It’s no secret that we humans love to eat good food and consume refreshing drinks. Not surprisingly, we have made several finds at historical sites that show it’s always been this way. As we continue to uncover our past, we have found the exact treats that people enjoyed throughout time.

10 Royal Tea

Tea is one of the oldest beverages consumed by humans. But for many years, its earliest reference came from a Chinese text dating to 59 BC that vaguely referenced a drink that might have used tea. It wasn’t until January 2016 that the first definitive evidence of tea as an ancient beverage was found.

When archaeologists examined the Han Yangling Mausoleum in Xi’an, which is the tomb of Chinese Jing Emperor Liu Qi who died in 141 BC, they found a leafy substance resembling tea. When tested, the leaves showed two definitive substances in tea: caffeine and theanine.

Even by today’s standards, the tea was of high quality and may have been mostly for royalty like the emperor. Interestingly, the tomb is located far away from where tea is actually grown, meaning that it was prized enough to be both imported and buried in the tombs of important men.

9 Wine Older Than Christ

In 2013, archaeologists uncovered strange findings in the ruins of a 3,700-year-old Canaanite palace in Israel. Forty pots were discovered which appeared to contain complex wines much different from what most people had at the time.

This wine wasn’t an everyday beverage; it was for important, special occasions. Its complexity and diversity of tastes mean that it was reserved for the upper class for their banquets. The wine had long ago dissipated, but some of its residue allowed researchers to test its contents.

They discovered a variety of different flavors inside the wine—from honey and mint to cedar and tree resins. This showed that ancient wine was made with the same sophistication as today.

8 Ritual Cannabis

In 2008, Chinese archaeologists were looking through a 2,700-year-old tomb that contained some Gushi people, ancient Caucasian nomads from the Gobi Desert. Inside the tomb was a Gushi shaman who was obviously treated with much respect due to the items stored beside him—archery equipment, a rare harp, and, most interestingly, 1 kilogram (2 lb) of cannabis.

At the time, most cannabis grown was hemp, which was a useful, common crop at the time. However, this cannabis was grown to be consumed because of a high THC content similar to modern strains. Because of the absence of a pipe, the drug was most likely eaten or put into a burning fire and the fumes inhaled. It may have been used for spiritual purposes or as a medicine.

7 Bog Butter

During the Iron Age in Ireland, our ancestors must have loved butter because it’s constantly being discovered in ancient peat bogs. Over the years, turf cutters (workers who harvest peat from the bogs) have found several preserved bodies and artifacts from the distant past. Bog butter is usually found with them.

Peat bogs have unique preservative properties. Before salt was widely used as a preservative in Ireland, butter would be put into tubs and crates and then stored in the bogs for extended periods of time. This also caused it to taste better. There were even different varieties of butter, including nondairy made from animal fat.

In 2009, turf cutters discovered around 35 kilograms (77 lb) of 3,000-year-old bog butter which was exceptionally preserved, although it had long ago gained a waxy consistency. According to an article on bog butter from 1892, it tasted somewhat like cheese.

6 Mayan Chocolate

Historians now know that the use of cocoa originated thousands of years ago in Central America with the Olmec civilization and later passed to the Maya. We used to believe that the earliest use occurred at a Mayan site in modern Guatemala that dates back to AD 460, but that changed in 2002 when a Mayan “teapot” was reexamined.

Called “teapots” because of their resemblance to modern teapots, these vessels were used for distinctive rituals during elite funerals. Residue on the pots tested positive for theobromine—the chemical marker of cocoa.

According to Mayan texts, they had consumed the drink for much of their existence, but there was no proof of this until the discovery in 2002. As the pots dated to around 500 BC, it proved that the Maya had been using cocoa nearly 1,000 years longer than previously thought and that they most likely inherited this tradition from the Olmec, who died out around this time.

5 2,400-Year-Old Salad Dressing

When the wreckage of an ancient Roman vessel was found off the coast of the Greek island Chios in 2005, no one expected that two amphorae (two-handled ceramic jars) with starfish living on them contained flavoring ingredients that are still used today. Inside the jars were the remnants of olive oil flavored with oregano.

Chios was well-known for exporting wine at the time, but this showed that they may have been exporting this substance, too. Even today, older generations on the island are known to mix oregano and other spices with olive oil to serve along with foods or to use as a preservative—meaning the tradition from thousands of years ago is still alive today.

4 Peruvian Popcorn

Popcorn is a common snack around the world, but it wasn’t until 2012 that its origins were uncovered. Since corn originated from the Americas, it can be reasoned that the history of popcorn also came from there. In fact, this was proved when corn samples were discovered in several Peruvian excavation sites.

Found in different forms like corncobs, husks, and stalks, the corn (aka maize) dates from 6,700 to 3,000 years ago and was likely brought from Mexico where corn was first grown. The areas in Peru where the corn was found were the perfect place for preservation—arid and dry—so it gave archaeologists a perfect picture of how corn was consumed.

The popcorn was likely cooked by wrapping the cob and then resting it over coals, heating it over a fire, or putting it inside an oven. Other than its preparation as popcorn, corn was turned into flour. However, due to the scarcity of the corn discovered, it was not likely to be a staple of ancient Peruvian diets. It was probably a snack or delicacy that was not eaten frequently.

3 Pompeian Delicacies

The ancient Roman city of Pompeii—perfectly preserved after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79—continues to provide archaeologists with insights into the daily lives of the Romans. Even the foods of the Romans have remained, including the diet of the elite.

The difference between the classes of Pompeii can be found in the drains. In the central properties of Pompeii, the remains of some strange cuisines can be found, including fish, sea urchins, and a giraffe leg bone.

This was the only giraffe bone found in an excavation of ancient Rome, showing just how far-flung Roman trading was at the time. There were even exotic spices from the distant portions of Asia, some from as far away as Indonesia.

2 Shipwrecked Cheese

The Swedish royal warship Kronan sank in 1676, but it was rediscovered in 1980. Since then, the ship has yielded several thousand artifacts that have been preserved by the water and time.

