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7 Things You Didn't Know About SPAM

SPAM is one of the more fascinating food products out there, with a long, wild history. Weve assembled 7 facts that you probably didnt know about this legendary lunchmeat.
By Dan Myers
<p>While most people assume SPAM is short for "spiced ham," only a handful of people know its true origin — and they're not telling. The name was actually suggested in naming contest by Ken Daigneau, a Hormel VP's brother, before the product was introduced in 1937. Daigneau won a naming contest and $100. Other theories include "special processed American meat" and "shoulders of pork and ham."
</p>
flickr/ timag
Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam… is there any food product in existence that's been mocked more than Spam? Twinkies, possibly, but deep down, everyone secretly loves Twinkies. We can't say the same thing for Spam. When it comes to Spam you either love it or you hate it, and it's actually one of the more fascinating food products out there, with a long, wild history. We've assembled 7 facts that you probably didn't know about this legendary lunchmeat.
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1) The Name is Still a Mystery

<p>While most people assume SPAM is short for "spiced ham," only a handful of people know its true origin — and they're not telling. The name was actually suggested in naming contest by Ken Daigneau, a Hormel VP's brother, before the product was introduced in 1937. Daigneau won a naming contest and $100. Other theories include "special processed American meat" and "shoulders of pork and ham."
</p>
flickr/ timag

While most people assume SPAM is short for “spiced ham,” only a handful of people know its true origin — and they’re not telling. The name was actually suggested in naming contest by Ken Daigneau, a Hormel VP’s brother, before the product was introduced in 1937. Daigneau won a naming contest and $100. Other theories about what "SPAM" actually stands for include “special processed American meat” and “shoulders of pork and ham.”

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2) It Powered the Russians During WWII

<p>While it's common knowledge that Spam was popular with American GI's, a whopping 100 million pounds of the stuff was consumed by Russian forces during the war. "Without Spam, we wouldn't have been able to feed our army," Russian Premier Nikita Krushchev later said. 
</p>
reprorations.com

While it’s common knowledge that Spam was popular with American GI’s, a whopping 100 million pounds of the stuff was consumed by Russian forces during the war. “Without Spam, we wouldn’t have been able to feed our army,” Russian Premier Nikita Krushchev later said.

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3) There Used to be a Mascot

<p>Ever hear of Slammin' Spammy? He was a machine gun-toting, bomb-hurling, angry-faced pig introduced by Hormel to help support the war effort, and showed up on everything from clothing to bombers. </p>
486thorg.com

Ever hear of Slammin’ Spammy? He was a machine gun-toting, bomb-hurling, angry-faced pig introduced by Hormel to help support the war effort, and showed up on everything from clothing to bombers.

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4) The Amount Produced is Insane

<p>A whopping 44,000 cans of spam, or 33,000 pounds, are produced every hour worldwide, to be consumed in more than 40 countries. That's a whole lot of Spam. 
</p>
flickr/ joe lively

A whopping 44,000 cans of spam, or 33,000 pounds, are produced every hour worldwide to be consumed in more than 40 countries. That’s a whole lot of Spam.

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5) It’s No Mystery Meat

<p>Hormel has always been pretty straightforward about what goes into the can, even though people continue to be wary of it. It's made with pork shoulder and ham, along with salt, water, sugar, potato starch, and nitrites. It's basically made from the same stuff as hot dogs. 
</p>
flickr/ luisramir

Hormel has always been pretty straightforward about what goes into the can, even though people continue to be wary of it. It’s made with pork shoulder and ham, along with salt, water, sugar, potato starch, and nitrites. It’s basically made from the same stuff as hot dogs.

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6) It’s Beloved Across Asia and in Hawaii

<p>Spam was served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the Pacific during WWII and the Korean War because fresh meat was hard to come by, and the natives quickly developed a taste for it, one that continues to this day. South Koreans consume more Spam than any other country except the U.S., it's huge in the Philippines (Hormel donated more than 30,000 pounds of it after the 2009 typhoon), each person on Guam eats on average 16 cans of it per year, and Hawaiians eat the most Spam per capita of any state in the US. It's so popular that McDonald's across the region have added it to the menus. 
</p>
flickr/ rossinwonder

Spam was served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the Pacific during WWII and the Korean War because fresh meat was hard to come by, and the natives quickly developed a taste for it, one that continues to this day. South Koreans consume more Spam than any other country except the U.S., it’s huge in the Philippines (Hormel donated more than 30,000 pounds of it after the 2009 typhoon), each person on Guam eats on average 16 cans of it per year, and Hawaiians eat the most Spam per capita of any state in the U.S. It’s so popular that McDonald’s across the region have added it to the menus.

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7) There was Once Kosher Spam

<p>During the 2000's, a kosher variety known as <em>Loof</em> was distributed as field rations by the Israeli military. Made from chicken or beef, it was phased out in 2008. </p>
israelity.com

During the 2000’s, a kosher variety known as Loof was distributed as field rations by the Israeli military. Made from chicken or beef, it was phased out in 2008.

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