Food is full of surprises—and the more you learn, the weirder (and cooler) it gets. From unexpected origins to mind-blowing facts you’d swear were fake, there’s no shortage of oddities in the world of what we eat. We searched high and low for the most unbelievable food facts out there—and guess what? Every single one is true. How many of these did you already know?
Berry Surprising!
When you think of berries, chances are you think of strawberries and blueberries. What you might not think about are bananas. However, that's precisely what bananas are.
Bananas are berries because they develop from the ovaries of a plant and contain seeds. It's a botanical term.
How Many Cows?!
Fast food burgers are a unique type of gross, even down to the meat that's used. The ground beef in most fast food burgers is mixed from dozens or even hundreds of cows.
As it turns out, the predictable taste of the burgers you eat is a byproduct of that meat mixing. A single fast-food burger can have the meat from as many as 100 cows!
Blame Canada
Do you like California rolls? If so, you are not alone. It's a simple but delicious mix of faux crab, cucumber, and avocado that just melts in your mouth. Oh...it's not from California.
As it turns out, it's rumored that America's most popular sushi roll originated in Canada. Others believe that it is a Los Angeles-based role, though it went through several iterations before it became what we know today.
Hibachi's Ties To EDM
Hibachi seems like it would have a long tradition in Japan, but that's not true. This form of Japanese cooking was developed by Rocky Aoki, the founder and owner of Benihana's.
It was created to entertain Westerners and open them up to Japanese food. If the last name sounds familiar, you might be an EDM fan. Rocky Aoki is DJ Steve Aoki's dad!
Influential And Fictional
Did you ever read a Betty Crocker cookbook? If so, you're not alone. You might wonder who was Betty Crocker and how she became so famous. Truthfully? She never existed. She's a fictional character.
Over the years, hundreds of women played her in commercials, radio shows, and more. She's one of the most influential fictional characters to ever live.
Lemons Float, Limes Sink
Not sure whether you're holding a yellow lime or a greenish lemon? Put it in water.
Lemons are surprisingly lightweight compared to their green counterparts. Limes are dense enough to sink in water, while lemons naturally float.
The Devil's Drink
When you think of devilishly good drinks, do you think about coffee? During the Medieval period in Europe, coffee was considered a serious drug.
The Catholic church even named it "the devil's drink" because it was tied to free thinking. That didn't stop its popularity. People kept drinking coffee despite the penalties that came with it.
After people began to demand more coffee, the pope relented and blessed it, freeing coffee from the grips of Satan and making it legal throughout Europe.
Not German
You might see German chocolate cake on a diner menu, but don't be fooled. This is not actually a dish from Germany. It's named after Sam German, a man who invented baking chocolate.
It's not even European. German chocolate cake is an American Midwestern treat.
Killer Food (Literally!)
It's no secret that fast food and obesity are bad for you. One doctor got so upset with patients ignoring his pleas for a better diet that he opened his own cafe as a public warning. It's called the Heart Attack Cafe.
Food at this cafe is purposefully unhealthy. People over a certain weight eat free. They also had spokespeople who were equally unhealthy. In fact, one of their spokespeople dropped dead from overeating.
If that's not a grim warning, we don't know what is.
Thank Natives
People greatly underestimate how much Native Americans changed the world's culinary landscape. Tomatoes, corn, potatoes, and many spices were originally exclusive to America.
Experts estimate that Native Americans developed 60 percent of the foods eaten globally today. Can you imagine Ireland without potatoes? Or Italian food without tomatoes? It was a reality at one point.
So Hated
Brussels sprouts might be trendy today, but the truth is that they are not as popular as you might think. A 2020 survey revealed that these green balls of yum are actually the world's most hated vegetable.
Oh well, that leaves more sprouts for fans.
Sinful Shellfish
The Bible has many rules Christians abide by, but some are overlooked. One of the most frequently ignored rules concerns shellfish. The Bible prohibits eating shrimp and other forms of shellfish.
The New Testament clears things up and relaxes the rules but whether followers should abide by the rules is still up for debate.
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