The discovery of the New World has changed the diet of the rest of the world in many ways. Without the discovery, the rest of us who aren’t natives of South America would never enjoy the rich tastes offered by foods such as corn, potatoes, tomatoes, chili peppers, and chocolate to name only a few.

The humble but indispensable peanut is also a native of the New World, with over 80 wild species. One also cannot imagine a modern diet without pineapples and cashews and strawberries. Then there is vanilla, another worldwide favourite. In reality of the planet’s top twenty-six crops by tonnage, 8 originated in the Americas, with a third of the United States’ crop value made up of foods that came from the New World.

These are the ingredients that have made possible Malay satays, Indian curries, and many spicy Sichuan dishes. And obviously where would pizza be without the tomato, or half of modern Italian cuisine? And the planet’s 2 preferred flavors of ice cream, chocolate and vanilla ; regardless of where you look in your supermarket, chances are that there is something critical which came from the Western Hemisphere.

Indeed, we are still finding new uses for these foods, some of which are not even related to a healthy diet. Chocolate is being explored for medicinal effects, while corn has for a while been established as an alternative fuel. But our survey isn’t over yet! There are still a few more foods we’ve got to mention before our list can be even halfway complete.

Turkey meat is an important part of many Americans’ diets now, at least each Thanksgiving Day. Tapioca is present in not only in sweet tapioca pudding but in bubble tea too an incredibly diverse category of sweet beverages popular throughout Asia. Then there are lima beans and bananas. And all this is just the beginning!

To find more interesting articles such as this one visit www.blogbelts.com.