But before animals and diseases completely reshaped the New World, it was New World plants that had the biggest effect on Eurasia. Sure, Europeans brought over some crops that we now grow here in the Americas, like wheat and grapes, both of which are necessary for Catholic Mass. But New World plants radically changed the lives of millions, maybe hundreds of millions, of Africans, Asians, and Europeans, specifically by making pizza possible. It was the greatest gift of all. I mean, until 500 years ago, Italians lived without tomatoes, without modern pizza or marinara sauce or pizza or ketchup or pizza or even pizza. Indians lived without curry, which contains chilies, a New World food. Persians lived without corn, which is a New World food, as are beans and potatoes and avocados and peanuts and blueberries.