say that every kind of fish has some level of mercury.
23:40But that level differs from one species to another.
23:44For example, canned tuna has relatively high levels of mercury.
23:49Obviously, seafood is a great source of omega-3 and other things that are essential to our brain and good
23:54health.
23:55To stay safe, experts advise people to choose low-mercury seafood.
24:00Here's an interesting fact related to this.
24:02To get the most omega-3 fats from your canned tuna, choose water-packed fish instead of oil-packed.
24:09In oil-packed cans, the oil mixes with some of the tuna's natural fat.
24:13You open the can and drain the oil, and some of the fish's omega-3 fatty acids also get drained.
24:20But water and oil don't mix.
24:22Water-packed tuna won't lose its omega-3 fats.
24:26You can add some oil and dressing after you open the can.
Comments