Ketchup Was Originally Made From Fish & Other Unbelievable Food Facts
Food is a major part of everyday life, but don't often think much deeper about the things that we're eating. So many of the foods you eat have mysterious origins and properties that you might not even know about.
These fun food facts will change the way you see food and give you something to talk about at your next dinner party.
Caesar salad wasn't invented in Italy
Though Caesar salad is commonly associated with Italian cuisine, it wasn't actually invented anywhere near Italy. Believe it or not, Caesar salad's origin story began in Tijuana, Mexico in 1927.
Hotel owner Caesar Cardini wanted to make a quick dinner for friends. He tossed lettuce into a bowl and made a sauce from the ingredients he had on hand, and the rest is history.
Oreos are vegan
That's right, the beloved sandwich cookies are completely plant-based. Oreo cookies don't contain any milk products or eggs, making them vegan-friendly.
You can dip them into a glass of almond or oat milk for a perfect vegan snack.
Carrots haven't always been orange
The most common carrot color today is orange, but this hasn't always been the case. The original carrots were actually purple and yellow.
Though orange has become the standard for most carrots, there are still different colors available.
Pistachios can spontaneously combust
You read that right—under the right circumstances, pistachios can spontaneously combust. This is because they are rich in fat, which is highly flammable.
This is only a problem in cases where pistachios are packed to tightly during the shipping process or in storage. If bunched together like this while completely dry, they can catch on fire.
Philadelphia cream cheese isn't actually from Philadelphia
Despite the name, Philadelphia cream cheese does not have Philly roots. The dairy brand chose the misleading name as a marketing ploy, as Pennsylvania has a reputation for excellent dairy products.
The iconic cream cheese was actually invented in Chester, New York, and was given the Philadelphia name in 1880.
Spam is short for "spiced ham"
Have you ever wondered how Spam was given it's name? The answer is simpler than you might think.
"Spam" is actually a short form of "spiced ham," despite the product not actually containing any spices.
Ketchup was originally made from fish
There are texts from as long ago as 300 BCE that document Chinese cooks creating a concoction known as "kicap" in certain dialects. This concoction was made from fermented pastes, fish entrails, meat byproducts, and soybeans.
By the 18th century, British traders brought the recipe back to England, where it evolved into version with various different ingredients. It wasn't until 1801 that tomatoes made their way into the sauce recipe in an American cookbook.
Froot Loops are all the same flavor
The flavors of each different color of Froot Loop has long been debated, but the answer is actually simple. They're all the same flavor!
Though the colors were originally intended to represent various fruit flavors, the reality is that all of them taste the same.
Bananas are technically berries, but strawberries aren't
Despite their name, strawberries aren't actually classified as berries. This is because their seeds are found on the outside, while berries must have internal seeds.
Surprisingly, this means that bananas are considered berries in a botanical sense.