In 2016, one of the most interesting finds came from a container pressed into clay near the wreckage. When it was brought to the surface, the divers immediately noticed a pungent smell.

Inside the container, they discovered 340-year-old cheese that had been somewhat preserved. Although it was nothing more than bacteria by then, they could examine the contents, which they described as “a mixture of yeast and Roquefort, a sort of really ripe, unpasteurized cheese.”

1 The World’s Oldest Noodles

In China, noodles have been a standard food for thousands of years. Until 2005, the earliest mention of noodles came from a nearly 2,000-year-old text from the early Han dynasty.

But when archaeologists went to Lajia, a small community in northwestern China destroyed by an earthquake 4,000 years ago, they discovered an overturned clay bowl 3 meters (10 ft) below ground. The bowl contained a pile of well-preserved noodles, making them the oldest noodles in the world.

The noodles were thin, yellow, and around 50 centimeters (20 in) long. They looked like the traditional noodle, lamian, and were created from millet, which was a standard part of the Chinese diet at the time.

Gordon Gora is a struggling author who is desperately trying to make it. He is working on several projects, but until he finishes one, he will write for for his bread and butter. You can write him at [email protected].

When it comes to murder weapons or freak accidents, we do not usually look for suspects in a candy dish or bakery. Chocolate, caramel apples, and bubble gum seem so harmless.

However, throughout the years, some of the most horrific and shocking deaths can be traced back to candy and other fateful dessert choices. From the Candyman Murders of 1974 to India’s recent toxin outbreak, these ten shockingly dangerous sweets show just how dangerous our favorite desserts can be.

10Pesticide Pastries

In 2016, in the Punjab province of Pakistan, a family prepared to celebrate the newest addition to their family. Following the birth of a happy and healthy little boy, an ecstatic father rushed to a bakery to purchase an assortment of tasty “laddoo,” sweet, ball-shaped pastries, in honor of his son’s arrival. It never occurred to him that he was unconsciously sentencing himself and 11 close family members to death.

Unbeknownst to the father and fellow customers, the pesticide shop next door to the bakery was undergoing construction and renovations. Oddly, the owner of the bakery graciously offered to store some packaged pesticides for the neighboring poison shop until the construction ended. Although full explanations are still unclear, officials are certain that some of this poison “mysteriously” found its way into the pastries.

The pastry shop owners and an employee were arrested on suspicion of knowingly poisoning their customers. Over 70 people became seriously ill from these deadly pastries. Out of these 70 victims, 23 died from poisoning. Regardless of whether this poisoning was intentional or not, one thing remains clear, a little Pakistani boy lost his father and family on his birthday.

9Trick-Or-Treat Murder

Halloween is said to be the perfect time for ghouls and monsters to walk among us. However, under cheap, plastic masks, some real monsters lurk—often much closer than we think.

In 1974, in a quiet Pasadena neighborhood, 30-year-old Ronald Clark O’Bryan lurked under the best disguise of all—a friendly, all-American dad.

On Halloween night, O’Bryan, his wife, and their two children, Timothy and Elizabeth, enjoyed dinner with their close friends, the Bates family. The children rushed through dinner and eagerly prepared for an exciting night trick-or-treating. Armed with costumes, candy pails, and their fatherly escorts, the group took off for a fateful night.

After the children tried and failed to gain candy from a discouraging, vacant house, Jim Bates ushered the children back to the sidewalk in search of a new target. After lagging behind the group for several minutes, O’Brian suddenly reappeared with a fistful of giant Pixy Stix. The children’s eyes grew wide at 22 inches of sugary wonder as O’Brian explained that the “rich neighbors” finally decided to give out the “expensive treats.”

Later that evening, O’Brian’s son, little eight-year-old Timothy, began complaining of stomach pain. Before the night ended, the little boy became violently ill with vomiting and was in excruciating pain. He was dead by morning.

Although O’Brian managed to put on a false mask of shock and horror over his son’s death, a prompt autopsy of Timothy’s body revealed a horrifying level of cyanide—enough to kill three adults. Police launched an investigation and managed to find one of the deadly Pixy Stix for examination.

It was not long before justice revealed the depths of O’Brian’s deception and depravity. A temptingly large insurance policy of $60,000 prompted the father to kill his son in hopes of gaining enough money to rescue him from past financial struggles. The jury found O’Brian guilty of murder with a death penalty to be carried out on March 31, 1984. Protestors outside the prison shouted “trick-or-treat!” as the father met his end.

8Lethal Dose

Too much of anything is a bad idea. Shockingly, this principle applies to our favorite candies and treats. In a fit of morbid curiosity, researchers at the American Chemical Society conducted an experiment to determine just how much candy is a “lethal dose.” Using some of the most famous types of Halloween candy such as candy corn, dum dums, and sugar babies, scientists began calculating the deadly dose of sugar.

“LD50,” a term used to describe “the quantity per kilogram that would kill half of an animal test population,” was applied to each candy. For sugar, this number is 13.5 grams per pound. For an average adult of about 180 pounds (81 kg), about 5.4 pounds (2.5 kg) of sugar would be a deadly poison. Translated literally, 262 small candy bars or approximately 1,627 kernels of candy corn could send you to an early grave. For candies with higher levels of sugar such as sugar babies, blow pops, and nerds, it is even easier to reach the fateful 20,000 calories required for a sugary death. Although not as scary, candy is a deceptively dangerous type of poison.

7Explosive Gum

“Explosive chewing gum” sounds like something out a corny comic book or even a creation of the mischievous fictional character Willy Wonka. However, for 25-year-old Ukrainian, Vladimir, this dangerous candy was responsible for his horrific and shocking death.

The explosion occurred at his family home where the young college student was spending his holiday between semesters. His mother ran into the room only to find her son in critical condition with no jaw and very little of his face remaining.

