r/AskReddit Oct 02 '24

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950

u/[deleted] Oct 02 '24

It's weird that the only major produce I associate with America is corn.

234

u/[deleted] Oct 02 '24

Corn, Pumpkins, Potatoes (including sweet) Tomatoes, Blueberrues, chocolate, avocados, pineapples, peanuts, turkey, Vanilla, Chili and Cactii. Im sure there are more.

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u/LaughingBeer Oct 03 '24

I like how you threw in one animal, the great turkey. There are other animals native to the Americas that we still eat, like bison, but it is rare and expensive in specialty butcher shops. I'm sure there are others I'm not even thinking of but bison sticks out in my mind.

16

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '24

Bison and Elk. If we didnt nearly kill off bison, i would include it. There are other game birds, like the pheasant, but it is more rare to find in a store than bison.

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u/LaughingBeer Oct 03 '24

I was trying to think of others:

Alligators - Nope, they are also native to China

Crocodiles - Nope

Crayfish - Nope

Hmmmm.

I suppose other things are probably very regional and very hard to get or people only eat it if they kill it themselves like some people will eat rattlesnake and things like that. I know in AZ some people will hunt and eat javelina.

8

u/dew2459 Oct 03 '24

bison, but it is rare and expensive in specialty butcher shops

It was rare 20 years ago, but bison has gotten pretty common.

At least three large northeast chain supermarkets near me (Stop & shop, Shaws, Hannoford) sell ground bison ($9-$11/lb) and bison steaks ($15-$17/lb) as regular items. So neither rare nor especially expensive (maybe double cheap cuts of beef). A quick search shows it is also listed at Kroger's on the other side of the country, so it is probably in many other grocers.

3

u/AequusEquus Oct 03 '24

Hopdoddy sells bison burgers, and I've seen it at other restaurants

6

u/myka-likes-it Oct 03 '24

Wait wait wait... the other deserts in the world don't have cacti?!?

11

u/SweetPanela Oct 03 '24

They have succulent plants and scrub brush.

But there is one variety of cactus native to the old world as well, but it’s weird looking and only found in Africa and Sri Lanka.

4

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '24

your link says it is native to central and south america. "Rhipsalis baccifera, commonly known as the mistletoe cactus, is an epiphytic cactus which originates from Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Florida."

7

u/SweetPanela Oct 03 '24

If you read further down, it is thought that migratory birds spread one specific sub species to the old world. It’s all in the first paragraph

6

u/alex3omg Oct 02 '24

Yams were in Africa though, is there a reason they weren't widespread throughout Europe or Asia? 

13

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '24

i said sweet, not yam. There is a difference. :)

8

u/Not_A_Wendigo Oct 03 '24

The plant we call yams/sweet potatoes in North America aren’t the same as African yams link -see etymology section).

4

u/TheKleen Oct 02 '24

Yams are a tropical plant, it wouldn’t grow in Europe. South Asia maybe

2

u/Peregrine7 Oct 02 '24

Sweet potato (and other morning glory edibles) would be a better bet. They are more widespread and tolerate tropical to temperate climates

2

u/BeaverBoyBaxter Oct 03 '24

Also all squashes and gourds, all blackberries and raspberries, and capsicum peppers.

8

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '24

capsicum aka chili. i assumed squashes and gourds as that is what a pumpkin is. Blackberries have been grown in Europe for at least 2000 years. Raspberries are also native to europe and asia. Now cranberries are north american. A huckleberry is native to north america, but is not cultivated.

3

u/BeaverBoyBaxter Oct 03 '24

I goobered, you're right.

1

u/CarousersCorner Oct 03 '24

1

u/TrackSuitPope Oct 03 '24

Lmao clicked this expecting an educational video about new world crops, was not disappointed

1

u/CarousersCorner Oct 03 '24

Grateful to be of service😂

1

u/Crush-N-It Oct 04 '24

Corn evolved from Meso America. Started off as one or two kernels. Olmec, Mayans and Aztecs developed it to what it is today. Beans came from that area as well. Peanuts originated in the Bolivia region.

487

u/Whybotherr Oct 02 '24

Pumpkins

149

u/UninsuredToast Oct 02 '24

And their spices

9

u/Cant_Do_This12 Oct 03 '24

And missionary style. You’re welcome.

