Apples are a member of the family Rosaceae, the Rose family in the genus Malus Mill. or apple P. This genus contains thirty-six species. There are about 10,000 varieties of apples throughout the world, of which 7,000 can be found in the United States.
Frankly, with words like chia, flax, probiotics, goji, and more making the rounds, it’s understandable to become sick of the whole bandwagon of health food and stick to a normal diet instead.
There are many species of cranberry that grow in the temperate zones of the world, the species Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton is the cranberry native to North America. It is found in both the northeastern and northwestern areas of the continent and was used by the Native Peoples for food and medicine. They introduced the plant to the pilgrims, who used the fruit for pie and tart filling; recipes have been recorded as early as 1672.
Squash (the winter species) is native to Central America and evolved around the same time as flowering plants, approximately 350 million years ago. However, it was not until 13,000 B.C.E. that man began using squash to make cups, containers, and floats for fishing nets. It was one of the earliest cultivated plants, first farmed in 10,000 B.C.E., but because of its bitter taste was not used as a food source until several thousands of years later when squash was bred to have a sweeter taste.
“Human health is only as good as the land we grow our food in or on.”
A.W.Erickson, 1945
In other words, we reap what we sow. Trying to build a healthy diet from plants grown in unhealthy soil is like building a house without starting with a foundation. It is essential to consider the origin of foods (and other products one consumes, too!) if one aims to live a well-balanced life…with a healthy amount of selenium in store.
Four o’clocks are of the genus Mirabilis L., species Mirabilis jalapa L. and are also known as Marvel of Peru, where it originated. The Spaniards discovered the plant in the Peruvian Andes in 1540 and exported it to Europe where it became a popular decorative addition in gardens throughout the continent. In warmer climates the four o’clock is a perennial but in cooler climates it is an annual.
Great medicine awaits in your grocery store’s produce section! As you can gather from the title, I’m talking about mushrooms: rich in protein, essential amino acids, fiber, B vitamins and vitamin D.
One of my favorite summer fruits is the beloved and magical fig. My grandmother had a huge fig tree in her backyard and every summer we would make fig and ginger jam. I cannot even begin to describe how delicious this jam was. And how wonderful the smell of the cooking jam was. I used to eat it on toast and straight out of the jar by the spoonfuls.
As a young girl, I just enjoyed the delicious flavor of figs and had no idea how healthy figs are for you.
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.
This slightly sweet, buttery nut is one of my favorites. I love popping a bunch of raw cashews in the oven and then lightly toasting them for an afternoon snack. I also like to sprinkle them on cereal or anything that needs a crunch.