10 Surprising Facts About Pumpkins
Forget pumpkin spice — the real thing is even cooler. 1. The word "pumpkin" showed up for the first time in the fairy tale Cinderella. A French explorer in 1584 first called them "gros melons," which translates into Latin as "pepon," which means large melon. It wasn't until the 17th century that they were first referred to as pumpkins. 2. The original jack-o'-lanterns were made with turnips and potatoes by the Irish. In England, they used large beets and lit them with embers to ward off evil spirits. Irish immigrants brought their customs to America, but found that pumpkins were much easier to carve. 3. Over 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkin are produced each year in the United States. The top pumpkin-producing states are Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and California. Pumpkins are also grown on every continent except Antarctica. 4. The world's largest pumpkin was more than five feet in diameter and weighed over 1,800 pounds. It was presented in Minnesota in October 2010. 5. The largest pumpkin pie ever baked weighed 2,020 pounds. Pumpkin pie originated in the colonies, just not as we know it today. Colonists would cut the tops of pumpkins off, remove the seeds, and fill the pumpkins with milk, spices, and honey, and bake them in hot ashes. 6. Each pumpkin has about 500 seeds. And they take between 90 and 120 days to grow. High in iron, they can be roasted to eat. The flowers that grow on pumpkin vines are also edible. 7. Delaware hosts an annual "Punkin Chunkin" championship. Teams compete in a pumpkin launching competition, where pumpkins are shot almost 5,000 feet from an air cannon. 8. There are over 45 different varieties of pumpkin. They range in color like red, yellow, and green, and have names like Hooligan, Cotton Candy, and Orange Smoothie. 9. Pumpkins are fruits. More specifically, they are a winter squash in the family Cucurbitacae, which includes cucumbers and melons. 10. Pumpkins are 90% water. And that makes them low calorie. One cup of canned pumpkin only has 83 calories and only half a gram of fat. In comparison, the same serving size of sweet potato has triple the calories. They also have more fiber than kale, more potassium than bananas, and are full of heart-healthy magnesium and iron. Photo credit: Moncherie/Getty Images http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/a22544/facts-about-pumpkins/ Facts About Oranges! Orange Facts for Kids Check out our fun orange facts for kids. Learn interesting information about orange juice, vitamin C and the different uses we have for oranges. What is orange jam called? What are the best conditions to grow oranges? Find out the answers to these questions and much more with our fun orange facts for kids! •The orange is a citrus fruit and is a hybrid of the pomelo and mandarin. •Oranges have been grown since ancient times and originated in Southeast Asia. •As of 2010, Brazil grows one third of all the world’s oranges. •California and Florida are large producers of oranges in the US. •Around 85% of all oranges produced are used for juice. •Marmalade is orange jam. •Oranges have a high amount of vitamin C. •Oranges are domesticated so you are unlikely to find them growing naturally in the wild. •Because oranges do not spoil easily and are full of vitamin C during the years of world exploration sailors planted orange and other citrus trees along trade routes to prevent scurvy which is a disease that develops from a deficiency of vitamin C. •It is believed that Christopher Columbus was the first to bring orange seeds to America during his second voyage to the region in 1493. •There are now over 600 varieties of oranges worldwide. •There are typically ten segments inside an orange. •Ideal conditions for growing oranges are in sub-tropical areas that have good amounts of sunshine yet moderate to warm temperatures (15.5°C - 29°C (60°F - 84 °F). •Orange peel can be used by gardeners to sprinkle over vegetables as a slug repellent. •The white orange blossom, is the state flower of Florida. It is highly fragrant and has long been used in weddings as cake decoration, in bridal bouquets and in head wreaths. The blossom essence is an important component in the making of perfume and the petals can also be made into "orange blossom/flower water". http://snip.ly/LNaQ#http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/food/oranges.html
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AuthorI am a Life Coach, a Color Wisdom Card Practitioner, and yes, even a Professor (political science, State University of New York at Albany). I use the Color Wisdom Cards to support clients in exploring priorities and taking concrete actions to stay on track with the goals they set. Because in my own life I have overcome a lot of self-doubt, I want to work with people towards more confidence and self-empowerment. You can do it! What is it you want to do? Categories
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