You've Probably Eaten These Weird-Looking Fruits Without Even Realizing It
April 10th, 2015
Take a look at these strange, apple-like fruits. Do they look a little familiar?
They should. You’ve probably even eaten part of them in your lifetime. This is what they look like on the tree, as nature intended.
(via Mental Floss)
In Spanish, these are called marañón, and they’re used to make juice, jam, and a liqueur called fenny. They can also be found in sweeter Indian dishes, as well as making up feed for livestock. It’s also a pretty fragile and easily-bruised fruit, and its juice is known to stain clothing.
And it’s also got a component that’s eaten by snackers the world over.
Have you guessed what it is yet?
The brown bit on the end might look familiar. Don’t touch it, though. It’s full of a toxin called anacardic acid, which causes a skin rash if touched. The good thing, though, is that it can be used medically, and also combats termites. This acid has to be cooked out, so that what’s inside can be eaten safely.
It’s a cashew!
That’s right. Your favorite banana-shaped nut (actually, it’s a seed) comes out of this weird, toxic fruit and with a little cooking, becomes a healthy, tasty snack! Nature is weird, but also delicious and amazing.