Sour foods are generally acidic. This quality
can be measured, but it’s tricky. Sour does have
other chemical properties and some foods can
be acidic because they are pungent.
Many people do not like to eat their vegeta-
bles, their phytonutrient content can make them
bitter. These seem to have been produced by the
plant though its evolution fo r self-protection.
These phytonutrients are things like phenols,
flavonoids, isoflavones, terpenes, glucosino-
lates, and other compounds that can help fight
off cancer and produce positive health effects,
but may not appeal to our sense of taste.
Healthy plants produce more of these; this is
what gives them the ability to fend off pests.
Because of this bitterness, many large food
suppliers or growers have sought to breed a
lower level of these nutrients into their crops to
improve desirability and hence sales. Though
calcium is vital for the health of plants and
humans, its content in veggies has also been
thought to increase bitterness. A reduction in
the supply of calcium to a plant will reduce
its calcium content and lower bitterness, but
is it appropriate to reduce calcium? Whether
we realize it or not, the aspect of bitter within
a vegetable adds to the overall richness and
enjoyability of food and can balance out a dish
that would otherwise be too sweet or salty.
grow cycle
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