Food Facts vs. Food Myths

By Food & Wine
Updated May 12, 2017
Was German chocolate cake really created in Germany? Will eating too many carrots actually turn you orange? Find out the answers to these common food legends—plus get some fantastic recipes, to boot.
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Chinese Chicken Salad

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Food Myth: Eating celery negates its calories.
Chewing and digesting celery does not expend more calories than there are in the vegetable, unfortunately. According to TIME, there are no "negative-calorie" foods. At 6 calories per stalk, however, it's still a healthy addition to Asian chicken salad.

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German Chocolate Cake

Credit: © CON POULOS
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Food Myth: German Chocolate Cake Originated in Germany.
The rich layer cake combining coffee and Dutch process cocoa hails from Dallas, Texas.

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Caesar Salad with Crispy Tofu Croutons

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Food Myth: Julius Caesar made salad famous.
Restaurateur Caesar Cardini is said to have created the ubiquitous salad—like this version topped with crispy tofu croutons—in 1924 in Tijuana, Mexico.

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Maple-Chipotle Hot Wings

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Food Myth: Drumettes come from baby chickens.
The small drumstick-shaped pieces of chicken that look like legs are actually upper segments of the wing. Use both parts in this recipe for Maple-Chipotle Hot Wings.

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Chile-Cheese Yucca Chips

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Food Myth: Potato chips were a happy accident.
In 1853, wise guy chef George Crum fried thinly-sliced potatoes supercrisp out of spite for a customer who complained that his French fries were undercooked and too thick. For a twist, opt for these Chile-Cheese Yucca Chips.

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Julie's Texas-Style Chili with Beer

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Food Myth: A human finger turned up in fast-food chili.
In 2006, a Las Vegas couple was sentenced to time in prison for that fraudulent claim. Find short ribs and three kinds of chiles in our Texas-style chili with Beer.

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Refried Beans with Pickled Jalapeños

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Food Myth: Refried beans are fried twice.
The cooked beans served alongside these Poblano-and-Cheese Tamales are mashed or pureed before being pan-fried once.

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Vanilla Tapioca Pudding

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Food Myth: Tapioca nearly sunk a ship.
In 1972, an emergency responder declared the sinking Swiss freighter Cassarate "a huge tapioca time bomb" after a fire (and the water used to extinguish it) cooked its cargo: 1,500 tons of tapioca. Here's tapioca pudding with vanilla, not sea water.

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Carrots with Tahini Dressing

Credit: Quentin Bacon
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Food Myth: Carrots may turn you orange.
Carotenemia is a clinical condition caused by prolonged consumption of carotene-rich foods, such as carrots, served here with tahini dressing.

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Roast Turkey with Lemon and Chives

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Food Myth: Turkey puts you to sleep.
Though often attributed to tryptophan, an amino acid present in turkey and most other proteins, that Thanksgiving food coma is likely due to the carbohydrate-rich holiday meal. This roast turkey is updated with lemon and chives.

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