This young college student was an apt inventor and curious chemistry student at Kiev Polytechnic Institute. Although his family and friends knew of his penchant for tinkering and experimentation, no one suspected the deadly experiment he created.

Forensic testing on Vladimir’s gum revealed a mysterious, unidentifiable substance responsible for the sudden explosion. Many feel this horrible death was an accident. Vladimir was not suicidal; if anything, his academic and social future was very bright. Life is incredibly fragile; something as small as a contaminated piece of gum can easily end it.

6Death by Chocolate

Anything can become a death trap. At the wrong place and at the wrong time, even our own job may become something out of a horror film. For 24-year-old confectionery worker, Svetlana Roslina, her job became her grave.

Roslina, a mother of two, arrived for a normal day at work at the Fedortsovo Chocolate plant near Moscow. By 6:00 p.m. that evening, police arrived to find the young woman trapped within a giant chocolate mixer. Her body was completed minced with only portions of her legs remaining intact. Even if she had been found in time, the extent of her horrific injuries ensured her death.

Although authorities and the plant managers are still uncertain of the exact cause of her death, some suspect that Roslina fell into the vat trying to retrieve a lost cellphone. Others feel she may have simply been trying to empty a large sack of ingredients when the mixer blades accidentally trapped her.

5Sweet Heartache

The licorice plant is responsible for much more than the modern-day “Twizzlers” and “Red Vines.” Historically, licorice was an important medicinal herb for both Greeks and Romans in the third century. England and other European countries continued to cultivate and experiment with licorice root for both medicinal and commercial purposes, ultimately developing the tasty candy we know and love.

Some feel the licorice plant is helpful for treating medical disorders such as heartburn and bronchitis, but a growing number of medical researchers feel that its key ingredient, an ultra-sweet compound known as “glycyrrhizin,” is a recipe for disaster for those with cardiovascular issues.

New research has revealed that eating just two ounces (56 grams) of black licorice a day for two weeks can cause alarmingly dangerous heart rhythms in some people. These heart patterns are caused by abnormal kidney function. Glycyrrhizin causes the kidneys to excrete too much potassium. As this mineral passes from the body too quickly, the heart rate becomes uneven and potentially deadly. This mineral imbalance also causes abnormal water retention, a serious threat for those with high blood pressure and other heart defects. Although this famous candy may not necessarily cause a full-blown heart attack, doctors warn that it certainly does not help one’s odds of staying out of the emergency room.

4Poison Apples

For Snow White, a single apple nearly proved deadly. Although her fateful apple was only a fairytale, for at least four people in the United States, apples proved to be the deadly stuff of nightmares.

On January 6, 2015, a Californian apple grower recalled their Granny Smith and Gala apples after an outbreak of deadly Listeria monocytogenes—the same bacteria responsible for over 1,600 illnesses and 260 deaths every year.

Among the contaminated fruit, pre-packaged caramel apples were the deadly perpetrators linked to four deaths and over two dozen further illnesses. The bacteria proved most serious for expectant mothers, infants, and others with compromised immune systems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a quick warning when signs of the contamination began to surface.

Oddly enough, the Listeria bacteria did not affect plain apples; people were warned to stay clear of all caramel apples with nuts, sprinkles, and other toppings. Although the contamination was eventually contained, the damage was done. What started out as a sweet treat, quickly turned into a national nightmare, affecting at least ten states.

3Laced Lollipops

Homemade candy sounds like a great idea. After all, it is cheaper, it sounds healthier, and it could even be a great craft for kids. However, homemade is not always better. For San Antonio residents, homemade candy nearly ruined their children’s yearly trick-or-treat experience.

Hidden inside harmless-looking gummy bears and lollipops, were high levels of THC, one of the key chemicals found within marijuana plants. This chemical compound is infamous for triggering a huge dopamine release within the body, resulting in powerful euphoria and hallucinations that last for as long as two hours. Although initially pleasant, this compound still carries risks, particularly if accidentally consumed by children. When disguised as candy and other tempting treats, overdosing on this drug is deceptively easy.

Several days before Halloween, a couple was arrested on suspicion of illegally growing marijuana in their yard. Detectives searched their home and found stashes of homemade candy as well as candy molds and supplies. An impressive stockpile of lollipops and other candies were also found inside the couple’s cars.

They eventually admitted that all of the candy was laced with THC—something forensics later confirmed. Authorities suspect that the couple planned to pass out the candy on Halloween night to unsuspecting children. Although all the candy and drugs were safely confiscated, detectives feel they narrowly avoided a massive Halloween overdose.

2The Black Widow Jello Murders

When it comes to domestic murder, Julia Lynn Turner is a gruesome legend. Using an ingenious but sickening plan, she successfully managed to kill off her husband and boyfriend with nothing more than poisoned jello, and she nearly got away with it.

Firefighter Randy Thompson and police officer Glenn Turner shared the same unexpected death. Although both men experienced what looked like nothing more than a simple case of the flu, they died 24 hours later with a heart-failure diagnosis. It was not until a later autopsy that ethylene glycol, a key ingredient in antifreeze, was found in both bodies. Their heart-failure diagnosis was quickly changed to poisoning.

Julia Lynn Turner denied any guilt, but the $186,000 in benefits and insurance she received after the deaths suggested otherwise.

Turner admitted that her husband Glenn ate several crackers and some jello shortly before he showed symptoms of poisoning. Due to the color and consistency, the jello was the best possible hiding place for the lethal antifreeze. Although Turner was caught and convicted, she was later found dead in her cell from an apparent suicide by overdose—ironic considering what she did to her lovers.

1Forbidden Fruits

Famous Bible characters Adam and Eve were the first to suffer from a forbidden fruit. However, they were not the only ones to suffer from poorly-chosen fruits.

In 2014, Dr. Rajesh Yadav moved to Muzaffarpur, India, to investigate a deadly outbreak plaguing the country. Beginning in 1995 during the monsoon season, Indian children began suffering unexplainable seizures that nearly always led to comas. In 40 percent of these cases, the children died.