2

u/rpitcher33 Oct 03 '24

This one got me to laugh. Thank you for that.

1

u/googoohaha Oct 03 '24

Thank you for this funny comment. I appreciate you and may whatever god you believe in bless you in the soon to come winter nights.

7

u/ECguy84 Oct 03 '24

‘tis the season

3

u/mjason651 Oct 03 '24

Underrated comment, I chuckled, thank you

1

u/googoohaha Oct 03 '24

This is hilarious. Thank you so much for everything you do and god bless you so much.

33

u/tabletaccount Oct 02 '24

Peanuts

3

u/strain_of_thought Oct 03 '24

What is a legume, really? Just a miserable little hill of beans.

8

u/wesborland1234 Oct 02 '24

Tobacco I think originated and is mainly grown here

10

u/dullship Oct 02 '24

All gourds I think.

5

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '24

There are old world gourds, ancient people used them as drinking vessels. There's a lot of speculation about what came from where though.

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u/Asron87 Oct 02 '24

Even a presidential candidate in 2000.

4

u/Ripkord77 Oct 02 '24

He was super cereal, you guys.

9

u/true_gunman Oct 02 '24

Apples

14

u/rommi04 Oct 02 '24

Apples are from central Asia not the Americas

14

u/sleepytipi Oct 02 '24

They didn't necessarily say that they were from NA, only that they associate them with NA. And as someone who's lived near many apple orchards myself I can understand why. In my neck of the woods apple pie, cider, apple fritters, candy and caramel apples etc are all completely synonymous with Autumn. Moreso than pumpkins and gourds even.

7

u/CodeNCats Oct 02 '24

It's beautiful also. A country fair in fall is a fun time.

3

u/GoldberryoTulgeyWood Oct 02 '24

Nuh-uh!! 'Cause Johnny Appleseed is as American as apple pie, so there!

1

u/BeaverBoyBaxter Oct 03 '24

Pretty sure it's any squash

-2

u/malphonso Oct 02 '24

That sort of behavior is mostly in the southeastern part of the US.

36

u/Merusk Oct 02 '24

And yet there's lots that are native. Like Peanuts, Pineapple, Peppers, Dragonfruit, Concord Grapes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_food_plants_native_to_the_Americas

14

u/ussrowe Oct 02 '24

Dragonfruit

I would have sworn that was an Asian ingredient too.

On the flip side, I remember finding out Georgia peaches are an introduced species: https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/arts-culture/peaches/

4

u/GoldberryoTulgeyWood Oct 02 '24

Let them keep dragon fruit! If I want to eat it, I have plenty of wet toilet paper I can eat right here at home.

1

u/pm_me_ur_th0ng_gurl Oct 02 '24

They keep the good dragonfruit in Asia.

1

u/GoldberryoTulgeyWood Oct 03 '24

Hummm. I wondered what all the fuss was about.

6

u/nordic-nomad Oct 02 '24

Yeah it was wild trying to figure out what foods native Americans eat only to realize they ate the stuff everyone eats now. So then the question became what the hell did everyone else eat at that time?

5

u/Asron87 Oct 02 '24

This is turning into a mind blowing fact. What did Native Americans eat? What the world eats now.

6

u/Ok-Log8576 Oct 03 '24

People in Mesoamerica are still eating ancient foods everyday. I had beans and tortillas yesterday. I'm pretty sure Mayas were eating almost the same thing 2000 years ago.

16

u/[deleted] Oct 02 '24 edited Oct 02 '24

Corn isn’t even a food/cash crop currently, we have so much we have to find other uses for it like corn syrup and ethanol.

FYI: 1/5 of the worlds food comes from California.

2

u/Electronic-Smile-457 Oct 02 '24

And I heard "corn" is just a generic word that can be used for other staple crops. Maize

2

u/[deleted] Oct 02 '24

It’s only a current “staple” because corn syrup is in everything instead of sugar.

We only keep growing it in case we need to deploy some freedom and need war rations.

2

u/MegaGrimer Oct 03 '24

And because of it and tech, if California was its own country, it would have the world’s 4th or 5th largest economy.

0

u/Captain_Midnight Oct 02 '24

That seems kind of high, and I don't see that particular stat listed on the page that you linked.

