How much do you know? Trivia quiz for seniors that’s full of surprisingly unknown facts

Edo period

Umeboshi began to be made as a preserved food in Japan during the Kamakura period. Even back then, they were valued for the claim that they made foods like rice balls less likely to spoil. Adding shiso leaves started in the Edo period; including them imparts antibacterial effects, resulting in umeboshi with excellent keeping quality.

used tea leaves

Just put the used tea leaves into a heat-resistant container and microwave them, and it will remove unpleasant odors from inside the microwave. The catechins in tea leaves provide deodorizing and antibacterial effects. They’re also useful for cleaning and cooking, making tea leaves too valuable to throw away as they are.

amulet against evil

Wind chimes were brought to Japan from China along with Buddhism. They were hung from the four corners of temple roofs, and their clattering sound was believed to ward off evil as a protective talisman called “fūtaku.” Starting in the Heian period, when nobles began adopting them at home for protection, wind chimes gradually spread in popularity.

Material name

Named PET by taking the initials of Poly Ethylene Terephthalate, the PET bottle has now become indispensable in our lives as a container for beverages and more. In Japan, it was first used in 1977 as a container for soy sauce.

Drink coffee after a meal

In the past, people used to say, “If you lie down right after eating, you’ll turn into a cow,” but for your stomach and intestines, it’s actually good for helping digestion. However, if you drink coffee immediately after a meal, the tannins and polyphenols in coffee bind to the iron you’ve just consumed and interfere with its absorption, which can lead to anemia. It’s best to wait at least 30 minutes after eating before drinking coffee.

tomato ketchup

Tomatoes are said to be good for the body because they contain lycopene. Known as a vegetable rich not only in lycopene but also in nutrients like beta-carotene and vitamins, tomatoes were once considered beneficial in the United States in the 1830s, to the point that tomato extract was even patented as a medicine.

Because people overseas have bodies that can’t digest nori (seaweed).

Only Japanese people can digest raw nori (seaweed). While nori is hard to digest for people overseas, it’s said that Japanese people have unique gut bacteria that can break down raw nori. By the way, nori that has been cooked can be digested by people overseas as well.