Desserts around the world have come a long way since they were first made. Dainty versions of well-known desserts stand out in the windows of patisseries, and multiple flavor variations are experimented with to replace the standard chocolate and vanilla. Mirror glazed cakes, where one can see their reflection as they are about to take a bite of all those calories, have become the latest internet sensation. Hybrids such as the cronut are making their way into cafés and bakeries.

Many desserts started as savory dishes and were only affordable by the rich. Some desserts did not even use sugar for sweetener, unlike the sugar laden desserts we have today, but all of these sweet treats that are loved today started somewhere.

Renowned for its beautiful architecture, scarily advanced technology, and strong tradition, Japan remains one of the most fascinating countries to culturally dissect. However, it is the nation’s eccentric game shows, colorful anime, and unusual gadgets that seem to generate considerable attention. The same fervent interest lies in Japanese food.

Japan’s gastronomical delights have evolved through centuries of social, political, and economic shifts. The region’s chefs are notorious for their fusion cuisine, combing dishes from around the world with their own culinary flair. Such emphasis on innovation and originality has led to a mishmash of novel, interesting, and downright strange creations. As you will see from this list, the Japanese certainly adhere to the “try everything once” school of thought in terms of food.

Americans love their food, and they are able to buy (almost) anything imaginable at restaurants, farms, markets, and other stores, but some foods are currently banned. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned many foods from being sold or eaten in the United States due to their not being safe for consumption. Here is a list of the top ten foods that are surprisingly banned in the US.

There is a monster hiding in your house. Many, actually. They’re watching you, waiting. They’re in your refrigerator, your oven, and your kitchen cabinets, because it seems one of the most dangerous things you handle each day is your food. The ways in which your diet can come back to haunt you range far beyond heart disease and diabetes. Human history is rife with horrific episodes brought about by nothing more than this most basic necessity. One look at these ferocious foodstuffs, and you’ll never turn your back on your local supermarket again.

Food is something most of us enjoy—sometimes, a little too much. So it may be hard to believe that some people are afraid of food. But it can become a crippling daily reality for these folks.

Although phobias can be difficult to deal with in general, food phobias are often worse because they create social stress and have the potential to wreak havoc on one’s well-being. Some food phobias can be avoided. But as we’ll see, others are far more serious.

When you think of old candy, what comes to mind? A bowl of stuck-together ribbon candies being ignored on your grandmother’s coffee table? Maybe you imagine Necco Wafers, Salted Nut Rolls, or rock-hard bars of Abba-Zaba—the kind of candy you still see at the drug store occasionally. It either fills you with delicious nostalgia or makes you wonder, “Who even eats these anymore?”

Maybe you think of bygone flavors like clove or inexplicable candies like Circus Peanuts. Or maybe you think of retro classics like candy cigarettes and buttons or wax lips and bottles.

This list is not about those candies. It is about confections and sweet treats that have been around for hundreds or even thousands of years. As these items are so old, their origin stories are varied or murky. Their ages also mean that these treats have assumed many names and forms in different cultures over time. One thing that remains constant, however, is human beings’ never-ending love affair with sweets.

When it comes to food, what is a staple in one country may be considered bizarre in another. One country’s classic is another country’s exotic novelty treat. One’s hot trend is another’s time-honored tradition.

For example, American classics like peanut butter and root beer are considered odd and even disgusting outside the US. On the other hand, ice cream is one food that seems to enjoy worldwide popularity. Yet, so endless are its variations that there is always some new ingredient or flavor to discover.

Internet lists abound featuring weird, attention-grabbing, and faddish ice cream flavors like lobster, squid ink, or horseradish. In contrast, this list presents weird and unique ice cream flavors that are decidedly not strange in their countries of origin. Here are 10 of the most popular ice cream flavors you’ve probably never heard of.

Fruits are wonders of sweetness and seed that we have grown over millennia to feed ourselves. We tend to think that the various fruits we enjoy have been only slightly altered on the orchards of domestication. The truth is that there are more interesting histories of fruit than you can chew.

Kiwifruit, shortened as kiwi, was named after the bird of the same name due to its fuzzy brown resemblance. The curiously shaped avians are endemic to New Zealand, and you’d expect the fruits to be, too. After all, they produced over a billion dollars for the country in 2015.

Food is something most of us enjoy—sometimes, a little too much. So it may be hard to believe that some people are afraid of food. But it can become a crippling daily reality for these folks.

