It’s game time!

Do you speak “food Latin”? Let’s see if you guess these kitchen classics!


Published on November 22, 2025


Credit: Hobi industri

Think you know your fruits and veggies better than the back of your hand? Let’s put that to the test. Scientists love fancy names, but behind all that Latin, you’ll find foods you probably have in your kitchen right now. Here’s a little guessing game: We’ll give you some clues about the origins, uses, or traditions tied to a food. Then we’ll reveal the answer. Let’s see how many you can get right!

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Scientific name #1: Allium sativum

Credit: Dominic Kurniawan Suryaputra

This little bulb has been keeping kitchens fragrant for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians swore by it for strength, while Italians turned it into a must-have for sauces. Love it or hate it, its smell lingers long after dinner. Any guesses in the room?

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Scientific name #2: Malus domestica

Credit: Markus Winkler

This fruit has been part of human history since biblical times. It’s been baked into more pies than anyone can count. Just one bite every day, and you won’t be making any more doctor’s appointments. A crisp bite in autumn just can’t be beaten.

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Scientific name #3: Citrus paradisi

Credit: airci K

This tart beauty first appeared in the Caribbean, but today it’s a breakfast table regular. Its zingy flavor divides people: some swear by it with a sprinkle of sugar, others can’t stand the bitterness. What do you think this is?

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Scientific name #4: Cucumis sativus

Credit: Ashley Winkler

Cool, crunchy, and packed with water, this veggie is a summer favorite. It sneaks into sandwiches, salads, and pickling jars across the globe. Ancient civilizations grew it thousands of years ago, and it hasn’t lost its charm. Wanna find the answer? Keep scrolling!

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Scientific name #5: Fragaria ananassa/vesca

Credit: Daniel von Appen

Sweet, red, and heart-shaped, this fruit screams summertime. Wimbledon even made it a tradition, serving it with cream for over a century. You’ll see it on shortcakes, jams, and plenty of cereal boxes, too. You know it by now, don’t you?

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Scientific name #6: Cucurbita pepo

Credit: Henrique Sosa

Farm stands overflow with this one in the fall. You’ll see kids carving it, bakers turning it into pies, and health nuts roasting its seeds. Native to the Americas, it’s been part of diets for thousands of years.

Below, you’ll find all the answers. Let’s see how many you got right!

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Food #1: Garlic

Credit: team voyas

Did you guess this one? Allium sativum is garlic. Packed with flavor and believed to boost heart health, garlic is grown worldwide, but China leads the harvest. Whether roasted, minced, or sliced, it’s the soul of countless dishes. Are you team garlic or not?

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Food #2: Apple

Credit: sydney Rae

Malus domestica is none other than the apple. Did the "doctor’s appointment" reference give it away too soon? The United States, especially Washington State, is a top grower. From cider to applesauce, it’s hard to imagine an American table without it, right?

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Food #3: Grapefruit

Credit: freestocks

Citrus paradisi is grapefruit! Florida is famous for its juicy varieties, loved for their vitamin C punch. Grapefruit even got its name because the fruits grow in clusters that look a lot like grapes. Now the debate stands: Sugar or no sugar?

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Food #4: Cucumber

Credit: Eric Prouzet

Cucumis sativus is a cucumber. India is its original home, though now you’ll find it growing just about everywhere. Whether sliced fresh or turned into pickles, it’s the definition of refreshing. And it also

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Food #5: Strawberry

Credit: Natasha Skov

Red, heart-shaped… This one is the strawberry, of course! The United States, especially California, grows tons of them every year. Fun fact: strawberries aren’t true berries botanically, but don’t let science spoil dessert.

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Food #6: Pumpkin

Credit: Maddy Baker

That’s Cucurbita pepo, the pumpkin. From lattes in October to jack-o’-lanterns on Halloween, it’s an American seasonal icon. And yes, the seeds, called pepitas, are as nutritious as they are tasty.


