They may seem as Swedish as Ikea and Abba, but Sweden has admitted its iconic meatballs actually originate from Turkey.

The country's official Twitter account tweeted: “Swedish meatballs are actually based on a recipe King Charles XII brought home from Turkey in the early 18th century. Let's stick to the facts!”

Known as "köfte" in Turkey, the minced meat pressed into a ball and - in Sweden - topped with gravy, is a popular dish around the world.

Responses to the tweet varied from dismay, to celebration of the truth coming to light.

King Charles XII used food as a way to help boost the relationships between the two countries.

After losing a war with Russia in the early 1700s, the king was exiled in the Ottoman Empire near Bender Moldova for five years before coming back to Sweden. Along with meatballs, he brought coffee and stuffed cabbages, specialities from Istanbul.

The Swedish account added: "Mind you we love coffee even more than meatballs! At one point we even had a coffee prohibition in Sweden!”

The Swedish account spent time replying to cheeky tweets and admiration for others things Swedish as well as Turkish.

Some felt heartbroken about the surprise of the origin of meatballs while other celebrated the truth coming to light.