Pretty Cool Produce: The Exotic Fruits and Veggies Quiz

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You know that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but what's your IQ on the lesser-known fruits (and veggies) of the world? Take our quiz to find out!

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QUESTION 1 OF 10

Which vegetable can actually be poisonous if consumed in its entirety?

rhubarb

Although classified as a fruit for taxation purposes, rhubarb is actually a veggie. The stalk is fine to eat, but never consume rhubarb leaves, as they contain dangerous doses of a toxin called oxalic acid.

eggplant

artichoke

QUESTION 2 OF 10

Which variable increases the sour factor of cucamelons?

leaving them on the vine longer

The longer a cucamelon (aka a Mexican sour gherkin) stays on the vine, the more sour it becomes. To avoid excessive sourness, pick them when they're about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) long.

the climate where they're grown

picking them too early

QUESTION 3 OF 10

True or False: Sea cucumbers are actually fruits.

False. Regular cucumbers are fruits, but sea cucumbers are vegetables.

True. Sea cucumbers are fruits like their land-lubbing brethren.

False. Sea cucumbers are really animals.

Despite their fruity name, sea cucumbers are actually animals! They are echinoderms, like sea urchins and starfish.

QUESTION 4 OF 10

Clashes over the transportation of this carb-rich fruit from the South Pacific to the Caribbean may have led to the Mutiny on the Bounty.

kiwi

breadfruit

Capt. William Bligh was tasked with transporting some breadfruit plants from the South Pacific to the Caribbean as food for slaves there. One story has it that water was in short supply aboard the ship and Bligh prioritized keeping the plants alive over keeping his sailors hydrated, thus leading to the infamous mutiny.

passionfruit

QUESTION 5 OF 10

Why was it once illegal to grow gooseberries throughout the U.S.?

They can have hallucinogenic effects if grown improperly.

They can kill trees.

Certain types of gooseberry species can contribute to a disease that kills white pine trees. In 1966 the ban on gooseberries was turned from federal to state-by-state. One state that relies on pine trees to thrive is Maine, and it still bans certain species of gooseberries from being grown there.

They're poisonous to certain North American wildlife.

QUESTION 6 OF 10

Which fruit is known as the "Queen of Fruit?"

mangosteen

Popular in southeast Asia where they're grown, mangosteen fruit are purple on the inside with a thick rind. They're known for a light, citrusy flavor, as well as high levels of vitamin C.

noni

tamarillo

QUESTION 7 OF 10

The extract from this fruit is a popular no-calorie sweetener in the West, but the fruit itself is seldom seen.

stevia

monk fruit

China banned the export of this small brown fruit in 2004 for commercial reasons but its fruit extract is all over the world, including in China, though, the actual fruit is seldom eaten.

acai

QUESTION 8 OF 10

Which fruit should not be consumed by people who take statin drugs to lower cholesterol?

grapes

grapefruit

Grapefruit, which is otherwise very healthy, has a chemical that can interact with certain statin drugs and increase those drugs' side effects. Grapefruit can also react badly with certain antihistamines and meds that treat high blood pressure and prevent organ rejection.

kiwi

QUESTION 9 OF 10

Which of these fruits should you avoid if you're on a diet?

coconut

Coconut seems to be in everything right now, but consider cutting it off at the pass. There are 283 calories in only one cup of shredded coconut, and most of those are calories from fat!

pineapple

avocado

QUESTION 10 OF 10

Despite its stinky smell, this fruit is often used as a meat substitute in vegetarian dishes.

guinep

durian

jackfruit

Jackfruit is often used in vegetarian dishes because, when prepared correctly, it has a taste and texture similar to pork.

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Pretty Cool Produce: The Exotic Fruits and Veggies Quiz

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