Think carrots and you end up having a toon flashback of Bugs Bunny. But the ‘B’ you should be thinking about when it comes to this root is beauty, for as good as carotene is for the eyes, it’s pretty good for the skin too!
What all can the humble marigold do? It can repel bugs in your garden, make a crunchy addition to your salads and cookies, and offer a whole bunch of medicinal and health benefits as well. Intrigued? The concept of marigold as a medicinal plant is not new, considering it has been used in apothecaries for over 1000 years already.
Ginger is a bit of a conundrum for not only does it ease constipation and improve digestion, it also is a great tool to fight against bloating, indigestion, and even diarrhea. So basically it’s one all-rounder spice, being good for the digestive system on the whole. And this healthy spice has plenty other benefits to be reaped as well.
The nasturtium is a member of the mustard family known as Brassicaceae, which contains five species. It is native to South America and brought to Europe by the Spanish conquistadors at the end of the 15th century. By the 17th century, Dutch and Spanish herbalists began developing another species and shared the seeds with British and other European botanists.
Turmeric, botanically known as Curcuma longa, has long been revered as a sacred plant for healers of many traditions. Used as food, medicine, and in ritual, this rhizomatous plant holds a well-respected power.
The Jerusalem artichoke is neither an artichoke nor has it any connection to Jerusalem. It is the tuber at the root of a flowering plant of the aster family and is native to North America. The flower is similar to the sunflower and the tuber, much like that of ginger, with a texture of a potato. In 1585, Sir Walter Raleigh came upon the plant cultivated by the area peoples of Virginia.
Farro is an ancient food of the people who lived in the Mediterranean basin. It fed the Roman army, was a biblical food, and is the national dish of Lebanon. Not only was it a staple but it was also a cure for many maladies. Farro was found to have first been cultivated in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East 10,000 years ago. Its initial use was as the main ingredient in bread. It is also known as emmer and by the 20th century was replaced with durum wheat.
The next time your stomach’s a little under the weather, or you’ve just been dining on too many calories and need a filling meal that gives you respite – you need to assemble just two main ingredients – curd and rice – and make a simple yet tasty dish, curd rice! Oh, and curd is just another name for yogurt!
Black rice has been known as the Forbidden Rice in China for millennia because it was only served to the Emperors. Research done by Judith A. Carney reveals that the grain was imported to the Carolinas in the United States with the slaves who established it as a crop.
We know vitamins are good for us, but do you know exactly what each one is good for? Sure, we know vitamin C is good for a cold, but do you know why? In this series, we will take a look at each vitamin and delve into what role each one has to play in nutrition.