FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Somewhere in the world McDonald's opens a new restaurant every 3 hours

From 1999 to 2000, the cost of soft drinks rose 20%; the cost of candy rose 46%; the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables rose 117%

Largest consumer of cheese in the world: Pizza Hut

Wal-Mart sells more retail food products than any other company in the world, and more than the next three largest companies combined

Since 2000, Americans spend more per year on fast food than on movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos and recorded music combined

The first McDonald's in Brazil opened in 1979 -- today, McDonald's is Brazil's largest private employer

First fast food chain to open in China: Kentucky Fried Chicken (now KFC) in 1987 (McDonald's opened in 1992) -- KFC now has more than 1,000 restaurants throughout China

Brits eat more fast food than any other Europeans... in England, McDonald's opened it's first restaurant in 1974 and Burger King arrived in 1977 -- currently, England is home to more than 1,000 McDonald's, 700 Burger King, and 200 Domino's Pizza restaurants

McDonald's is the largest restaurant company in Germany

In 1986, the Tahiti Tourism Board ran a promotion that showed a picture of a breathtaking scenic view with the words "Sorry, No McDonald's" -- about 10 years later, the first McDonald's opened in the capital, Papeete

Inventor of charcoal: Automaker Henry Ford (In 1950, Ford Charcoal was renamed Kingsford Product Company and remains the leading manufacturer of charcoal in the U.S.)

Less than 15% of the world's corn production is intended for human stomachs -- 85% of the annual corn crop globally is used for animal feed, starch, sugar, oil, alcohol and more than 3,500 other products

More than 77% of U.S. households own a barbecue grill, and nearly half of these grill-owners barbecue year-round and use their grills 5 times a month (Most popular food for barbecue in the U.S.: hamburgers, steak, hot dogs, and chicken breasts)

Most popular Kellogg's product worldwide: Pop-Tarts

Romans did not eat sitting up because it was considered extremely bad manners -- they ate in a reclined position on sofas around the table

Only oceanic fish are used raw in sushi -- freshwater fish, which may harbor parasites, are cooked

For each box of Wheaties sold in 2002 with Tiger Woods on the front, Woods received ten cents and the farmer who grew the wheat for the cereal manufacturer got a nickel

When asked to name the smell that best defines America, 39% of Americans surveyed stated "barbecue"

Sugar was first added to chewing gum in 1869... by a dentist

Most popular fruit worldwide: Mango

A Twinkie explodes in a standard home microwave in 45 seconds

The chemical reaction that turns bread into toast is called the Maillard Reaction

Odds that a grain of rice grown in the United States will end up being brewed into beer: 1 in 10

A Big Mac contains enough calories to run a household vacuum cleaner for 98 minutes

Largest private-sector employer in Africa: Coca-Cola

The average American home has 15 cookbooks

Nancy Green was the first living person whose image was trademarked (as Aunt Jemima)

Favorite pizza topping in Australia: Eggs

Each can of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup contains exactly 216 noodles

Tomato juice is the official state beverage of Ohio

Dairy products account for 30% (by weight) of all food consumed in North America

Almonds are members of the peach family

In the weightlessness of space, a frozen pea explodes if it comes into contact with soft drink such as Pepsi or Coke

Nearly 1 out of 4 people worldwide are vegetarians

McDonald's salads contain up to 60% more fat than their burgers

99% of pumpkins grown in the U.S. are used only for decoration

The cardboard box contains more nutrients than the cornflakes inside, regardless of brand

People who are modestly overweight have a lower death rate than people with a normal body weight

About 11% of the earth's surface is used to grow food

Only food that does not spoil: Honey