The outbreak was chaotic and unpredictable, rising suddenly and disappearing just as fast. One of the few details that stood out was the fact that the outbreaks usually occurred in mid-to-late May. Although all other investigators were at a loss, Dr. Yadav and the India Epidemic Intelligence Service were determined to settle the mystery once and for all.

With the help of US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, India’s National Center for Disease Control began systematically going through possible culprits of this deadly illness, that only seemed to target children. Pesticides, rats, and even heat stroke were early theories. It was not until 2013 that the biggest clue surfaced. “Jamaican vomiting sickness,” a toxic outbreak in the West Indies showed shockingly similar symptoms. This illness was a result of fruit toxins. Indian investigators quickly began connecting the dots. The lychee orchards in rural India were the culprit.

Mischievous children loved to steal the sweet dessert-like fruits for after-school snacks. Researchers found that the lychee fruit contains a toxin called “hypoglycin.” The children that ate unripe lychees on an empty stomach experienced a catastrophic drop in blood sugar, resulting in the seizures and comas.

With time and warnings, the death toll began to fall as more and more parents saw the danger in letting their children indulge in these deadly fruits. What seemed like a good dessert and snack, was literally the biggest danger for these Indian children.

Although a handful of candy or a warm pastry are not usually considered weapons of choice, history has shown us that some of the greatest dangers come packaged in the sweetest of disguises. Even fruit—nature’s dessert—may prove lethal in the wrong hands or circumstances. Before we indulge in our favorite dessert, we should keep in mind that it may very well be our last.

As a nursing student, I spend most days trapped in class or buried under study guides. However, I spend my free moments as a freelancing ghostwriter and science fiction enthusiast. Come visit me on Hubpages and Blogmutt for more of my work!

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.

10 Jordan Almonds

For many people, Jordan almonds are synonymous with weddings, where they have historically been given as favors everywhere from the US to Italy to the Middle East. The combination of bitter almond and sweet sugar is said to symbolize the bittersweet nature of both marriage and life itself.

Honey-coated almonds and seeds have been enjoyed by people as long ago as 177 BC in ancient Rome. In medieval times, when sugar became more readily available in Europe, confectioners began using it instead of honey to coat almonds.

The process for making Jordan almonds and similar sweets is called sugar panning.^[1] The almonds are tumbled in a pan while a sugar syrup is added. While the nuts tumble about, they become completely and evenly coated in the syrup, which crystallizes and hardens into a thin shell.

This method is thought to have been developed in northeastern France in the early 13th century. It is essentially the same way that modern treats such as M&M’S are made.

9 Marshmallows

According to some sources, marshmallows date back to 2000 BC in ancient Egypt. However, the ancient Egyptian version bore little to no resemblance to the marshmallows we know today.

Then, marshmallow was made from a type of mallow plant which grows in marshes. Egyptians would mix the sap (technically, a sap-like substance called mucilage) with nuts and honey to make a treat reserved for royalty. The mallow root continued to be used through the 1800s to make delicious sweets. It was also used medicinally, particularly to soothe coughing and sore throats, due to its anti-inflammatory effect on mucous membranes.

Gelatin (not sap from the mallow plant) is used to stabilize marshmallows today, though the name remains the same. As for the history of the s’more, one of the most popular uses for the marshmallow, it supposedly originated in the 1920s. A “recipe” for s’mores appeared in the 1927 Girl Scout Handbook. Today, marshmallows are most popular in the United States, perhaps due (at least in part) to their use in common treats such as s’mores and Rice Krispies treats.^[2]

8 Licorice

Similar to marshmallow, licorice comes from a root and has a long history of being used as medicine because of its anti-inflammatory effects. The first mention of licorice can be found over 2,600 years ago on some stone tablets from Baghdad, where the Assyrians used licorice to treat sore feet. Throughout history, licorice root has been used for its medicinal properties everywhere from China to the Netherlands to Egypt, where it was found in the tomb of King Tutankhamen.

The word “licorice” comes from the Greek word glycyrrhiza (“sweet root”). Licorice root contains a naturally sweet compound called glycyrrhizin, which is 50 times sweeter than table sugar. Nevertheless, some find its flavor off-putting, even when mixed with more sugar.

The practice of making licorice root into candy is said to have originated in 17th-century Holland, where it was made into candy ropes. To this day, more than one-fifth of all candy sold in the Netherlands is some kind of licorice.^[3]

7 Torrone

The Italian treat torrone, either a light-colored nougat or a caramel-colored brittle, both studded with nuts, is thought to have been around since medieval times. It’s easy to see how such a confection could date back so far due to its simple ingredients.

Traditionally, for the nougat version, egg whites and honey are whipped over a warm water bath for upward of seven hours before being flattened onto a work surface and cut into a log shape. The hard and brittle-like torrone is made simply with sugar, water, and nuts. Almonds are often the featured nut but far from the only one. The treat may also be enhanced by other flavors such as vanilla or citrus.

Some historians believe that torrone came about thanks to the Spanish turron, which was then introduced by Arabic immigrants to Spain. Others believe that it originated in ancient Greece or Rome. Its exact origins may be unknown, but as for present-day Italy and Spain, it’s nothing short of a Christmastime staple.^[4]

6 Lokum

Lokum is the name for the treat dubbed “Turkish delight” by the British. Though not quite as old as some of the other items on this list, lokum has been around for almost 300 years.

Lokum is made with sugar that is set into a gel by starch. Then it is cut into cubes or lumps and dusted with more starch, powdered sugar, or desiccated coconut.^[5] It may also contain nuts. Lokum is traditionally flavored with rosewater or orange blossom water, but it can be found in many other flavors such as lemon and mint. It is often eaten alongside Turkish coffee.

Lokum’s culinary “ancestor” is a sweet called kesme, which is made with boiled, thickened grape juice that is then cut into lumps. Though kesme is not as well-known now as Turkish delight, it is still made in many places in Turkey today, such as Diyarbakir, Kahramanmaras, and Kayseri.