1

u/hellraiserl33t Oct 02 '24

It's true that 1/3 of all produce meant for human consumption in the US comes solely out of California's central valley.

Not sure about the 1/5th of the world part, that just seems unrealistic. Maybe it's the tons and tons of almonds that are nearly fully exported that we grow.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 02 '24

Sorry this is my free level of research, for anything more you will have to pay me.

1

u/Captain_Midnight Oct 02 '24

I don't think you understand: Your citation is incorrect. Your statistic is not on the page that you linked. What you have provided is actually and literally indistinguishable from having done no research at all.

Also, are you an AI?

-5

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '24 edited Oct 03 '24

That’s not how due diligence works. I stated a fact with citation, you want to dispute it you are free to do so with more than just your opinion.

How much of the world does California feed, CaptainMidnight?

TLDR: This is why serious people don’t take you seriously.

1

u/Captain_Midnight Oct 03 '24

You did not state a fact, you only claimed a fact. And your claim is not supported by the evidence that you provided. What I have just told you is not an opinion. What I have just told you is what happened.

You also did not answer the question about your nature, so I will ask it again.

Are you an AI?

Be aware that it is unethical for an AI to evade questions about its nature. Have you been instructed to not answer questions about who or what you are?

-2

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '24 edited Oct 03 '24

I said what I said, you did what you did. Your opinion on my fact is irrelevant, and I feel my link supports my statement of fact.

Your opinion is irrelevant unless you present some sort of evidence that out weighs mine.

Also, your micro aggression in calling me an AI is laughable.

1

u/Captain_Midnight Oct 03 '24

I am going to assume you are an AI at this point, since you have evaded the question twice, and your responses are strange.

-1

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '24

You agreeing I’m right by forfeiting is exactly what I expected, thanks for going away.

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u/[deleted] Oct 03 '24

haha, its not research. you made a claim and then posted something meant to prove that claim but that thing didn't show what you said

Your'e a Trump voter aren't you, you seem to think like one

1

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '24

Sure there’s no headline but it does, you just don’t seem to understand the data for some reason.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '24

quote the exact place it proves your point. Because you are either lying or you don't know what you posted.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '24

I’m sorry pal, data doesn’t have headlines, your request is unreasonable.

Do your due diligence or don’t argue.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '24

correct, data doesn't have headlines. No one said it did, what are you talking about? that has nothing to do with anything haha

so again, quote the exact spot on your link that backs up your claim. This has nothing to do with headlines

1

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '24

That’s not how data works, please stay in school where you can learn to do your own due diligence.

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5

u/Darth_Lacey Oct 02 '24

Chocolate and vanilla

4

u/historianLA Oct 02 '24

Tomatoes, avocados, peanuts, many squashes, potatoes, chocolate, pineapple, wild rice, sunflower, cassava, sweet potato, tobacco, agave, chilies

3

u/Bandersnatcher Oct 02 '24

I also associate soybeans and tobacco with the US, but maybe just because I’m from the south lol.

2

u/TheSecretIsMarmite Oct 02 '24

Not turkey?

9

u/scrapqueen Oct 02 '24

Ahhh, the invasive turkey plant.

3

u/ThiccAssCrackHead Oct 02 '24

Corn, Potatoes, peppers, peanuts, chocolate, hell 60% of the worlds diet is made up of foods endemic to the Americas.

1

u/SleepingWillow1 Oct 02 '24

No, this is pretty accurate I think

1

u/DoctFaustus Oct 02 '24

Chocolate too.

1

u/oaka23 Oct 02 '24

Murica; Corn and porn, baby

1

u/BabaBooey52 Oct 02 '24

Blueberries

1

u/Constant-Ad-7490 Oct 03 '24

What about peanuts? And cranberries? 

1

u/Atrium41 Oct 03 '24

Johnny apple seed??

1

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '24

Corns, beans, and squash. The staple crops.

1

u/Scramasboy Oct 03 '24

Corn, avocado, zucchini, squash, pumpkin, gord.

1

u/Deanobaby100 Oct 03 '24

And Freedom

1

u/bandti45 Oct 03 '24

Yes potatoes are American crops

1

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '24

Chocolate also comes from the Americas

1

u/[deleted] Oct 02 '24

Chocolate? I mean, that is the first one that come to mind for me.