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Why does fruit change color as it ripens? |
Do you like bananas? They tend to be a tasty fruit that most people like. Would you rather eat a bright green banana or a bright yellow one? Green bananas are said to be unripe. If you bite into one it probably will taste very bitter and be hard to chew. Yellow bananas are softer and usually yummier.
Believe it or not, these changes in color, taste, and texture help the plants spread their seeds to make more plants! Fruits have seeds in them (or on them, like strawberries). Some plants rely on animals to eat their fruit and then carry their seeds to new places, since plants don’t have legs and can’t walk around themselves.
While the seeds are being made, but aren’t yet ready to be spread around, the fruit stays green. When they are ready, the fruit becomes a bright color (usually). Animals see this as a sign, and think, “There’s something tasty!” They get a nice snack, and, though they don’t realize it, they give the seeds a free ride. Hopefully the seeds will land in some nice soil and begin to grow into a new plant!
A Fruit for Every Color!
Do you have a favorite fruit? What color is it? Fruits come in every color of the rainbow. Can you think of red fruit? What about blue fruit? Purple fruit? Grab a box of crayons or markers and with each one, try to draw a fruit that is that color. You’ll be surprised how many markers or crayons you can use before you run out of fruit.
If you get stuck, ask a grown-up for some ideas. You may learn about some new favorite fruit that you didn’t know about before!
