Delicious buns with various fillings have conquered many people worldwide. Along with burgers, fast-food restaurants often serve fries and onion rings. The vast variety and taste of the dish have made it incredibly popular. Burger deliveries are made daily.
There are facts about burgers that you probably haven’t heard, for example, that people eat more than 30 billion burger buns each year. Let’s look at the most interesting ones.
Where the Name “Burger” Came From
The name of the dish comes from the “Hamburg steak,” which refugees from Germany brought to America. In the 1950s, there was even a German cuisine restaurant in the USA called Waldschloss.
It was there that the famous steaks were served. However, to prevent people from knowing that the burgers’ authors were Germans, American soldiers during the war decided to call the dish the “freedom sandwich.” But this name did not catch on and soon disappeared, and the term “burger” returned.
Burgers More Valuable Than Friends
In 2009, more than 230,000 people were willing to trade their friends for this food. This was part of a promotional campaign conducted by the well-known American chain Burger King. Those who agreed to delete 10 friends from Facebook could get a free burger.
This campaign was called “Whopper Sacrifice.” After consuming the burger, people would have to run more than 7 kilometers to burn off the calories. Readers are probably already thinking about whom they would delete from their friends list to get such a burger.
Benefit or Harm
McClendon, a scientist from America, conducted several experiments in the 1990s to test whether a person could eat only burgers for a long period without harming their body. The participant ate burgers for 3 months.
The scientist proved that meat, vegetables, and bread contain all the essential nutrients—proteins, fats, and carbohydrates—while the health harm was minimal. However, nowadays, almost all scientists agree that fast food is harmful to health and should be avoided.
The Most Expensive Burger
The most expensive burger is sold at The Fleur De Lys restaurant in Las Vegas. The bun with a juicy beef patty costs $5000. The dish is served with a glass of very tasty and expensive wine. Such a menu can only be afforded by wealthy individuals, but those who have tried it say it is worth it.
Various Fillings
Not all patties are made from beef. For example, one American restaurant uses beaver and kangaroo meat. Of course, such fast food is more expensive, but it is very popular.
And some people do not consume certain types of meat, so sellers make a marketing move specifically for them. For instance, residents of India do not eat cow meat, and Jews and Arabs do not consume pork. There are also many vegetarians for whom special vegetable burgers are prepared. And don’t forget that fish steaks are often used as fillings.
Burgers or Victory
In 2010, the most active fast-food fans decided to hold a speed-eating burger tournament. The winner was a Japanese man named Takeru. He managed to eat 10 hamburgers in 3 minutes, breaking the record. But there are no losers in this competition, as everyone received the desired burgers.
There are many legends and theories related to burgers. Some concern the origin, others are just interesting facts, and still others prove or disprove that the dish is harmful. It is okay, even recommended, to eat burgers, but not too often. A healthy person can allow themselves two delicious buns a week, but those with gastrointestinal and heart diseases should abstain.