How much do we really know about the food that ends up on our plates? Beyond the price tag and appearance, a world of surprising stories about value, health, and economic transformation challenges our most common assumptions about what makes food worthwhile.
This article explores a few of the most impactful and counter-intuitive lessons learned from recent stories in agriculture and wellness. From a strange-looking fruit that outsells its perfect counterparts to a medicinal plant that reshaped a village’s economy, these takeaways reveal a deeper understanding of where true value lies.
The "Ugly" Heirloom Tomato That's More Popular Than Perfect Produce
For Hanoi's discerning foodies, flavor and heritage outweigh cosmetic perfection.
In Hanoi's bustling markets, a visually imperfect heirloom tomato is outselling its flawless counterparts. Known as "cà chua múi," this specialty from the Yên Châu region of Sơn La has an appearance best described as "ugly and strange" (xấu lạ). The tomatoes are irregularly shaped, ripen inconsistently, and vary wildly in size from 0.2kg to 0.8kg. Compared to the uniform, perfectly round tomatoes in supermarkets, they can look like rejects.
Despite this "imperfect" appearance, the cà chua múi is immensely popular. The reason is simple: a superior quality rooted in its heritage. As a traditional variety passed down from one generation to the next (truyền từ đời này qua đời khác), its value lies in its substance. It has significantly more flesh and pulp, fewer seeds, and a delicious, fragrant flavor that shines whether used raw in a salad or cooked into a dish. This heirloom has become so sought after that vendors report daily sales of 50-80kg, sometimes even up to a hundred kilograms (cả tạ), at a premium price of 40,000-50,000 VND/kg. Its success challenges the modern preference for visually flawless produce, proving that true value is found in taste and heritage, not cosmetic perfection.
The Medicinal Flower That Transformed a Village's Fortune
From sugarcane to Sâm núi Dành: How a medicinal flower created a multi-million VND local economy.
In the Nghĩa Hưng commune of Nghệ An province, farmers who once struggled with traditional crops have found remarkable prosperity by shifting to a high-value medicinal plant: Sâm núi Dành, a type of ginseng. The crop’s economic value is a direct reflection of its medicinal value. Its dried flowers sell for 600,000-700,000 VND/kg, and the mature roots of 5-7 year-old plants command an incredible 1.5 million VND/kg.
The story of bà Lê Thị Dần’s family illustrates this transformation. They now earn an estimated 350-400 million VND annually, a success that required significant investment and foresight.
"After careful research, recognizing that this plant was suitable for our local soil conditions, my husband and I decided to borrow 350 million VND to buy tens of thousands of seedlings... The total initial investment cost came to over 500 million VND."
This is more than one family’s success; it’s a story of community modernization. Farmers have collaborated with the local commune to process the harvest, creating Sâm núi Dành tea that has achieved OCOP 3-star certification—a government-backed standard opening up larger markets. Farmers like ông Lê Viết Hiển are investing in technology, spending 30 million VND on a drying machine to meet OCOP standards. His reward? A contract with a company that buys his entire output (toàn bộ sản phẩm đều được công ty bao tiêu). This shift from subsistence farming to a modern, value-added agricultural model shows how specializing in high-value crops can create sustainable prosperity for rural communities.
The Surprising Link Between a Vegetarian Diet and Sexual Health in Seniors
The benefits of a plant-based diet extend to the most personal aspects of well-being.
While a vegetarian diet is widely praised for reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer, a less-discussed advantage is its significant role in improving sexual function for older adults. Analysis from the Y Hoc Pho Thong blog, citing author Lynn Fischer, describes a plant-based diet as a kind of "panacea" for supporting sexual health in one's later years.
The underlying mechanism is straightforward. A diet high in meat can lead to an accumulation of cholesterol and fat in the arteries. This buildup restricts blood flow throughout the body, including to sexual organs, which can lead to dysfunction. By helping to keep arteries clear, a plant-based diet directly counters this risk. Specific foods recommended to support this function include tomatoes, oatmeal, whole grains, asparagus, and avocado. This highlights an important, often overlooked aspect of senior care: sexual health is a vital component of overall quality of life at every age, and simple dietary choices can play a crucial role in maintaining it.
A New Perspective on Food
Our food system is filled with hidden value, whether it’s discovered in the rich heritage of an "ugly" fruit, the economic power of a medicinal flower, or the profound quality-of-life benefits of a simple dietary choice. These stories remind us to look beyond the surface and reconsider what we value in the food we grow and eat.
What other valuable secrets might be waiting in the fields and gardens right in our own communities?
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