5 Cotton Candy

The earliest-known instructions for making spun sugar (now referred to as cotton candy, candy floss, or fairy floss) appear in the 1769 book The Experienced English Housekeeper. It instructs aspiring experienced English housekeepers to:

Take a quarter of a pound of treble-refined sugar in one lump, and set it before a moderate fire on the middle of a silver salver or pewter plate. [ . . . ] Set it a little aslant, and when it begins to run like clear water to the edge of the plate or salver, have ready a tin cover or china bowl set on a still, with the mouth downward close to your sugar that it may not cool by carrying too far.

Then take a clean knife and take up as much of the syrup as the point will hold, and a fine thread will come from the point, which you must draw as quickly as possible backward and forward and also around the mold [and repeating this process] till your sugar is done or your web is thick enough.^[6]

This tricky process was made significantly easier with the invention of the first cotton candy machine, which was granted a US patent in 1899. Before that, spun sugar was used primarily for presentation of food rather than as a stand-alone treat. It was only with the invention of the machine that cotton candy became “fair food.”

4 Lavashak

Lavashak is the original fruit leather, a treat that could possibly date back to the days of the First Persian Empire. (Fruit leather has many names throughout the region; lavashak happens to be the Persian one.)

It makes sense that ancient peoples would make fruit into leather as it was both a method of preservation and a tasty preparation. Furthermore, fruit leather could be made from leftover ripe fruits that would otherwise go bad.^[7]

The basic preparation involves boiling down fruit and then spreading it into thin sheets to dry. Stone fruits—such as cherries, plums, apricots, and peaches—are often used, but they are far from the only choices.

Lavashak is probably not even best described as a “sweet” as often no sugar is added at all, highlighting the natural and often sour or tart flavors of the fruits used. Drying the leather in the sun is traditional. But in modern times, an oven may be used to speed along the process.

3 Halvah

There are many cultures which vie to take credit for this classic treat, as is often the case with anything well-known. Halvah has been dated by some historians to 3000 BC, while others say it more likely originated around the 12th century. Either way, this Middle Eastern confection has a long history. As halvah spread throughout the world, it took on different names and variations. Most commonly, it is a crumbly block of crushed and sweetened sesame seeds.^[8]

Halvah may have nuts added or be dipped or marbled with chocolate. It can come in various flavors. Some versions don’t even use sesame. This ancient candy was first popularized in the US in the 20th century thanks to a Jewish entrepreneur from the Ukraine named Nathan Radutzky. He founded a company called Joyva, now the leading manufacturer of halvah in the US. Halvah can be found in Jewish, Persian, and Greek markets in addition to well-stocked supermarkets.

2 Marzipan

Just like halvah, marzipan is claimed by several groups as their own invention. Perhaps the truth is that many different places on Earth, unknown to each other, stumbled upon this appealing mixture of ground almonds and sugar.

One origin story tells of Spanish nuns trapped in a convent in 1212, mixing their only ingredients—almond flour, sugar, and water—to subsist on during wartime. Marzipan is still eaten in Spain. It is customarily enjoyed at Christmastime and molded into traditional shapes such as that of an eel.^[9]

Marzipan enjoys popularity around the world to this day. It can be used as a filling for a number of sweets or may be molded into shapes and painted realistically to resemble miniature fruits, vegetables, and animals.

1 Amezaiku

When it comes to candy that can be shaped and sculpted, marzipan has nothing on amezaiku. Amezaiku is actually the name of a candy sculpting art form dating back to eighth-century Japan, inspired by Chinese techniques. A taffy-like substance called mizuame (“water candy”) is mounted on a stick and heated so that it becomes pliable. Amezaiku artists then use various tools to shape the candy, usually into animals.

Traditionally, artists sit on low stools and sculpt their creations in front of onlookers during festivals. But amezaiku is becoming rarer in Japan. Just a few passionate and talented artists, such as Takahiro Yoshihara and Shinri Tezuka, work to keep the art form alive. The resulting creations may be too beautiful to eat, but watching these artists at work is certainly a feast for the eyes.^[10]

Hannah lives in Seattle with her husband and dog. She enjoys writing and researching in her spare time.

There are plenty of once-popular dishes from around the world that fell out of favor, but then there are those that you can’t eat — ever. This can happen for various reasons, including a business going belly up or a lawsuit resulting in a discontinued product.

Whatever the reason, there’s a chance you might have enjoyed these delicious treats once in your life but can’t find them any longer. They’ve gone the way of the Dodo, and while some may return, it’s unlikely you’ll ever get to eat these ten once-popular foods ever again!

10 Unfortunate Deaths Caused By Food

10 Jell-O Pudding Pops

Back in the 1980s, you couldn’t watch a show on television without seeing an ad for Jell-O Pudding Pops. They were ubiquitous, and thanks to the popularity of its spokesperson, Bill Cosby, they appealed to kids and parents alike.

Putting aside what we now know about Cosby, the treats he sold to the masses were delicious and popular. Still, they disappeared in the 1990s due to lagging sales. This is simply a case of a snack losing money, so the company stopped producing them… at least, for a while.

In 2004, General Foods, the company that owns Jell-O, licensed Pudding Pops’ name to Popsicle, which isn’t simply the name of a frozen treat; it’s also a company. Popsicle began producing them after acquiring the license, but they were made using a different recipe and popsicle molds.

Popsicle’s decision to use its own molds and different recipe made the new Pudding Pops look like a cheap imitation. They never sold well, and the company discontinued them. You can still buy the original Pudding Pop mold and follow a recipe if you wanted to make your own, so this is a treat that can live again.

9 McDonald’s Happy Meal Cookies

These days, if you want to get cookies at a McDonald’s, they have chewy and delicious chocolate chip cookies available, but it wasn’t always like that. For decades, the only cookies you could get at McDonald’s came in a Happy Meal, and they were very different.