Although phobias can be difficult to deal with in general, food phobias are often worse because they create social stress and have the potential to wreak havoc on one’s well-being. Some food phobias can be avoided. But as we’ll see, others are far more serious.

Coffee gets a bad rap. Maybe because it tastes so good. Things that taste good are almost always bad for us, right?

There are some less than awesome things that can be rightfully blamed on our favorite morning brew, like insomnia, jitters, and heartburn. But people tend to overlook the truly incredible things that coffee does for us.

Of the 150 million Americans who drink a collective 400 million cups of coffee each day, most of us only give it props for its magnificent flavor and its ability to help us wake up and stay that way. Beyond the glorious caffeine, however, a lot of components in coffee are actually hard at work behind the scenes benefiting us in the most surprising ways!

Although it was a flourishing metropolis in the 1700s and 1800s, Naples, Italy, then a kingdom in its own right, was home to multitudes of the poor, many of whom lived in one-room dwellings and were often on the move. In need of cheap, quickly consumed food, they relied on flatbread garnished with toppings of cheese, tomatoes, oil, anchovies, and garlic. Immigrants to the United States brought their staple food with them, and pizza became a sensation in their new country, with the first pizzeria in the US opening for business in Manhattan in 1905.[1]

Pizza is now a favorite across the planet, though how it’s made varies greatly place to place. As these ten tantalizing facts show, the dish is subject to innovation, research, study, and artistic interpretation. Even animals scrounge for, or steal, the Neapolitan taste sensation.

Snacks are a big part of our lives. An after-school snack is a custom that most of us grow up with. Popcorn is a necessity at the movie theater, and chips are perfect for munching on in front of the TV at home.

You wouldn’t throw a party without supplying some sort of finger-food spread. Checkout lanes at many stores are stocked with a variety of snacks, allowing us to make a last-minute grab for something to tide us over until the next meal.

But some of the most popular—and tastiest—snacks have an unappetizing side you might not be aware of.

Food. The noblest of all human pursuits.

From ancient emperors to the fast-food restaurants of modern America, the enjoyment of food has always been an integral part of our lives. Despite their troubles, our ancestors still found the time to turn the items around them into delectable delights.

Here are 10 of the most interesting ancient foods, including one that could kill you if you’re one of the rare people whose body lacks a particular enzyme.

We’ve always heard great things about vegetables. They tend to be low in fat and calories and high in dietary fiber and vitamins. Our parents made us finish our broccoli before we could have dessert, and opting for a salad with your meal is a much healthier choice than ordering a side of fried cheese curds.

The USDA recommends filling more than one-quarter of your plate with green goodness to maintain a healthy diet. However, not all vegetables have the squeaky-clean records suggested by their reputations. Here are 10 vegetables that have caused human deaths.

Whether October or November, pumpkins are a beloved symbol of autumn. In October, they are popular as jack-o’-lantern decorations, and massive numbers of pumpkins are grown for just this purpose. In November, they are favored for the pumpkin pies of Thanksgiving and their long tradition as an American food.

Though botanically a fruit, pumpkins are one of the most beloved vegetables. Here are some little-known facts (and dark secrets) about pumpkins.

Would you eat or even recognize these foods in their original forms? Chances are that you wouldn’t.

Genetically modified foods are a big source of debate these days. Some don’t want anything to do with modern GMOs, while others are all for them. However, a lot of people don’t realize that many of today’s fruits and vegetables wouldn’t exist without careful selective breeding. In fact, the original versions of these popular plants might be downright unrecognizable to the modern public.

From caviar to filet mignon, every culture and society has foods that are considered delicacies. As such, these dishes are often thought of as the most delicious and prestigious foods one can sample.

However, delicacies vary greatly from country to country. In many instances, the favorite foods of one country can be viewed with disgust and aversion by those from other places. One person’s filet mignon can look like gruel to another. Louise Fresco is quoted as saying, “Food is something holy”; these delicacies, however, can be viewed as terrors straight from Hell.

When it comes to food, there are generally two types of people. Some like to stick with what they know, ordering the same food from the same places every time, while others like to seek adventure and try new things.

Part of that adventure is the fact that you can end up with some strange, sometimes just downright scary, dishes. Below are examples of live animals you could find in front of you if you let yourself venture into the dining extremes.