Turkish tradition: fresh sugar beets on the streets instead of fruit

In some regions of Turkey, especially in Anatolia, sugar beets are eaten raw as a fruit. Street vendors peel the large white roots and slice them right in front of customers. Their high natural sweetness—up to 20% sugar—makes them a crunchy and refreshing snack.

For locals, this is a familiar seasonal snack, though many tourists and people from other countries find this type of beet consumption unusual.