# Which of these foods/ingredients would you banish from humanity? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 7, 2011, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140 "2011-11-07T04:56:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/81 "2011-11-08T19:25:34Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > No carrots = no carrot cake. I recommend you try Trader Joe’s “Karat Cake”; I thought I didn’t like carrot cake… ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/82 "2011-11-08T19:26:58Z")
Where is the “none of the above” or “other” option? Edit: Ooop, I didn’t quite read the OP. I guess I’ll vote now… ---
**Author:** ![nudgenudge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9f8e36/32.png) [@nudgenudge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nudgenudge)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/83 "2011-11-08T19:36:55Z")
You can’t “banish” inanimate objects, since it means to order something to stay out of some place. Vegetables cannot be ordered around, due to their not being sentient. And you certainly can’t “banish them from humanity”, since they are not part of humanity in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/84 "2011-11-08T20:28:37Z")
> [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > Onions. When I read a recipe that includes them, I just automatically include something else. Usually garlic for the flavor, bell pepper for the texture, or celery for the crunch. Exactly. Celery is one of the bestest hummus delivery mediums there is! ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/85 "2011-11-08T20:57:07Z")
> [@Tapiotar](#): > > Can’t they use the abomination that is tofu as fuel? I and most of Asia are decidedly upset with what you’re advocating right here. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/86 "2011-11-08T23:21:04Z")
> [@nudgenudge](#): > > You can’t “banish” inanimate objects, since it means to order something to stay out of some place. Vegetables cannot be ordered around, due to their not being sentient. And you certainly can’t “banish them from humanity”, since they are not part of humanity in the first place. Whoa! Easy there, Tiger. I understand you’re upset one of our most beloved veggies will be forever removed from our use, but there’s no need to get pedantic. But I am curious; I’m not following your post. Say again why a vegetable can’t be banished by malicious aliens for human use and consumption? There’s a question I thought I’d never ask. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/87 "2011-11-09T00:36:33Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > I really like all of them but I guess losing celery would hurt the least. This. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/88 "2011-11-09T01:32:26Z")
I voted celery but seeing what a drubbing it’s getting I feel sorry for it. I wish to change my vote to carrot. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/89 "2011-11-09T04:24:48Z")
Incidentally enough, we had some egg salad sandwiches today, and while I was enjoying the crunch and the distinct delicious flavor of the celery in it, I almost felt relieved that this is just a hypothetical. Damn, I’d really be bummed if celery was smitten. I’ll probably have nightmares about it now. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/90 "2011-11-09T14:48:07Z")
Easy choice: Carrots. I have no use for them whatsoever. Raw, I don’t particularly care for the taste. Cooked, they add nothing to any dish except a weird mushy texture. Plus, don’t think the scent in the atmosphere would be too offensive. Who wants to smell garlic or onions all the time? Besides, carmelized onions are heavenly. Garlic in small doses is essential to many a recipe. Potatoes are a staple. I couldn’t imagine a world without french fries, hash browns, a nice big baked spud with a good steak, etc. Celery, well, I guess I wouldn’t miss it that much, but I do enjoy it with some ranch dip, and it’s a good complement to hot wings, so I vote for keeping the stuff around. ---
**Author:** ![What\_i\_think](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/94ad74/32.png) [@What\_i\_think](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_i_think)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/91 "2011-11-09T15:55:20Z")
but the smell would be awful i love to eat them but to live with the smell day in and day out nononono ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/92 "2011-11-09T15:58:43Z")
I’d keep all of those and banish cilantro. To me it tastes the way your mouth tastes after you throw up. [Disclaimer: Posted this without reading any of the thread.] ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/93 "2011-11-09T16:15:43Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I’d keep all of those and banish cilantro. To me it tastes the way your mouth tastes after you throw up. > > [Disclaimer: Posted this without reading any of the thread.] It’s meant to be a bit of a Sophie’s choice type of poll, as I read it. If the aliens wanted to make it easy, they’d put something like Brussels sprouts or beets on it. (Although I’d give up celery or carrots before Brussels sprouts or beets, personally.) ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/94 "2011-11-09T17:15:03Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > It’s meant to be a bit of a Sophie’s choice type of poll, as I read it. If the aliens wanted to make it easy, they’d put something like Brussels sprouts or beets on it. (Although I’d give up celery or carrots before Brussels sprouts or beets, personally.) I figured I was a bit out of line… but cilantro causes me to have extreme reactions. \*\ \* ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/95 "2011-11-09T20:38:45Z")
That was a tough one. I chose celery as the least likely to be missed - it’s basically a zero, nutritionally-speaking. Carrots have vitamins, potatoes are a pretty important source of calories, garlic has some health benefits; not sure what the nutritional profile is for onions but I figured it had to be better than celery. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/96 "2011-11-09T21:29:37Z")
[QUOTE=nudgenudge] Vegetables cannot be ordered around, due to their not being sentient. [/QUOTE] [Don’t be so sure about that.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_of_the_Killer_Tomatoes) ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/97 "2011-11-09T22:22:03Z")
I tried REALLY hard to pick potatoes but ended up with celery. I hate potatoes in soup but they’re not bad mashed or fried. ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/98 "2011-11-09T22:47:38Z")
Gah… what a choice. Celery almost got it in the neck… but… as I’m becoming increasingly health concious, and no potatoes means no french fries… I’m doing this for all of us – it’s for the best really. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/99 "2011-11-10T06:01:01Z")
I’d just sneak some cilantro into the aliens’ food, thoroughly disgusting them so they turn headlong back to where they came from to find something to get the horrible taste out of their mouths. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140/100 "2011-11-10T10:14:51Z")
I pick celery because of the scent factor; its never had a noticeable one to me. If not for that I’d pick carrots, I’ll eat celery but despise carrots. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-foods-ingredients-would-you-banish-from-humanity/602140.md?page=6)