40 Bizarre Food Facts

Shredded cheese or blocks? What do you prefer? If it’s the former, then this fact might just change your mind. According to the website Eater, the grated variety contains an ingredient called cellulose. That’s pretty much sawdust. Huh?! Why’s that there? Well, it’s supposed to stop the cheese from sticking together in the bag. Certain cereals have it too.

While bagels are often associated with America, their origins can be traced to Poland in the 1300s. Pretty interesting, right? But some three hundred years later, a bizarre piece of legislation was given the green light in Krakow. If a woman just had a baby, you were required to hand her a bagel. As per Ranker, the delicious buns represented a “long, healthy life” at the time.

Following the end of World War II, processed cheese slices hit the market in the United States — years after the product’s creation in Switzerland. How much cheese do the slices actually contain, though? Well, Glamour’s website reports that 51 percent is about as high as it gets. Trust us, that’s not a typo!

How about this for a set of statistics — over the course of a single day, customers buy 75 hamburgers at McDonald’s restaurants every second. Glamour notes that the figure comes to around 6.5 million every single day. And by the year’s conclusion, you’re looking at 2.5 billion. No wonder Mickey D’s continues to thrive.

Ranch dressing is a delicious product, but it shares a rather worrying connection with paint. Yes, both of them house a substance called titanium dioxide, which gives white colors an even lighter shade. Due to this, you can find it in powdered sugar, coffee creamer and suntan lotion too. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the additive is “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” Yikes.

We’ve got an intriguing question for you — what food do you think was the first to be stuck in a microwave? Struggling? Okay then, we’ll spill. The answer is popcorn. That’s weirdly fitting! Eggs were given a go as well, yet the results weren’t as successful. Unsurprisingly, the shell blew up thanks to the heat.

Today, PEZ is seen as a tasty snack housed inside cool collectible dispensers. But in the past, it was meant to serve a very different purpose. Yes, according to the Ranker website, the man behind the product believed that it could be a worthwhile substitute to cigarettes. This was back in 1927. Who saw that coming?!

Every time BBQ season comes around, ears of corn become a staple in people’s diets. Before you tuck into them, though, keep this in mind. When it comes to the corn rows, most ears boast an even figure. According to the Insider website, the number typically hits 16. You’re going to count them from now on, aren’t you?

Now this next fact is sure to blow your mind, so brace yourselves. As it turns out, chilis aren’t actually hot. It’s true! It’s a sensory illusion. You see, each pepper houses a substance called capsaicin. It attaches itself to a person’s “pain receptors,” tricking their brain into believing that the chili is spicy. The resulting reaction is the body’s attempt to lower the heat...or what it confuses for heat anyway.

The next time you grab a jar of peanut butter, consider this — the topping can be transformed into a bunch of diamonds. No, we’re not pulling your leg! According to a group of researchers from Germany, the product’s carbon dioxide plays a key role. After taking out the oxygen from that compound, you can forge a diamond by applying lots of force to the remaining carbon. How cool is that?

Yep, you’re definitely reading that right. Bell peppers aren’t just a single vegetable, even though they appear to be identical...barring the different shades of course. Glamour reports that the red, yellow, green and orange varieties all stem from different individual seeds. That’s one to remember for your next foodie trivia night.

There are few condiments that can transform a dish quite like wasabi. Just the mere mention of it can get your tongue burning. But in a lot of cases, the sauce doesn’t really contain the fiery Japanese root extract. Instead, the green puree is usually “flavored horseradish.” You’ll never look at it the same way again.

You can’t go wrong with an apple, regardless of its origin. Then again, that makes you wonder — how many variations of the fruit are out there today? Well, the number is sure to blow your socks off, so grab a spare pair. Incredibly, Glamour notes that the figure stands at more than 7,500. Wow!

It’s hard to imagine a time when lobster wasn’t a luxury food item, but that was indeed the case during the colonial period in America. The crustacean was seemingly everywhere, to the point where it was even used to feed prisoners. And prior to that spell, the Native Americans created fertilizer from lobsters. There were just too many to eat.

