Today’s walk through Mother Earth’s Medicine Cabinet will lead us down a path to check out Pine Pollen. All pine trees produce this magnificent pollen that can be harvested or purchased at a health food store. The pollen is not actually pollen -- it is technically considered to be a form of seed. It isn’t packed with flavor but it has a light nutty taste.
Red rice is a whole grain that gets it color from compounds called anthocyanins that are found in red vegetables like red cabbage and red onions.. It is found in the outer layer of the grain, known as bran, and is closely related to bioflavonoids. Red rice is also an effective antioxidant. It has been considered an exotic grain, especially in the United States, and is grown in several regions throughout the world.
Millet is a prehistoric grain native to western Asia. By approximately 3000 B.C.E. the grain had found its way to China where it became one of the five sacred grains. Of the many varieties of the genus the common millet arrived in Europe about 200 B.C.E. where it got its name, which meant “cereal” in Old English.
Psyllium husk doesn’t necessarily “look” like a superfood, but boy is it ever powerful. Psyllium is a master at relieving constipation, and when your bowels are running smoothly, so are you.
Sorghum is native to Sub-Saharan Africa and was first harvested in the Nile River basin approximately 7000 years ago. It became a crop in India around 3000 B.C.E. and found its way east by way of the Silk Road. It was brought to Rome from India in approximately 60 C.E., then to Spain and finally Europe in the 12th Century. Benjamin Franklin introduced the plant to North America and it eventually became a major crop.
Bulgur is processed wheat that is native to the Mediterranean basin region and is one of the earliest processed foods that began being used approximately 4000 years ago. It is made by steaming wheat then drying it and cracking the dried kernels. Bulgur was initially processed by boiling wheat in a huge pot for many days to be sure it was thoroughly cooked; then the contents of the pot were spread out on roofs to dry in the sun.
Archeologists have found that wild barley is native to what is termed the Fertile Crescent, the region that covers modern southern Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and northern Egypt. It was first gathered in 9000 B.C.E. for a food grain and was reportedly first used by the Egyptians as cereal. For millennia, people depended on barley for food for themselves and for their horses.
Amaranth is a seed that has been part of the Aztec diet for more than 8000 years, when the Aztecs would collect the seeds in the wild. They also used the seeds to make flour for baked images of their gods during festivals and for tributary payments. The plant began to be cultivated in Mexico approximately 4000 B.C.E. and continues to be a native Peruvian crop.
Black beans are a species of the common bean and are native to areas in Central and South America. They were brought to Europe in the 15th century and became a major crop in India and China. Today, they are a staple in many international cuisines. Black beans are rich in nutrients and are used to prevent many diseases. Ayurveda uses black beans to regulate Pitta and Kapha doshas and recommends they be avoided by those with Vata dosha.
Flaxseeds have been cultivated in the Mediterranean basin as far back as 4000 B.C.E. There is evidence that man has been eating flaxseed as far back as the Neolithic Era. Flaxseed is comprised of flavorful meat which is packed with oil and has many nutritional and healing benefits. The non-food grade flaxseed oil is known as linseed oil, which is used commercially in paints and wood finishes. Flaxseed is used in livestock feed and is grown throughout the world.