40 Interesting Nutrition Facts You Have to Know

Miraculin is a protein found in the West African "Miracle fruit" and unique sweetener that could help people with diabetes and obesity. It was mysteriously shot down by the FDA in the 1970's.

27. The 1945 Food and Nutrition Board Paper often quoted statement "humans require roughly 2.5 liters (8 glasses) per day", is only half of the full statement. The other half was "we get most of the fluid we need from food and other beverages."

28. Calorie for calorie, raw spinach has almost as much protein as sirloin steak.

29. The milk in California really is different than the milk in other states, 1% milk has 33% more protein and 33% more calcium because CA has "higher solid standards for milk".

30. The "% Daily Value" numbers found on nutrition labels in the US/Canada are based on recommendations from 1968 and have not been updated to reflect current recommendations. Something with "100% Daily Value" of Vitamin C has only 67% of an adult male's recommended daily intake.

A grain called Amaranth was the primary diet of the Aztecs until outlawed by the Spanish. It is gluten-free, can be roasted like popcorn, high in protein, has edible leaves and roots, and is used as a dye.

32. Over 20% of all calories collectively consumed by humanity are from a single food i.e., is rice.

33. The Cheesecake Factory's Bistro Shrimp Pasta has 3,120 calories and 89 grams of saturated fat and 1,090 milligrams of sodium. This is 150% of the daily recommended caloric intake for the average adult, in one meal.

34. There is approximately the same number of calories in a pound of spinach as there are in two Oreos.

35. The average male medieval peasant ate between 160% to 200% more calories than your average male now. This kind of explains why it's so hard to sustain 1500 calorie diets.

Peeling an apple will remove 50% of its total fiber and around 30% of its vitamin C.

37. Coffee Flour is made from Coffee cherries, the discarded fruit surrounding the coffee bean. This is Gluten-free, high in fiber and protein, and produced from a source which is currently being discarded at a rate of around 75% of production.

38. Unfrosted Pop-tarts have more calories than frosted Pop-tarts.

39. It takes half a calorie of energy to digest a stalk of celery, making it not, in fact, negative calories.

40. Tea brewed from pine needles is high in Vitamin C and is good to ward off Scurvy.