# What is the most unnatural food you can name? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 15, 2018, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222 "2018-05-15T15:21:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/21 "2018-05-15T18:12:25Z")
That would be tough. On the off chance they were already familiar with both circuses and peanuts, you’d still have to explain why someone invented a nearly inedible food that has nothing to do with either one. ---
**Author:** ![Alexis\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@Alexis\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alexis_1)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/22 "2018-05-15T18:14:26Z")
Imitation Crab. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/23 "2018-05-15T18:17:01Z")
Military Tropical Chocolate Bars (D Rations). Even if you know what they are, they aren’t food. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/24 "2018-05-15T18:23:05Z")
Froot Loops! Also, Bugles. ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/25 "2018-05-15T18:31:48Z")
Canned surströmming > **[Surströmming](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surstr%C3%B6mming)** > > Surströmming (pronounced \[ˈsʉ̂ːˌʂʈrœmːɪŋ\]; Swedish for 'sour herring') is lightly salted fermented Baltic Sea herring traditional to Swedish cuisine since at least the 16th century. Surströmming or fermented herring is distinct from fried or pickled herring. > Known as strömming in Swedish, the Baltic herring is smaller than the Atlantic herring, found in the North Sea. Traditionally, strömming is defined as herring caught in the brackish waters of the Baltic north of the Kalmar Strait. The herrin... NOTE: Video is safe for work, but contains some bad language and scenes of authentic retching. Viewer discretion is advised. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/26 "2018-05-15T18:33:19Z")
Pringles ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/27 "2018-05-15T18:38:04Z")
Instant mashed potato. To be fair, while this was pretty prevalent when I was growing up, there wouldn’t be much difference in reaction between your person of 5000 years ago and a current teenager: You _eat_ that shit? j ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/28 "2018-05-15T19:38:55Z")
Something like this [cake](http://www.cakewrecks.com/storage/b2984dc3fbb4b084899cb09267d416eb.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1462682620855). I’m not 100% convinced it’s food myself. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/29 "2018-05-15T19:47:05Z")
Bubble tea ---
**Author:** ![Ignotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ignotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignotus)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/30 "2018-05-15T19:59:02Z")
> [@Dropo](#): > > Canned surströmming > > [Surströmming - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surstr%C3%B6mming) > > NOTE: Video is safe for work, but contains some bad language and scenes of authentic retching. Viewer discretion is advised. Well, those Texans did it all wrong. To begin with, you should open the can _under water_ to suppress the emission of noxious fumes. Thoroughly rinsed, the surströmmings make an excellent, although a bit salty dish together with potatoes, butter, onions and flatbread. Though I would advice you to skin them well, since the skin in my own experience has a tendecy to cause flatulence. I imagine this kind of fermented food would have been a staple in most temperate countries some few hundred years ago already! ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/31 "2018-05-15T20:34:31Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > Tofu. Wouldn’t even pass the taste test when presented to the residents of the era. Wikipedia says Tofu may be 2000 years old or at least 1000? I mean, nowhere near the the time frame we’re talking about here, but not that new/unnatural. I’ve read about people making it at home in North Korea. Though I’m sure we have more an less natural versions (as we do with ice cream, and many other products). Fruit rollups seems quite unnatural to me, but I’m not sure what’s in them besides sugar. Twizzlers (which I like) are a bit waxy. Wax lips candy never seemed like candy at all, just wax. Not sure how “unfood” that would be to people then, though. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/32 "2018-05-15T20:48:07Z")
Non-dairy creamer (aka coffee whitener). Not sure it has any food value at all. ---
**Author:** ![Ignotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ignotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignotus)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/33 "2018-05-15T21:13:07Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > Non-dairy creamer (aka coffee whitener). Not sure it has any food value at all. But is it actually\* food \*(any more than all artificial flavors and colors that we encounter on a daily basis)? To me, it seems more like an additive. Hey, \*salt \*doesn’t have much of a nutritional value, does it? ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/34 "2018-05-15T21:43:48Z")
> [@Ignotus](#): > > Hey, \*salt \*doesn’t have much of a nutritional value, does it? Of course it does. Sodium is an essential nutrient. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/35 "2018-05-15T21:50:59Z")
Jello ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/36 "2018-05-15T22:04:49Z")
Coca-Cola. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/37 "2018-05-15T22:16:25Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > Non-dairy creamer (aka coffee whitener). Not sure it has any food value at all. Of course it does. It’s got carbs, fat, and significant potassium and phosphorus in it. It’s not particularly unhealthy, in fact. It’s low in calories, and low in fat. Though many types have trans fat in it, which isn’t considered good. But the amount it contains is low enough to make little difference for most people. Why would you think it _doesn’t_ have food value? 😕 Nutritional label here: [https://www.pinterest.com/pin/245938829627622210/?lp=true](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/245938829627622210/?lp=true) for the powder as well as for other forms of it. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/38 "2018-05-15T22:22:30Z")
“Ice cream” that doesn’t melt. Perhaps candy corn. Maybe astronaut food. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/39 "2018-05-15T22:26:32Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > Tofu. Wouldn’t even pass the taste test when presented to the residents of the era. This has to be the worst answer of the thread thus far. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > Imitation margarine. Isn’t that like saying imitation sugar substitute? Margarine is imitation butter. What is imitation margarine?? Sorry if this is common knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![Ignotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ignotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignotus)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222/40 "2018-05-15T22:26:54Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > Of course it does. Sodium is an essential nutrient. But most animals seem to do quite well without deliberately\* adding\* it to their food! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unnatural-food-you-can-name/814222.md?page=3)