Mother Nature’s worst treats

Warning: These natural toxins are tiny, sneaky, and terrifyingly lethal


Published on November 22, 2025


Credit: Davide Baraldi

You might not think of frogs, mushrooms, or even seafood as a threat, but nature has a sneaky side. Scattered around the world are creatures and plants that pack a punch so powerful that just a tiny dose could mean big trouble. Don’t worry—this isn’t meant to scare you off your next walk in the woods or dinner reservation. It's just a peek into the wild world of Mother Nature's most toxic offerings.

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The fish that can stop your heart

Credit: David Clode

Tetrodotoxin is the deadly little secret hiding inside certain pufferfish. It’s so powerful that top chefs in Japan need a special license to prepare the famous dish "fugu." One venomous bite, and it can block nerve signals faster than you can say "sushi." Most people get poisoned by eating the wrong part of the fish—definitely not a do-it-yourself project.

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A pretty bead with a deadly twist

Credit: Bernd 📷 Dittrich

The rosary pea plant produces seeds that look like shiny red beads with a black eye. Pretty? Sure. Deadly? You bet! Inside is abrin, a toxin so strong that a single seed can be fatal if chewed. Fortunately, the hard shell makes accidental poisoning rare. Still, maybe better keep your crafty beadwork non-toxic.

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Botox's evil twin

Credit: CDC

You may know botulinum toxin as the stuff that smooths out wrinkles, but in its natural form, it’s no beauty treatment, quite the opposite. Produced by bacteria in low-oxygen conditions (like poorly canned food), this toxin can paralyze muscles and shut down breathing. Thankfully, modern food safety keeps this menace mostly in check.

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Poison in the plankton

Credit: David Clode

Maitotoxin sounds like something from a sci-fi movie, but it’s real, and so is the danger. It comes from microscopic sea creatures called dinoflagellates. When these plankton are eaten by fish that wind up on our plates, people can get seriously ill. So yes, your seafood might be carrying secrets.

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The mushroom you don't want in your omelet

Credit: Péter Kövesi

Death cap mushrooms come with a warning in the name. Just one bite can damage your liver beyond repair. They look a lot like edible mushrooms, which is where the danger lies. Rule of thumb: unless you're 100% sure, leave wild mushrooms in the wild. It’s not worth the risk!

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The garden flower with a dark side

Credit: Annie Spratt

Foxgloves are lovely in the garden but pack a chemical called digoxin that can damage your heart. While it's used in medicine for people with heart conditions, getting the dose wrong is where things tend to go south. Best to admire this plant from a safe distance, no nibbling.

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A fungus among us

Credit: Rachel Horton-Kitchlew

Aflatoxins are toxins made by moldy fungi that love grains, nuts, and other stored foods. They hit the liver quite hard and have been linked to cancer. Thankfully, the U.S. has regulations that keep your cereal and peanut butter nice and safe. Still, toss anything that smells funky.

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The poison in old-school mysteries

Credit: Naoki Suzuki

Strychnine is that classic murder-mystery poison, and it's the real deal. It comes from the strychnine tree, native to South Asia, and it causes severe muscle spasms. It has a history as both a pesticide and a (bad idea) tonic. These days, it mostly shows up in crime novels or the occasional shady drug mixture. Let’s just hope it stays in the literary field.

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A frog with a warning label

Credit: William Warby

Poison dart frogs are bright and beautiful—a built-in warning sign to predators. Their skin secretes batrachotoxin, a substance that can stop your heart cold. Interestingly, the frogs don’t make the toxin themselves; they get it from their diet. So, this is what they mean by "you are what you eat," right?

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Castor beans: not just for oil

Credit: Karyna Panchenko

Ricin comes from castor beans, which are also the source of castor oil. Luckily, processing the beans gets rid of the toxin. Still, if the raw beans are crushed or chewed, the results can be deadly. Don't panic! The oil is safe. Just don't go snacking on the plant itself.

Looking for an extra scoop of literary fun?

Learn more with our Word of the day

feasible

/ˈfizəb(ə)l/