If you’re a fan of white chocolate, listen up. We’re about to give you a rundown of its ingredients — stop us if something appears to be missing. As per the website Bon Appetit, it includes vanilla, sugar, cocoa butter, lecithin and milk. Yep that’s right, there’s no actual chocolate in there, regardless of the name.

Ever wondered why vegans and vegetarians avoid gelatin in their diets? Well, the answer might put you off as well, so brace yourself. Surprisingly, the product is created from animals like pigs and cows. Its contents include their bones, skin and connective tissue. Hey, we suggested that it wasn’t pretty!

Frank Epperson is the man behind the popsicle. Yet the story of its creation is still a bit of a bizarre mystery. You see, Epperson said that he took some water and juice outside his house one day in 1905, placing a mixer in the glass. He forgot about it as the evening drew in, though. The beverage then stayed out there in freezing conditions, which caused it to ice over. Is this actually true? No one knows for sure.

When you think of salmon, what color pops into your head? It’s pink, right? The fish that are caught in the wild sport that shade because of all the shrimp in their diet. But that’s not the case with farmed salmon. They’re white. So to bring about the pinkiness, the salmon are fed “carotenoids” — yellow, orange and red pigments produced by plants and algae — in their dinner. Simply put, they’re dyed!

Do you ask for a “bunch” of bananas when buying your fruit at the market? Well, we’ve got some news for you — you’re technically doing it wrong. According to Glamour, the correct term is actually a “hand of bananas.” And in keeping with that, one of them on their own should be referred to as a “finger.” Remember that for your next grocery trip.

This is going to sound strange, but bear with us. Back in 2012 Boeing was eager to see how strong the Wi-Fi signal was on its latest jets. So what did the company do? Its employees dumped a large quantity of potatoes into the chairs. You see, as per Insider, spuds are capable of boosting these waves thanks to their properties like high water content. That’s pretty wild, wouldn’t you agree?

Certain hair shampoos can cost a pretty penny at the store. But what if we told you there was a cheaper method? First things first, grab a beetroot from your kitchen. After that, drop it into a saucepan with water and heat the contents up. Once it’s simmered, let the liquid cool before tipping it over your head. Glamour says this mixture can get rid of dandruff!

Let’s be honest here — does anyone really like slicing up onions? The tears that come with it are incredibly irritating. Then again, there might be a way around this. All you’ve got to do is turn on the hot tap at your kitchen sink and let the water run. Apparently, the steam from the hot water dispels the vegetable’s strong fumes.

If you’re a little squeamish, you might want to look away from this next fact. For the rest of you, get ready. Insider reports that raw oysters aren’t dead when they’re served to customers at restaurants. Yes that sounds horrible, but there’s an important reason behind the decision. After an oyster dies, it’s too dangerous to consume. The body starts to rot within moments.

It’s one of life’s great mysteries, up there with the best of them. Yet we’ve got the answer right here. So let’s dive into it — why do bottles of water have expiration dates stamped across them? After all, the liquid can’t spoil. Well, it’s pretty simple. The notice tells you when the plastic is no longer fit for purpose. Mystery solved.

Okay, now the following fact could leave you utterly baffled, but stick with us. It’ll soon make sense. Surprisingly, fruit like strawberries, raspberries and blackberries aren’t technically recognized as berries, while bananas are! You see, to qualify as a berry, the fruit has to be produced from a plant boasting a single ovary. It’s that simple.

It’s hard to imagine that certain food items could conceivably last forever, yet natural honey is on that elite list. The nectar’s acidic contents and dryness prevent germs from thriving, especially in a closed container. That means the amber nectar can’t go off, regardless of its age. You’ve got to admit, that’s pretty cool.

With a previous nickname like “the poison apple,” it’s a miracle that tomatoes managed to shed the stigma and become commonplace. The tag came around in the 1700s, as European nobles seemed to drop dead once they consumed the fruit. But the tomato wasn’t to blame. Instead, it was the plates. Thanks to the food’s acidic contents, it sucked up the lead found in the dishes.

