The mango is considered a superfruit and is indigenous to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia where it grows on trees. It ripens in three to six months and, depending on the cultivar, can be yellow, red, green, or orange. Additionally, there are over 400 varities of mango, and they’re cultivated around the world, although India is [...]

Ginger is a rhizome that originated in Asia. It is used in ginger ale, ginger snaps, and gingerbread and has a long history of medicinal use, particularly as an Ayurvedic medicine. The FDA considers it safe, and you can readily obtain fresh ginger at any grocery store.

Bell peppers are nightshade plants and are related to chili peppers. They originated in South America as early as 5000 BC, and Christopher Columbus mistakenly named them “pepper,” which means pimiento in Spanish. When Spanish conquistadors discovered they were extremely tasty, they carried them back to Europe, and, luckily, the plants were hardy and highly adaptable to a variety of climates. In [...]

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is an essential water soluble vitamin we can’t manufacture in our bodies and must be obtained through diet. Fortunately, we can find it readily in most fruits and vegetables. Without vitamin C, people can die of diseases, such as scurvy, and, in fact, you’ve probably heard the story about British [...]

If you’re looking for a superfood, watercress is it because it provides many health benefits. It contains essential vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, folate, iron, and vitamins A and C, and it’s one of the oldest known leaf vegetables. It also a semi-aquatic plant, so it’s often found near water.

Noni is an exotic fruit also known as Indian mulberry, beach mulberry, great Morinda, Lada, Wild Pine, or Tahitian noni. The noni tree produces fruit year round. It usually grows in hot tropical climates but can be found growing on rocky mountains, in lush tropical forests, or along sandy seashores. Noni is known as an excellent carbohydrate and [...]

Plums come in all colors—white, green, yellow, red, and purple—and they’re delicious. Yet, plums are more than colorful or delicious. They have numerous health benefits. For instance, plums will help you slim down, protect you against macular degeneration, regulate digestion, and give you gorgeous legs all at the same time. Here’s how:

Almonds are native to Iran, grow on small deciduous trees, and, in case you didn’t know it, botanically speaking, almonds are not true nuts. An almond is a drupe, which means it is a fruit that surrounds a shell and has a seed inside—another example of a drupe is the peach pit.

Cheese predates history, and the earliest evidence of cheese was found in Egyptian tombs dating to 2000 BCE. So, by the time of the Roman Empire arrived making cheese was an art form. From there cheese and cheese manufacturing expanded, until the first cheese factory opened in the early 1800s in Switzerland. Factory cheese making [...]

Agave is in the succulent plant family and related to Yucca plants. It looks somewhat prickly and although some people think agaves are related to the cactus or aloe vera, they are not. In fact, the agave is related to the amaryllis or the lily and is native to Mexico, but found throughout Central and South America, as well as the southwestern [...]