Fun Facts

The Flavr Savr tomato, the first genetically engineered food approved for U.S. commercial sale, was only sold from 1994–1997. High production costs prevented it from turning a profit.

On average, Americans who drink alcohol obtain 16% of their total daily calories from alcoholic beverages. American children obtain about 16% of their total calories from added sugar.

Parmesan cheese offers about 11 grams of protein per ounce, which is more than any other type of cheese.

Unlike humans, most mammals produce their own vitamin C. Our primate ancestors lost the ability to synthesize vitamin C more than 45 million years ago.

Raw spinach offers more vitamin C than cooked spinach does, but the amount of bioavailable calcium is higher in cooked spinach.

Before gelatin and sugar coatings were invented in the 1800s, pills were sometimes gilded in gold or silver to conceal unpleasant tastes or aromas.

While celery allergies are relatively rare in the United States, celery is one of the top allergens in Central Europe. Mustard allergies are also more prevalent in Europe than in the United States.

Erythritol is less likely to cause digestive issues than other sugar alcohols, such as xylitol or maltitol, because most of it gets absorbed into the bloodstream before reaching the colon.

Unlike many common cooking oils, avocado oil is not derived from a seed. Instead, it is pressed from the fleshy pulp that surrounds the avocado pit.

During the Middle Ages in Europe, thyme was thought to ward off nightmares if placed beneath a pillow before going to sleep. It’s also a good source of vitamin C.

Although women take multivitamins at higher rates than men in the United States, research suggests boys aged 1–8 consume multivitamins at higher rates than girls of the same age.

The cloudberry, one of the few fruits that grow in the Arctic Circle, contains more than twice the vitamin C concentration of an orange.

Citrus fruit peels are a great source of many flavonoids, including naringenin and rutin.

Watermelons contain up to 1.5 times more lycopene than tomatoes. They are also good sources of vitamin C, beta-carotene, and L-citrulline.

Polish biochemist Casimir Funk is credited with coining the word "vitamine" in 1912. The "e" was later dropped in 1920, when it became clear not all vitamins are nitrogen-containing amines.

Due to possible effects on mood and body temperature, American ginseng is known as “cooling” ginseng in traditional Chinese medicine. Asian ginseng is considered to be “warming."

Most of an apple’s fiber can be found in its skin. Apple peels are also rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, and quercetin.

Before the orange became a popular fruit in England, linguists believe there was no specific English word to describe the color orange.

Collagen, the main component of connective tissue, accounts for approximately 30% of all protein content in the human body.

One serving of kiwifruit contains twice the vitamin C of an orange and as much potassium as a banana.

Aside from the taste and texture differences, green olives may contain up to twice as much sodium as black olives.

Yacon is a close relative of the sunflower and the Jerusalem artichoke. Its sweet taste comes from the high content of fructooligosaccharides.

The trend of eating peas “green,” before they reach maturity and turn yellow, began in Europe in the 1600s. French noblewoman Madame de Maintenon famously described the new habit as “both a fashion and a madness.”

Most millet grains grow best in dry, warm climates. One species, proso millet, likely has the lowest water requirement of any grain crop.

In the right conditions, asparagus can grow as much as one inch per hour-up to 12 inches in a single day.

On average, taste bud cells live for 10-14 days. Most sit on the tongue, but some taste buds are located on the roof, sides, and back of the mouth.

Mango fruit is available in more than 1000 varieties around the world. It's also a relative of cashews and pistachios.

Soybean was first known to many Americans as the “coffee berry,” thanks to the popularity of coffee made from roasted soybeans in the 1800s.