Kids loved to eat them, and they came in either animal crackers in the shape of McDonald’s characters or chocolate chip. Most kids would probably prefer them to what they offer now (apple slices). The cookies were first introduced back in 1974, with the animal cracker version arriving first.

The chocolate chip cookies came in a box, and they were small, hard, and overly processed. Still, people remember them fondly, and McDonald’s receives requests all the time, asking for the recipe or for the company to reintroduce them.

People occasionally sell packs of them online, but they haven’t been produced in over 20 years, so buy and eat at your own risk! While the popular fast-food chain still makes a ton of treats, they have moved away from the overly processed fare that helped build their popularity in the previous century.

8 Sunny D

You can still buy a drink called Sunny D these days, but it’s completely different now than it was decades earlier. It launched in 1963 as Sunny Delight, but most kids who grew up in the ’90s know it simply as Sunny D, thanks to the plethora of commercials throughout the decade.

The drink came with a ton of controversies due to how it was marketed. It was sold as an alternative to orange juice despite being an orange-colored soft drink without any juice in it at all. As parents began paying attention to ingredients, sales plummeted, and the negative press didn’t help.

A four-year-old girl’s skin turned yellow after drinking 1.5 liters of the stuff every day. That’s not an urban legend — it really did happen, thanks to the beta-carotene in the drink. Poor publicity and concerns in the UK and elsewhere drastically impacted sales.

Sunny Delight Beverages ultimately had to reformulate the drink, bringing its fruit content from 0% to 70%, but the costs were too high. These days, Sunny D contains less than 2% fruit juice and comes in various flavors, but it’s nothing like the original.

7 Candy Cigarettes

Candy cigarettes were first introduced in the late 19th century. They were made of either chocolate, bubblegum, or chalky sugar, and kids loved them. They were marketed as edible cigarettes and often came packaged in a box that looked exactly like a pack of cigarettes.

The problem with candy cigarettes isn’t their ingredients or anything like that; it’s how they were marketed and sold. For most of the 20th century, parents complained about them, believing they desensitized children to smoking.

This led to the assumption that consumption of candy cigarettes led to people smoking later in life. As it happens, several studies have suggested this to be true, and as a result, candy cigarettes are a lot harder to find these days than they were in the past.

One of the earliest victims of cancel culture, candy cigarettes are banned in several countries, including the UK, Spain, Brazil, and many more. They are still made, but they must be marketed as bubble gum or candy sticks, removing the word “cigarette” from all packaging (which still looks like a pack of smokes). This makes them available in some places, much to the chagrin of culturephobes.

6 Life Savers Holes

Life Savers candy has been around since 1912, and for most of the candy’s history, it came in the shape of a ring-style life preserver, hence the name. In 1990, a new product was introduced, and through a rather brilliant marketing strategy, Life Savers Holes were born.

Like donut holes, Life Savers Holes were marketed as that missing bit from the candy’s middle. They were essentially smaller pieces of the same candy the company had always sold. It was a way of selling more of the same to the consumer, and it worked… at first.

The candies came in a plastic tube with a flip-top plastic cap that could easily break apart. This created a potential choking hazard to anyone who unwittingly threw the cap into their mouths along with some candy, and RJR Nabisco issued a voluntary recall after removing them from the shelves.

They did return with updated packaging a few months later, but they didn’t remain for long. Ultimately, they proved to be little more than a novelty, and the public grew tired of them. They were discontinued soon after their reintroduction.

5 Lay’s WOW Chips

When Frito-Lay introduced a new brand of fat-free potato chips in 1998, health-conscious fans went wild. WOW included versions of Lay’s Ruffles, Doritos, and Tostitos brand chips. They were marketed at the people’s growing desire for healthier snacks. Unfortunately, making a potato chip fat-free isn’t easy, and it requires some serious chemistry.

To make it happen, Frito-Lay opted to use a fat substitute called Olestra, and that came with some unforeseen consequences. The choice to use Olestra proved disastrous to the company’s sales. WOW chips dropped in sales by more than 50% by 2000 due to complaints of abdominal cramping, diarrhea, and fecal incontinence, which is the fancy way of saying “anal leakage.”

This required the chips’ packaging to contain warning labels, reading, “This Product Contains Olestra. Olestra may cause abdominal cramping and loose stools. Olestra inhibits the absorption of some vitamins and other nutrients. Vitamins A, D, E, and K have been added.”

Eventually, the WOW brand was dropped due to negative publicity and lagging sales. It was rebranded as “Light” with the same old side-effects, so they are ‘technically’ still around in deceptively different packaging.

4 Gatorade Gatorgum

The Fleer Corporation produced a Gatorade brand of chewing gum, beginning in the late 1970s. Gatorgum came in lemon-lime and orange (the original flavors of Gatorade). Each pack came with the tagline, “IT WORKS!” This referenced the claim that it “helps quench thirst,” just like the drink it was based on.

While it was on sale, Gatorgum wasn’t the most popular chewing gum brand on store shelves. Still, it sold well enough to keep it around, and people who especially liked the drink were the ones who tended to buy it. The flavor was reasonably strong, though it didn’t last for very long.

It did work well to help create saliva, so the marketing claim that it was a cure for “dry mouth” proved true enough. When Fleer lost the license to produce it, the contract went to Swell and Vicks. The gum remained on the shelves from the late 1970s until 1989, when it disappeared.

This was due to the contract’s expiration, and it has never been renewed. The company simply stopped producing Gatorgum, so it disappeared, and fans were left to scour eBay, looking for ancient packs of their favorite chewing gum.

3 Nestlé Magic Ball

The Nestlé Magic Ball was first introduced in the 1990s to emulate the popular Kinder Surprise candies in Europe. The Magic Ball consisted of a large outer shell of milk chocolate with a surprise contained within. When the ball was opened, a small Disney figurine was found inside, hence the “wonder” of the Magic Ball.

