10. Oysters
Around 1900, oysters were so plentiful that their shells were used to pave Pearl Street in New York City (which explains the name); people ate them daily as a cheap source of protein.
However, like the sturgeon, they quickly became overfished, to the point where they were considered functionally extinct in the New York harbour and other popular harvesting grounds.
Scarcity means higher prices and a higher status, so now, instead of being seen as the poor man’s beef, they’re prized as gourmet foods.
“Oysters are a good source of zinc, which may explain why they are considered a sexual stimulant,” Mindell explains. “There may be some truth to that as men’s prostates are rich in zinc.”
Should eating oysters be part of a nutrition strategy for a stronger sex drive?
11. Quinoa
This plant grown high in the Andes was cultivated for centuries by native people for its nutrition and taste. Yet hardly anyone outside of the small region even knew of its existence.
It was “discovered” in the 1970s and sold as a health food, but it didn’t really catch on until the last decade. Now it’s so popular that the Peruvians who farm it can’t afford to eat it.
There’s a good reason for its new status as a superfood though, Werth says. “It’s the only plant food that is a complete protein, containing all the necessary amino acids,” she explains.
“As vegan and vegetarian diets have risen in popularity, they’ve increased the demand for quinoa.”
12. Lard
In the 1800s and prior, lard was used for everything from cooking to making soap, but as industrialisation took over, the fat dropped in popularity in favour of other fats, like butter.
Then, in the early part of the last century, shortenings like Crisco took over.
Recently, however, scientists have discovered the transfats in most shortenings are hard on the heart.
With people looking for a less-processed fat, lard is making a comeback, Mindell says.
