Bizarre: research reveals this is the most hated food in America
There are a whole lot of dishes in America that we non-Americans just don’t understand. How on earth can they stomach deep-fried bull testicles? No, apparently what Americans can’t swallow is… anchovies. Research shows.
We all have foods we love to devour and foods we’d rather leave untouched. If you want to wake me up for rice with curry, you should just let me sleep (yes, really). Yet there are foods that are generally appreciated less than others. The list of the most hated foods worldwide, for example, includes Brussels sprouts, broccoli and okra. And yes, anchovies too. So the fact that Americans aren’t crazy about them isn’t all that surprising in itself. What is surprising is the large percentage of Americans who find anchovies awful. Plus: the reason why this canned little fish makes them feel sick.
Scary little fish in a can
The new research—which surveyed 2,000 Americans—shows that a whopping 43% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 44 ‘can’t stand anchovies’. Among those over 45, this percentage rises to 56%. American women appear to hate anchovies slightly more than American men: 58% compared with 43%. What do they find so awful about anchovies? The rather unusual textures and flavors of the little fish. Soft, fatty, salty and briny all come together, and apparently Americans find that vomit-inducing. ‘Intensely fishy’ and ‘scary little fish in a can’ are also phrases that came up in the research. Exaggeration is an art too, if you ask me.
Industrial anchovies
We really don’t get it either. Yes, tastes differ. But how can Americans collectively find such a delicious flavor booster as anchovies so absolutely disgusting? The research shows that Americans are used to industrial anchovies. Fresh anchovies, like the ones served on your plate in Portugal and Italy, really do taste different from anchovies processed in a factory. Aha, that explains a lot. So we simply need to send the Americans to Europe. Then they’ll see that anchovies actually deserve a pat on the back.
Also read:
- Recipe for incredibly delicious chicken with anchovy butter
- Secret ingredient: anchovies
- 8x American foods that are pretty horrifying
Source: eatthis
