Food. It’s one of the few things that all people need to live. That’s why the food industry is a billion-dollar industry. Funnily enough, the food we eat every day is directly affected by our culture, the natural bounties surrounding, and what’s popular in our society. Have you ever thought about how food is something that we all take for granted, and yet we are so obsessed about it? Here are 10 insane food facts you ought to know:
Most processed food contains corn
Corn is one of the cheapest food products on Earth, and it also is one of the most popular. You can use corn for anything – chips, filler for frozen goods, and even as is. There are also many food derivatives from corn. There’s syrup, cornflakes, cornstarch, even dextrose, and maltodextrin.
But one of the most insane corn facts is that a majority of processed food contains corn. High fructose corn starch and syrup are usually the sweeteners of choice because they are cheap and have one of the most stable formulations for extended storage.
There’s orange juice in Mountain Dew
Believe it or not, but Mountain Dew, or popularly known as the greenish-yellow soda, has a bit of orange juice in it. Aside from high fructose corn syrup, one of Mountain Dew’s key ingredients are concentrated orange juice. It’s not the healthiest of drinks per se, as basically, you are eating flavored water, but the carbonation and citric acid give it its distinctive sizzle!
Russia only classed beer as an alcoholic beverage in 2011
Another crazy fact about beverages is that beer was classified as a soft drink in cold Russia until 2011 because all beverages with lower than 10% alcohol content were considered a soft drink. In 2011, this changed as the government has seen it fit to lower the qualifications. And probably for the better of everybody!
There’s a black market for stolen cheese
It may come as a surprise to many, but the most stolen food product in the world is cheese. All kinds of cheese, in fact. And to top it all off, there is a black market dedicated to only stolen cheeses! European countries usually see the most cases of stolen cheeses, and the only reason experts see as a reason is that “Europeans love their cheese!”
Potatoes are 80% water
If you’ve ever heard of watermelon being basically 93% water, then you’ll be shocked that the trusty and lowly potato is also majorly composed of it! In fact, 80% of potatoes are water! That’s interesting because, unlike watermelon, which obviously is made of water, potatoes rarely drip off, or even feel mushy. Not unless you purposely mash them up!
Figs are inverted flowers
Figs sometimes have wasps inside them, and this is because they’re not fruits, per se – they’re inverted flowers. Figs need a special pollination, and they need wasps to do it. That’s why some dead wasps may have decomposed inside the inverted flower! They get trapped and didn’t know where to go! Poor wasps!
Bananas are inbred fruits
Bananas are clones of each other. That means that banana trees can’t reproduce, and a powerful disease like the Panama disease may one day kill all the banana trees on Earth. In the meantime, as one of the most exported fruit products in the world, banana plantations keep a rigid sanitation regimen when you enter their factories.
You can get drunk quickly when on a plane
Altitude changes our body’s reaction to food and beverages, and it’s scientifically proven that you can get drunk quicker on-air than when you consume alcoholic beverages on land. Food tastes different on a plane as well; that’s why most airline food doesn’t taste great! The body’s chemistry changes and even chewing gum to pop your ears won’t work!
Healthy foods cost 10x more than junk foods
This is one of the most frustrating things about eating healthy. Instead of it being cheaper, you are spending 10x more when you eat healthy foods than when you have a terrible diet. So if you want to start a healthy eating journey, you need to commit to it and see it through!
The sandwich was only invented because of laziness
It was believed that the Earl of Sandwich invented modern-day sandwiches because he didn’t want to get up from his gambling table, nor take the time to eat properly. So he instructed one of his servants to make him a meal that he can eat in one hand!
Takeaway
The next time you eat, think of these random food facts to appreciate the dish you’re having. And if you can, donate to charities and organizations that help to put food on the table for impoverished children worldwide. You don’t need to donate much; just a bit of your budget for groceries should be more than enough.