The Nestlé Magic Ball was a major success for the company, but it ran into some problems. Competitors in the candy market and consumer groups banded together, labeling the Nestlé Magic Ball as a choking hazard, thanks to the small toy found inside.

Nestlé insisted that the Magic Ball was safe but admitted it had received a dozen reports of safety problems. As a result, the Nestlé Magic Ball was removed from production in 1997, never to be seen in its original form again. Nestlé reintroduced the product as the Nestlé Wonder Ball In 2000.

The Wonder Ball consisted of the same candy shell, but instead of a toy, it contained more candy inside. The candies came in various themes, including Disney, Pokémon, Cartoon Network, Care Bears, and many more. It disappeared for nine years and was re-released by Frankford in 2016 with candy and stickers inside.

2 Four Loko

Four Loko was first developed in 2005 as “energy beer,” which was primarily marketed to young college students who needed to build up some energy while drinking alcohol. Soon after it was introduced, it became popular among teenagers, which became a problem for Phusion Projects, the company that sold the drink.

The problem wasn’t necessarily with the alcohol; it was the caffeine, which formed the basis of the company’s marketing strategy for Four Loko. The original recipe included around 155 mg of caffeine, which is about the same amount in a strong cup of coffee. Combining a stimulant like caffeine and a depressant like alcohol can be dangerous.

In some cases, it can lead to severe intoxication and blackouts, so it wasn’t long before the FDA, and several state attorneys general got involved. Phusion eventually agreed to drastically change its marketing to remove models under 25 years of age and anything that glorified alcohol and binge drinking.

The company also reformulated the drink, removing caffeine, guarana, and taurine, replacing it with Red 40 (a food dye). When this happened, a black market rose to sell the original drink, which averaged five times the original price.

1 Haribo Sugar-Free Gummy Bears

Gummy bears are made with glucose syrup and sugar as their first two ingredients, so they aren’t the healthiest snacks a person can eat. To counter this problem and sell to more health-conscious people, Haribo created a sugar-free alternative.

The alternative they settled on was Lycasin, and its main ingredient is maltitol, which is a type of sugar alcohol. On paper, everything seemed great, thanks to the incredible similarities between natural sugar and Lycasin.

Unfortunately, the human body may recognize Lycasin as sweet, but it doesn’t like to keep the stuff around for very long. It goes through your system like Drano through a pipe. There are countless Amazon reviews for the product, which explain — in great detail — how Haribo’s Sugar-free Gummy Bears tore through people’s systems.

The bulk of them include phrases like “intestinal power wash,” a “volcano,” a “flood of toxic waste,” and other colorful explanations. Haribo discontinued the product, but you can occasionally find them on sites like eBay. Still, use caution and eat them close to your bathroom!

Top 10 Banned Snacks

Most of us have a favorite candy or cookie. It can be easy to get excited about or buy into trending beliefs around them. But some of these tales are myths, and it’s time to shed light on the truth. Here are the top ten myths of famous treats you need to stop believing.

Top 10 Strangest Flavoured Foods And Drinks Ever

10 Oreos are 100% Vegan

In 2017, Oreos were the top-selling cookie brand in the United States with 710 million dollars in sales. Some vegans were excited to learn that the popular Oreo cookie is vegan. However, these rumors are not true. As explained on the U.K.’s official Oreo website, they are unsuitable for vegans because they have milk as cross-contact. Cross-contact means the cookies or equipment used to produce them may have small amounts of milk on them, making the cookies contain trace amounts of milk. If you want a 100% vegan version of the Oreo, you may have to bake some homemade ones.

It was also not until December 1997 that Oreos become vegetarian-friendly and declared Kosher by the Orthodox Union (O.U.). Nabisco, the company that produced Oreos, made this conversion because many major ice cream companies in America wanted to make products with real Oreos. The problem was, the crème filling contained lard, aka pork fat. Nabisco had to convert about 100 baking ovens that were nearly the length of a football field. It took almost three years.

9 Eating Cookie Dough Is Deadly

If your parents or grandparents have ever told you to stop eating the cookie dough or you’ll get sick, they may have deprived you of the fun part of baking. Despite popular belief, eating cookie dough with raw eggs in them will not kill you. Raw eggs can be just as nutritious as cooked eggs. Although there is a small risk of salmonella poisoning, the chances are very low. One study found only one out of every 30,000 eggs produced in the United States is contaminated with salmonella. Contamination has also been significantly lower since the 1990s due to improved technologies in egg processing. If you are one of the rare unlucky people, you may get diarrhea, but the cookie dough won’t kill you.

8 Gum Stays in Your Stomach for Seven Years

Despite what you may have heard from your parents or teachers, gum will not get stuck to your stomach for seven years. Your body may not break it down, but it will come out the other end. It’s flexible enough to pass through your digestive tract and unlikely to obstruct your intestine as large food items can. In rare instances, a kid swallowing a lot of gum and already suffering from constipation could experience obstruction.

Well-known companies like Wrigley have been manufacturing gum since the 1890s. To attract consumers in 1907, Wrigley advertised gum as more of a medicine than candy by saying it soothes nervous stomachs and stressed-out minds. It turns out, recent studies have shown that chewing sugar-free gum can increase teeth health, reduce cavities, relieve stress, and boost memory. In 1999, a study estimated the world market for gum at 560,000 tons per year. About 374 billion pieces of gum were sold globally every year. If someone chews each piece for 30 minutes, that’s 187 billion hours of gum-chewing. So not only will you pass gum if you swallow it, but it could also help you with other health issues.

7 Twinkies Last Forever

Despite the belief twinkies will outlast humans in an apocalypse or be our main food source as we attempt to survive one, they do expire. Hostess, the company that produces Twinkies, says their product remains fresh for 25 days in a cool location. Not only do Twinkies expire, but they almost became extinct when Hostess filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2012. Luckily, the production of Twinkies started again after eight months.

