The Columbian Exchange resulted in a significant population rise in the Old World.

While animals and illnesses introduced to the New World altered the New World, plants from the Americas had a significant influence on the Old World. The arrival of New World crops impacted the lives of millions of people in Africa, Europe, and Asia dramatically. Because the foods from the Americas were significantly more calorie-dense than those from the Old World, it probably resulted in the world's most rapid population growth. The world's population nearly doubled between 1650 and 1850.

Europeans' diets became increasingly reliant on foods native to the Americas throughout time. Potatoes and corn were important food supplies for Europeans, allowing their populations to grow rapidly. Foods supplied nourishment and aided in the longevity of humans. Scholars believe that one-third of all food crops cultivated throughout the world originate in the United States. New crops from the Americas were introduced to Europe, Africa, and Asia, resulting in population expansion.