superfood

There’s more to those little red berries on top of that smoothie bowl than you may know!

Blackberries are a member of the family Rosaceae, also known as the Rose family of the genus Rubus L. or blackberry P which contains 244 species. The plant is native to five of the seven continents, which excludes Antarctica and Australia, and is considered the most widespread food crop.

Nettles are a member of the family Urticaceae, commonly known as the Nettle family of the genus Urtica L. or Nettle P. with five species. The most commonly found is the stinging nettle, with three subspecies.

Chard is in the family Chenopodiaceae, commonly known as the goosefoot family, in the genus Beta L. or beet P. This genus contains ten species of beets and two subspecies, one of which is chard, scientifically known as Beta vulgaris L. ssp. cicla (L.) W.D.J. Koch or chard P.

Cardoons are a member of the family Asteraceae, commonly known as the Aster family of the genus Cynara L. or Cynara P. This genus contains two species: cardoons, or Cynara cardunculus L. whose common name is cardoon, and the globe artichoke.

Passion fruit is a member of the family of Passifloraceae in the genus Passiflora and is native to the wild regions of subtropical South America. It was introduced in Hawaii and Australia but succumbed to viruses and could not be sustained as a commercial crop in either region.

Pistachios belong to the family Anacardiaceae, commonly known as the sumac family. They are in the genus pistache P which has six species; the scientific name for the species pistachio nut is Pistacia vera L. The plant is native to regions in western Asia and was found to be eaten by people in Turkey and the Middle East as early as 7000 B.C.E. and cultivated for millennia.

Persimmons are in the family Ebenaceae, commonly known as the Ebony family in the genus Diospyros L. Of the seventeen species, only two are native to America: the Diospyros virginiana L, also known as the common persimmon P; and the Diospyros texana Scheele, commonly known as the Texas persimmon P.

When you think of berries, you probably imagine plump blueberries or succulent strawberries picked at the peak of perfection. It is not often that juniper berries, which are not truly berries at all, come to mind. These antioxidant-rich, heart-healthy “berries” are actually a bitter spice originating from the female seed cones that come from juniper plants, a type of conifer, which is a cone-bearing shrub or tree.

The sweet potato is a member of the morning glory family and is native to Central and South America. The plant was cultivated by ancient peoples of the area as far back as the Stone Age. It was brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus during his first voyage in 1492.