Plants are an important source of life on earth. They not only add to the beauty of the earth but are also responsible for the existence of life on this planet. They inhale the atmospheric carbon dioxide and release oxygen during the photosynthesis reaction. Thus they maintain the temperature of the earth and prevent it from rising enormously. There are various interesting facts about plants not really known to everyone. This article speaks about some of such interesting facts.
There are more than 80,000 species of edible plants on earth
People are completely unaware of many plant species that can actually be used as food. There might be some edible plant species growing at the very moment somewhere in the world. They might be found in the interiors of some village or the mountain tops or inside a dense forest.
Just 30 plants provide most of the food consumed by Humans
There are thousands of different varieties of plants growing across the world. But the humans chose to use only 30 of them as food. This is because these plants have a high nutritional value and are good for human health.
The crops produced during mass production are not healthy to Consume
The crops which are produced by the farmers in bulk nowadays do not carry any nutritional value. This is because they grow them for commercial purposes just to gain maximum profits. They can be grown easily, quickly, and are cost-effective. Therefore, proper nutrition is rarely served at our dinner tables.
There are 70,000 medicinal plants in the world
Plants are being used as medicines since ages. They have been the most effective form of treatment with no side-effects. The traditional forms of treatments advised by the sages were completely dependent on plants. Not just traditional medicines but modern medicines are also being obtained from plants. Most of the drugs prescribed in the United States have originated from plants.
More than 80% of the natural forests on earth have been destroyed
Due to human interventions, most of the forests that existed several years ago have been depleted. Most of the beneficial plant and animal species have been destroyed in the process. The natural forests that developed on their own can be seen no more. Everything is just artificial.
Plant Species are going extinct as a result of Deforestation
Most of the plant species are going extinct as a result of deforestation, industrialization, pollution, climate change and lack of space and resources for human survival. This is a matter of great concern. If the trees are not protected, the earth would soon be a barren ugly land with no life on it.
There are several other facts related to plants that are unknown to humans. Various new discoveries are being made every day. With the advancement of science, several techniques have been developed for the improvement of crop yield and development of healthy plants. This is a great step towards the protection of plants from extinction. Humans should take the first step in preserving the beauty of earth so that we get to know several other new facts about plants in the years to come.
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