Rajčica je posebna u svakom pogledu, a nakon što pročitate ovih 12 zanimljivih činjenica, rajčice ćete zavoljeti još više!

1. Prve rajčice u Europi bile su žute boje i zato su ih nazivali ‘pomo d’oro’, što u prijevodu znači ‘zlatna jabuka’.
2. U početku je rajčica bila dio prehrane siromašnog talijanskog stanovništva no to se mijenja u 18. stoljeću kada su Talijani odlučili malo nadograditi skromne obroke s kruhom te ga nadjenuli rajčicom.
3. Najpoznatija pizza Margherita nastala je u 19. stoljeću kada je kraljica Margherita di Savoia posjetila Napulj. Pizza majstor Raffaele Espositoa pripremio joj je svoj specijalitet te ga obogatio rajčicom, svježim bosiljkom i mozzarellom.
4. Prema Guinnessovom rekordu najteža rajčica na svijetu teži gotovo 4 kg (3.906 kg). Uzgojio ju je Amerikanac Dan Sutherland, a nevjerojatan rekord zabilježen 30. kolovoza 2016.
5. Rajčicu ne čuvajte u hladnjaku jer niska temperatura negativno utječe na njezinu teksturu koja postaje brašnasta, a okus slabi. Radije je čuvajte na sobnoj temperaturi jer sazrijevanjem se pojačava okus rajčice tako da je još ukusnija.
6. Rajčice ubrzano gube vitamin C na sunčevom svjetlu, čak i kada prodire kroz prozor – zato ih čuvajte na tamnijem mjestu.
7. Preporučena dnevna doza vitamina C za prosječnu odraslu osobu je oko 75 mg. 100 g rajčice sadrži oko 20 mg vitamina C tako da obavezno uvrstite nekoliko rajčica u svoj jelovnik.
8. Najvrijedniji sastojak u rajčici je likopen koji je najsnažniji antioksidans za ljudski organizam. Njegova uloga je da deaktivira slobodne radikale koji mogu štetno utjecati na stanice našeg organizma. Rajčica ga sadrži najviše, a njegova apsorbcija još je snažnija kada je rajčica obrađena na visokim temperaturama.
9. Prilikom kuhanja ne koristite aluminijsko posuđe jer kiselina iz rajčice ne reagira dobro s aluminijem. Korištenje aluminija čini kuhanu rajčicu gorčom i njezina crvena boja blijedi. Također, posuda može apsorbirati dio aluminija i kiselina u rajčici je može oštetiti i izblijeliti.
10. Rajčica ima najviše komponenti umamija. Umami je japanska riječ koja u doslovnom prijevodu znači “prijatan ukus”. Umami predstavlja peti okus uz slatko, slano, gorko i ljuto, a djeluje zajedno s ostalim okusima pa ga nismo toliko svjesni. On je zapravo pojačivač okusa kojeg teško ili uopće ne identificiramo.
11. 28. lipnja 1820. godine bio je dan kada je srušeno popularno vjerovanje da je rajčica otrovna. Američki pukovnik Robert Gibbon opovrgnuo je popularni mit u javnoj demonstraciji na stepenicama suda u Salemu u New Jerseyju, gdje je pred ruljom pojeo rajčicu bez ikakvih posljedica.
12. U Ohiu u Americi rajčicu toliko obožavaju da je sok od rajčice proglašen službenim državnim pićem, a u New Yerseyju rajčica je ‘službeno povrće’.

There is no doubt that tomatoes are very special, and after reading these 12 interesting facts, you will come to admire tomatoes even more!

1. The first tomatoes in Europe were yellow and therefore were called ‘d’oro’, which translates to ‘golden apple’.
2. Initially, tomatoes were part of the diet of the poor Italian population, but this changed in the 18th century when the Italians decided to slightly upgrade the modest meal with bread and topped it with tomatoes.
3. The most famous pizza of Margherita was born in the 19th century when Queen Margherita di Savoia visited Naples. Pizza master Raffaele Espositoa prepared her specialty and enriched it with tomato, fresh basil and mozzarella.
4. According to Guinness Records, the most difficult tomato in the world is almost 4 kg (3,906 kg). It was nurtured by American Dan Sutherland, and recorded on August 30, 2016.
5. Do not store tomatoes in the refrigerator because the low temperature has a negative effect on its texture, which becomes flour, and the taste weakens. It’s better to keep it at room temperature, because maturing improves the taste of tomatoes so it becomes even more tasty.
6. Tomatoes quickly lose vitamin C in the sunlight, even if only exposed to an indirect beam coming in through a window – so keep them in a darker place.
7. The recommended daily dose of vitamin C for the average adult is about 75 mg. 100 g of tomato contains about 20 mg of vitamin C so you have to add some tomatoes to your menu.
8. The most valuable ingredient in tomatoes is lycopene – the most powerful antioxidant for human organisms. His role is to deactivate free radicals that can adversely affect the cells of our organism. Tomato contains the most lycopen and its absorption is even stronger when tomatoes are processed at high temperatures.
9. Do not use aluminum pots when cooking meals with tomatoes, as the tomato acid does not react well with aluminum. The use of aluminum makes cooked tomato bitter and its beautiful red color fades.
10. Tomato has the most umami components. Umami is a Japanese word which literally translates to “nice taste”. Umami is a bitter taste, at the same time sweet and sour, and works great with other flavors so we are not fully aware of its full potential in meals. It is actually a flavor enhancer that is difficult or nearly impossible to identify.
11. June 11, 1820, went down in history as the day that the popular belief that tomato was poisonous was dropped. American Colonel Robert Gibbon denied a popular myth at a public demonstration at the court stairs in Salem, New Jersey, where he publicly had tomatoes without any consequences.
12. In Ohio, tomatoes are so revered that tomato juice is proclaimed an official state drink, and in New Jersey tomato is the ‘official vegetable’.