One of the ingredients of marshmallows is air

You heard it right! Every modern marshmallow has 40% to 60% air inside. Marshmallows have small bubbles trapped inside them. These bubbles allow the confectionery to form and hold shape. When a vacuum pump is used in making marshmallows, the air inside of it moves outward, expanding the fluffy treat. Boyle’s law is the name of this phenomenon.

Okra can be made into flour

Yes, this is true. Although it sounds unconventional, scientists are studying how to efficiently harvest okra seeds and turn them into flour. Because of their nutritional value, researchers plan to enrich a variety of food with okra flour. They plan to mix it into regular flour to increase the nutrient content and incorporate okra’s many health benefits into the food products that make use of this flour. Research regarding this is still young and under development.

Saffron is more expensive than gold

Iran is the world’s main producer of saffron, supplying 95% of the saffron market. Each flower produces about three red stamens which must be hand-picked. For every 150 flowers, only one gram of saffron is produced. The lengthy process, plus its rarity, makes this precious spice cost $3,000 per kg.

Okra seeds can be a great substitute for coffee

One of the most interesting facts about okra is that its seeds can be a substitute for coffee. You can dry, grind and roast the seeds to make a replacement for coffee, and the taste is reportedly not that far off from traditional coffee. The best part is that unlike the ones made from actual coffee grounds, this okra coffee is caffeine-free and won’t keep you up at night.

Published in Dawn, Young World, March 19th, 2022