Food Facts for Kids
Tasty facts about the food we eat
Popcorn is one of the oldest snack foods in the Americas — archaeologists found popcorn kernels in Peru that are over 6,700 years old. Native Americans popped corn long before Europeans arrived.
Tea is the second most widely consumed drink in the world after water. It was accidentally discovered in China around 2737 BCE when leaves blew into Emperor Shen Nong's pot of boiling water.
There are estimated to be more than 1,800 distinct varieties of cheese produced around the world. France alone produces over 400 types, leading to the famous saying by Charles de Gaulle.
If you cut a grape almost in half and put it in a microwave, it creates a ball of plasma — superheated ionised gas. Scientists only recently worked out exactly why this happens.
Mice and rats strongly dislike the smell of peppermint. Farmers have used mint plants around their fields for centuries to help keep rodents away from their crops.
In the 1830s, tomato ketchup was sold as medicine in the United States. Doctors believed tomatoes could cure ailments such as liver disease, indigestion, and diarrhoea.
Butter is made by churning cream until the fat molecules clump together and separate from the liquid. Humans have been making butter for at least 10,000 years.
Peanuts are not actually nuts — they are legumes, making them more closely related to lentils, beans, and peas than to almonds or walnuts. They grow underground in pods.
Salt is the only rock or mineral that humans eat. It is essential for survival — our bodies need it to transmit nerve signals and keep muscles working properly.
Rice is the main food source for more than half the world's population. It has been cultivated in Asia for over 7,000 years and comes in more than 40,000 varieties.