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10 Deliciously Surprising Fun Facts About Summer Foods You'll Love!

illustration of summer-food
Get ready for a sizzling adventure as we serve up some deliciously intriguing tidbits about your favorite summer food!

1. The Ketchup Coup

Before tomatoes staged a ketchup coup and smothered the competition, condiment cabinets were a regular United Nations of ingredients: Imagine drizzling your fries with oyster juice, or dousing your burger in a spicy mushroom reduction! The world of ketchup was a saucy free-for-all until 1812: That's when the tomato-made variety swooped in and took the throne, eventually leading to the creation of the iconic Heinz ketchup we squeeze today.
Source => history.com

2. Pineapple Pizza Controversy

When life gave Sam Panopoulos pineapple, he made pizz...uh, controversy: this Greek immigrant kickstarted the fiery global debate over the acceptability of fruit on pizza by unleashing the Hawaiian (ham and pineapple) pizza onto the world from his unsuspecting Canadian restaurant back in 1962.
Source => bbc.co.uk

3. George Washington's Cherry Popsicle Love

Legend has it that ol' George Washington never chopped down a cherry tree, but he truly loved cherry-flavored treats: In fact, cherry is the most popular Popsicle® ice pop flavor, with two billion Popsicles sold annually. First introduced in seven flavors at five cents each, these frosty delights became a symbol of American life during World War II. The Great Depression welcomed the Double Pop invention for economically friendly sharing, and in 1946, Fudgsicle® entered the scene, securing its spot as one of the top sellers.
Source => popsicle.com

4. Danish "Rød Pølse" Sausage Sensation

Move over, hot dogs; there's a new red sausage in town, and it's tickling the funny bone all the way from Denmark: Enter the "rød pølse," a vibrant red, boiled pork sausage that's all the rage at Danish hot dog stands, traditionally served up with remoulade, mustard, ketchup, fried onions, and pickled sliced cucumber, and made from Vienna-type pork and spiced with pepper, nutmeg, and allspice, its red hue owed to the natural dye carmine.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Overeating & Overheating

5. Overeating & Overheating

Ever felt like you're quite literally burning up after a hearty summer feast? Well, the heat is on—but not just from the sizzling sun: Overeating can cause your metabolism to kick into overdrive, attempting to torch those extra calories and leaving you hot, sweaty, and potentially dizzy during those steamy months. Remember to listen to your body's fullness cues to stay cool, comfortable, and sizzling in all the right ways.
Source => mdanderson.org

6. Fruits' Berry Identity Crisis

In a world where strawberries engage in an identity crisis, and bananas play the role of botanical impostors: Strawberries are actually not berries, but accessory fruits that develop from a plant's flower stem, while bananas are considered berries due to their seeds and pulp coming from the ovary of a flower. Mind-boggled and berrylicious!
Source => mcgill.ca

7. Zucchini's Colorful Cousins

Hold on to your cucumbers, zucchini fans, because it's about to get wild in the squash patch: While the most common color for zucchini is green, you can also find varieties that dazzle your veggie plate with deep yellow or vibrant orange shades, thanks to the varying amounts of carotenoids present in their skin – but don't worry, they're still part of the summer squash family, and equally delicious in taste!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Fruit Salad's Kidney Armor

Who knew that fruit salad could be a kidney's knight in shining armor? Those juicy melons and zesty oranges work hard in the background to ensure our pee stays chilled out and kidney stone-free: A diet high in citrate-rich fruits and veggies helps prevent kidney stones by binding with urinary calcium and reducing urine supersaturation, while a diet high in animal protein can have the opposite effect, raising urinary calcium and uric acid concentration and lowering citrate levels. So, let those stone-busting fruit heroes do their thing!
Source => ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

9. Tart Cherries Sleep Solution

Feeling like Count Dracula searching for a good night's sleep instead of a meal? Sink your fangs into this: Tart cherries are packed with melatonin and tryptophan, making them a natural remedy for insomnia and sleep cycle regulation.
Source => health.clevelandclinic.org

Cucumber Water's Superpower

10. Cucumber Water's Superpower

Cucumber water: the laid-back summer drink with a secret superpower! While providing a refreshing break from the scorching heat, cucumber water slyly moonlights as a blood pressure regulator: Cucumbers contain potassium, an electrolyte that balances sodium levels and can ultimately lead to lower blood pressure, making this cool beverage a literal lifesaver on hot summer days.
Source => healthline.com

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