Now these food facts can keep you entertained, especially for those of you on vacation. Plus, you might find one or two so fascinating that you’ll bring them up the next time you dine out (although I’m not sure if your guests will approve of a couple of them).

1. In Brazil, one of the most popular pizza ingredients is peas. Yes, the little green pea. Well, did you know that those peas pack a pretty powerful punch? (lots of p’s)

Not only are they a great source of protein, but they also have vitamin K, manganese, thiamine, copper, vitamin C, phosphorus, and folic acid. However, their true superpower is that they have a myriad of potent antioxidants including high amounts of a polyphenol called coumestrol; this can reduce the risk of stomach cancer. So don’t just roll those peas around on your plate – dive right in and enjoy their nutritional power.

2: When you buy Virgin Olive Oil you may not get exactly what you think. Yes, approximately 70% of the olive oil sold is not pure. Not that any other oil is added, but the labels lead you to believe that you are getting ‘virgin’ or the initial pressing and that is the best oil to get. Now, in fact, that neat oil has a peppery flavor and therefore manufacturers prefer to sell you an oil that is mild without the pepper; therefore, it needs to be further processed. Sometimes the oil will include Lampante Virgin Olive Oil which is, in fact, the lowest grade of virgin olive oil and not really fit for human consumption. In fact, it was originally used as lamp oil, but apparently it takes away from that peppery flavor.

If you really want the ‘good stuff’ then you need to do your homework; as for me, i prefer not to use oil at all, it is still a processed food.

3. Did you realize that 100% ‘real’ orange juice you buy at the store is actually 100% artificially flavored so it tastes like an orange? You see that to make orange juice at home you only squeeze the oranges, right? Well, to make it commercially, you juice the oranges, but then you have to deoxygenate them and that’s because you need the liquid to keep for up to a year without spoiling. But now there is no flavor so they put the artificial flavor back on.

4. Prepare for this one if you’re from the West. There is an amusement park in Tokyo, Japan that offers ice cream flavored with raw horse meat. I kid you not, there are real bits of horse in this ice cream. And other flavors offered are beef tongue, octopus and squid.

5. How’s your love for cheese going? hopefully you’re vegan and don’t eat it, but you do. this will tickle the back of your throat. Casu Marzu is a cheese found in Sardinia that is infested with worms on purpose. Casu Marzu literally translates to “rotten cheese” and is ranked as the most dangerous cheese in the world.

It is made from sheep’s milk, soaked in brine, smoked, and left to mature in the open air, uncovered, allowing cheese flies to lay eggs inside. The eggs hatch into thousands of transparent white worms and as they feed on the cheese they produce enzymes that promote fermentation and cause fats that cause the cheese to spoil.

The locals will tell you that the tangy, creamy cheese is only okay to eat if the worms are still moving around because once the worms are dead, the cheese has gone bad, spoiled to the point where it’s too toxic for human consumption. . In fact, it has been declared illegal and does not meet EU hygiene standards. I wonder why.

So there you have the 5 Fascinating Food Facts – trust you enjoyed them.