Native Circle

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Indian Influence & Contributions
to America and the world

The American Indian contribution to the world's food


Did you know that over 62% of all the food that the entire world
eats today was originally developed by American Indian people?
It's true!  In fact, if you took out all the food in your cupboards
and refrigerator that was developed by Indians, you wouldn't be
left with much to eat.  Have you ever gone to a movie and had a
tub of popcorn?  Well, if it weren't for the ingenuity of ancient
Indian folks, you'd have to eat something else at the movie! Yes,
that's right, Indians invented popcorn.... and many other foods
and drinks you enjoy today.  The list below will clearly convey
the overwhelming Indian contribution to the food of today's world.

A partial list of the foods originally
developed or discovered by Indian people
(Most of these foods were Indigenous only to the Americas
meaning they did not grow anywhere else in the world)

Corn - all types including sweet, flint & popcorn

Beans - almost all types including: Pinto, Lima, Kidney, Navy,
Red, White, Black, Green (String, Pole, French, Snap), Butter,
Great Northern and Wax

Squash - all types including Zuchinni, Acorn, Spaghetti,
Crook-neck, Summer, Winter and Butternut

Tomatoe - all types including Red, Yellow and Orange,
from cherry to melon size

Potato - 250 varieties grown (20 varieties are 75% of total harvest)
3,000 varieties were developed by the Incas

Cacao (Cocoa & Chocalate come from this)

Peppers - all types including Green, Chili and Banana

Sunflowers (the seeds and oil as well),

Avacado
Cashews
Hominy
Passion Fruit
Vanilla
Catfish
Grits
Hickory Nuts
Cayenne
Pumpkin
Gum
Pomegranates
Peanuts
Jerky
Wild Rice
Sweet Potato
Jerusalem Artichoke
Chilies
Tortillas
Persimmon
Yams
Arrowroot (starchy flour)
Prickly Pear Cactus
Pineapple
Guava
Papaya
Pawpaw
Blueberry
Strawberry
Mulberry
Cranberry
Huckleberry
Chokecherry
Maple Syrup
Sassafras (Tea, & flavoring of Root Beer)
Catnip
Manioc or Cassava (Tapioca Pudding)
Mequite
Ramps (wild leeks)
Wintergreen Mint
Paprika
Allspice
Pecan
Black Walnut
Acorn
Beechnut (fine quality oil)
Clams
Scallops
Shrimp
Crayfish
Turkey
Bison
Moose
Caribou
Musk Ox
Antelope
Opossum
Armadillo
White Tailed Deer
Alligator


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