Food Facts

1 - As of 2025, Vietnam rice production ranks third in the world, following India and Thailand.
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2 - Vietnam remains one of the few countries where the consumption of animal blood dishes (Tiet Canh) is traditional. Popular varieties include pig blood, duck blood, and some local adaptations, although dog and shrimp blood are less commonly found today. What other unique dishes can you think of?
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3 - In Vietnamese cuisine, nearly every part of the pig is utilized, including organs such as lungs, kidneys, liver, and heart. While some may find this surprising, dishes like "Pha Lau," a popular hot pot in Northern Vietnam that features a mix of these parts, are quite revered.
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4 - In 2025, Vietnamese consumers hold the highest per capita instant noodle consumption in Asia, surpassing traditional consumers such as Japan.
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5 - Vietnam's diverse noodle offerings include Pho, vermicelli (Bun), grass noodles (Mien), rice noodles (Banh Da), ka tieu (Hu Tieu), egg noodles (Mi Van Than), and instant noodles. In total, there are various preparations and at least 20 types of Pho alone.
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6 - In 2025, Vietnamese meat consumption has increased to an average of 38 kg/year, exceeding the Asian average of 36 kg/year; however, it remains lower than in Thailand (45 kg) and China (57 kg).

7 - Pork consumption continues to dominate Vietnamese diets, making up approximately 77.5% of total meat intake, followed by chicken (15.7%) and beef (6.6%). Globally, the average ratios for pork, beef, and chicken consumption remain around 40-45%, 25-30%, and 30-35%, respectively.

8 - Balut (Trung Vit Lon) remains a unique culinary offering in Vietnam, being 19-21 days old at maturity and often served with fragrant Vietnamese coriander (Rau Ram). Additionally, quail balut (Trung Cut Lon) is gaining popularity in various regions.
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9 - A distinctive Vietnamese practice involves adding broth or soup to rice bowls, a culinary tradition that is not found elsewhere globally.

10 - Despite being the most popular Vietnamese dish, spring rolls are typically reserved for special occasions and family gatherings rather than everyday meals.
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11 - Vietnam's diverse array of sweet soups (chè) features over 100 types crafted from ingredients spanning the length of the country, often compared to similar offerings in Thailand.
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12 - Vietnam boasts a rich variety of cakes, with nearly 200 types available. Many of these confections, known as "Banh," diverge from traditional Western sweets and include unique regional specialties such as "Bánh chưng" (Square cake) and "bánh gai."
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13 - The star apple (vú sữa) is renowned globally, with Vietnamese varieties considered some of the best.
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14 - While wrapped rice paper rolls are found in other cuisines, Vietnam is recognized for its uncooked versions, known as summer rolls. "Nem cuốn" typically contains rice paper filled with vermicelli, fresh vegetables, herbs, and slices of pork or fish.
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15 - Vietnamese cuisine features an impressive variety of nearly 70 herbs, integral to many dishes and enhancing their flavors. Commonly used herbs include lettuce, mint, coriander, apricot leaves, and kaffir leaves.

16 - Vietnam stands out globally for its extensive variety of dipping sauces, with over 30 different types created from fish, shrimp, and crab sauces, as well as some unique offerings like frog and crab egg sauce. Moreover, Vietnamese cuisine often incorporates sauces into broths, setting it apart from culinary traditions in other countries.
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