Freaky Food Superstitions

— -- When cracking an egg, serving noodles, or pouring a pot of tea — all seemingly innocent actions — you might be surprised to learn that there are some longstanding superstitions behind them.

Click here to see the 15 Freaky Food Superstitions (Slideshow)

Superstitions have been around for as long as we have, often stemming from cultural and religious beliefs at different times and different places in history. In some ancient societies, lucky charms were worn around the neck to ward off evil spirits, or rituals were performed to protect one’s home from the devil.

For some, they may just be spooky superstitions; but for others, they’re based on a cultural belief and are taken seriously. And some of the freakiest superstitions just happen to involve food.

We’re not always sure where superstitions come from . Oftentimes when something happens that can’t be explained, people try to tie events together, creating superstitions; many probably grew out of what used to be called "old wives' tales" or religious beliefs. Some cultures adhere to some pretty wild superstitions about food and drink involving the devil, witches, evil spirits, scorpions, and really bad luck.

A few of them — including the belief that bad luck comes from spilling salt — may sound familiar. But others — like that chewing gum at night means you’re chewing the flesh of the dead — may give you the creeps!

Since the spookiest season is upon us, we’ve shared some of those freaky superstitions so that you know how to ward off the devil and avoid the Evil Eye, and to never to bring a banana on a boat.

The Devil Sits on Your Loaf of Bread