Here are 10 food facts that will absolutely blow your mind:
1. Ketchup Was Once Sold as Medicine
In the 1830s, ketchup wasn’t a condiment, it was a cure. An American doctor marketed tomato ketchup as a remedy for indigestion. Imagine being told to take “two spoons of ketchup” instead of a pill!
2. Honey Never Spoils
That jar of honey sitting in your kitchen could technically last forever. Archaeologists have found pots of honey in ancient Egyptian tombs that are over 3,000 years old and still edible.
3. Bananas Are Berries, But Strawberries Aren’t
Yes, you read that right. Botanically speaking, bananas qualify as berries, but strawberries don’t.
4. Pineapples Take Nearly Two Years to Grow
Next time you enjoy pineapple juice, thank the patience of nature. A single pineapple plant can take 18 to 24 months to produce just one fruit. No wonder they were once considered a luxury.
5. Carrots Used to Be Purple
The bright orange carrot we know today was developed in the Netherlands around the 17th century. Before that, carrots were usually purple, red, or even yellow. Orange carrots were bred partly as a tribute to the Dutch royal family, the House of Orange.
6. Potatoes Were the First Food Grown in Space
In 1995, NASA and scientists from the University of Wisconsin managed to grow potatoes aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. Talk about interstellar French fries!
7. Apples Float Because They’re 25% Air
That’s why apple bobbing works so well during festivals. The tiny air pockets inside make apples less dense than water, so they naturally float.
8. Cheese Is the Most Stolen Food in the World
Around 4% of all cheese made globally gets stolen every year. Apparently, thieves just can’t resist cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan.
9. Watermelons Are 92% Water
It explains why eating watermelon on a hot day feels like drinking water in solid form. Refreshing, sweet, and basically nature’s hydration hack.
10. Coffee Beans Aren’t Actually Beans
They’re seeds of a fruit called a coffee cherry. So technically, when you drink coffee, you’re sipping on fruit juice. How fancy is that?