You can’t go wrong with a chicken dinner. It’s a meat that goes well with practically anything. Then again, have you ever wondered how much fat there is in modern day birds? In truth, the answer’s more than a little shocking. According to Glamour, there’s been an increase of over 260 percent when compared to portions four decades ago. Oh boy!

The moon landing is one of the most iconic moments in our history. It’ll be remembered forever for its importance. Mind you, certain facts around that event aren’t as well known. For instance, what was the first fruit to be eaten up there? As per Ranker, that honor belonged to canned peaches. Good choice!

Should there ever come a time when you find yourself under a black light with a glass of tonic, try not to panic. The resulting blue shade is nothing to worry about. As it turns out, the beverage houses a substance called quinine, and that’s what causes the shift in color. It’s a simple reaction.

Yes, cars and gummy snacks do indeed share a surprising connection, and we’d be shocked if you could guess what it is. Trust us, it’s pretty odd. As per Insider, those products are glazed in something known as carnauba wax. It gives the treats a nice shimmer. But it’s also utilized in the automobile world to add a similar effect on paint jobs.

Who doesn’t love ice cream? It’s the perfect treat to enjoy when the summer months roll around. Yet your opinion of the dessert might just change thanks to this fact. Incredibly, most products boast hints of seaweed below the tasty surface. Apparently, it helps curdle the cream during the production stages.

If you’ve got a drugs test booked anytime soon, it’ll be a good idea to take a note of this. Remarkably, poppy seeds could prevent you from passing it. Angela Rippon of the BBC looked into this to see if it was true or not for the program Rip Off Britain, and the results were startling. Her test ended in a fail. So you’ve been warned!

At the start of the 19th century, it was widely thought that tomatoes were “medicinal” fruits. To that end, an Ohio physician later said that a certain ketchup mix might’ve been able to cure ailments such as diarrhea. From there, he put the blend into a tablet. By 1840, though, the whole thing fell on its backside. According to Glamour, the medicine proved to be bogus.

How many shapes of pasta do you think are on the market today? There’s got to be several varieties, right? Well, the exact figure is sure to blow you away. Glamour reports that the number stands at roughly 350. And on top of that, many Italians do claim that they all boast unique flavors too.

If you love Skittles, we’d just like to apologize in advance. This fact could potentially ruin them for you forever. You see, the tasty candy contains a red dye named carminic acid, or carmine. It’s the same substance you’d spot in other strawberry-laced candy. Anyway, carmine is created from a beetle’s dead body. We’re serious! The bug in question is called Dactylopius coccus. Yuck.

Lemon and lime feel like the Bert and Ernie of the fruit world. As a pair, you always see them together. Mind you, they’re not identical. For instance, lemons can float in water, while limes can’t. That’s down to the lemon’s density. It practically matches that of the water. Plus, the small holes across its skin help too — they act as tiny air pockets. Its green counterpart doesn’t have that.

It’s difficult to picture carrots as any other color, yet in the past they were indeed a different shade. According to Ranker, hundreds of years ago the vegetable ranged from yellow to purple. The orange tint was a result of a “mutation” which harvesters encouraged. It gave the veggie a sweet flavor. Why are we getting X-Men vibes?

Prepare yourselves folks — things are about to take a very disgusting turn. There’s a certain type of vanilla flavoring on the market called castoreum. It’s only a vanilla substitute but it seems fairly normal. Yet it’s very far from that. Glamour revealed that the extract comes out of beavers. It’s specifically found in their anal glands. We wish we were joking!

In the days before dollar bills and pound notes, humans had to rely on other forms of currency. One of them was chocolate. You see, both the Aztecs and the Mayans chose to adopt cocoa beans as cash in the past. Imagine if that was the norm right now. Banks resembling giant candy stores and Willy Wonka ruling the planet!