So, how did the rumor start? The most likely source that Twinkie’s will survive an apocalypse is from an old Family Guy episode. Additionally, they contain no dairy or eggs and are sealed in cellophane, meaning they could last longer without looking rotten. Their freshness or edibility may still be compromised, though.

6 You will Explode Drinking Soda With Pop Rocks

Combine a fizzy drink with crackling Pop Rocks, and it does sound like you could explode. However, all you’ll get is a lot of gas. There’s a long-time rumor that “Little Mikey” in the Life cereal commercials from the 1970s and 1980s died from an exploding stomach. While there is uncertainty on how this rumor started, we know that Little Mikey survived his childhood and still enjoys Life cereal today. In 2012, John Gilchrist, who played Mikey, shared with Newsday: “The folklore is that I ate Pop Rocks, the exploding candies, and I drank a soda, and my stomach blew up.”

Pop Rocks get their popping sensation from pressurized carbon dioxide. When you mix them with carbonated soda, all their gas releases and creates even more carbon dioxide. To see this build-up in gas, try a simple science experience:

* Use a bottle of soda, Pop Rocks, and a balloon.
* Put the soda and candy in the balloon and see the gas inflate it as it builds up.

Imagine replacing your stomach with the balloon, and all you’ll get is a big burp. While you won’t die, a lot of gas can prove to be painful. In 2001, the Janze family from Alamo, California, filed a lawsuit against Baskin-Robbins’ Shrek Swirl ice cream that contained Pop Rocks after their 5-year-old daughter Fifi went to the hospital. The doctors had to remove gas from her stomach.

5 The Hole in Lifesavers Saves Lives

There is a myth around the origin of the candy Lifesavers and why their inventor, Clarence Crane, decided to put a hole in them. The story goes that his daughter died choking on a mint, so he created a mint with a hole in it that’s safer. The hole prevents you from choking. Not true.

While Crane did lose a son years after he invented Lifesavers, he created the mint with a hole to look unique. In 1912, Crane, from Cleveland, Ohio, was a chocolate maker who wanted a product that didn’t melt in the summer. A trip to the pharmacist inspired Crane to make a circular mint. He decided to punch a hole in them so the candies would stand out from the European mints at the time. Crane called them Lifesavers because they looked like mini life preservers.

4 White Chocolate Isn’t Chocolate

Someone may have told you that you aren’t eating “real” chocolate when you have white chocolate. While this could have some technical truths in it, there is a myth around the claim. White chocolate may not contain any cacao nibs like milk chocolate and dark chocolate, but it contains cocoa butter. A cocoa bean contains approximately equal amounts of cocoa butter and cacao nibs. According to European and American regulations, white chocolate must contain at least 20 percent of cocoa butter to qualify as chocolate. So, it is a product made from cocoa beans.

David Lebovitz, a pastry chef and cookbook author, has defended white chocolate by saying it’s pointless to bicker about the details. He states we call various things hamburgers, even when it isn’t made of ham, and milkshakes are mostly blended not shaked anymore. So, why not let cocoa butter qualify as chocolate?

3 Candy Canes Were a Christian Symbol

Candy Canes are shaped like a “J” to represent Jesus’s name and handed out during Christmas around his birthday, so it must be a Christian symbol, right? Unfortunately, this is not true. A common story that spreads this myth is that a candymaker in Indiana invented the candy cane to include the following Christian symbols:

* Pure white candy to represent the Virgin Birth.
* Hard candy symbolizing the solid, firm foundation of the Church and God’s promises.
* The J shape represents Jesus and the staff of the Good Shepherd.
* Red stripes for the bloodshed by Jesus on the cross.

According to the Smithsonian, the first inventions of hard candy sticks came during the 17th century, long before Indiana became America’s 19th state in 1816. For this reason, a candymaker in Indiana unlikely invented it. The introduction of the candy cane to Christmas in America is often associated with a German immigrant in Ohio, August Imgard.

2 Sugar-free Candy is Harmless to Teeth

Sugar-free means healthier, so healthier must mean harmless to your teeth. It’s not that simple. Sugar-free candy is still sweetened using artificial sweeteners, and some of these are harmful. Any fruit-flavored product, especially ones with citric acid, can cause tooth erosion. Additionally, chewy candies without sugar, such as caramels and lollipops, can leave residue between the teeth. Sugar doesn’t cause cavities. The bacteria feasting on residues left between your teeth are what erodes the enamel and creates cavities. So, despite popular belief, sugar-free candy can still be a culprit for your teeth.

1 Fortune Cookies Are From China

Since we get fortune cookies after eating at a Chinese restaurant, they must be from China, right? Not true. Fortune cookies aren’t part of Chinese culture at all. Japanese Americans invented this vanilla-flavored cookie in California. The concept of placing a fortune in a cookie originated in Kyoto, Japan. In the 1870s, confectionary shops in Kyoto had crackers called “tsujiura senbei,” or “fortune crackers” shaped similar to the fortune cookies we are familiar with today. However, these crackers were larger and made with sesame and miso. Fortune cookies most likely came to the United States with Japanese immigrants between the 1880s and early 1900s. Japanese bakers had shops in Los Angeles and San Francisco, where sources claim are the two cities that invented the vanilla and butter-flavored version of fortune cookies.

But how did they end up in Chinese restaurants? According to Jennifer Lee, author of the book “The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food,” Japanese people started opening Chinese restaurants at the beginning of the 20th century because Americans didn’t like raw fish. Instead, Americans wanted chop suey, chow mein, egg foo young. When the U.S. sent Japanese Americans to internment camps, and their businesses closed during World War 2, Chinese Americans took over the production of fortune cookies. In 2014, the Boston Globe released an article on the Wonton Food’s fortune cookie factory in Queens, New York, and reported they make 4 million cookies every day. And this is only from one factory in the U.S.!

10 Fascinating Facts About Soda

About The Author: Sara enjoys research, art, and seeking a sustainably fun life, balancing physical and mental health. Read more on how she explores, learns, and balances all her interests here.