Articles

Chia seeds originate from the arid plains of South and Central America around 3500 B.C., and these oval-shaped seeds were rediscovered in the late 1990’s. Ever since then these seeds have been used in commercial crops. First cultivated by the ancient Aztecs the chia seed was actually used as a form of currency for the...

You may know apple cider vinegar is a natural product that you can use to enhance the flavors of your daily meals, but did you know that this vinegar actually has health benefits? Around 5,000 B.C. Babylonians used fruit of the date palm to make wine and vinegar. The Babylonians also used apple cider vinegar...

Beets, or beetroots, are also known by their scientific name Beta Vularis. Beets can be cooked in a variety of ways, including pickling, canning, and roasted as well as being eaten fresh. In the 1740’s the sugar beet was discovered in Upper Silesia (now known as Poland), and it was being used to produce sugar to add...

Aside from being a delicious fruit, bananas have a number of often-overlooked health benefits. Archaeologists consider the Kuk Valley of New Guinea at around 8,000 BC to be the period where humans first considered the banana as an edible option. It didn’t take long for bananas to reach Southeastern Asia and countries across the Southern Pacific...

Avocados became popular as a food in Southern Mexico in the late 1800’s, but the first uses of avocados can be traced back to the Rio Grande and Central Peru. In 1696 it was reported to be a great source of food in Jamaica and by the end of the 16th Century avocados made their way...

If you plan on having a picnic this summer season then a watermelon is an ideal refreshing snack to pack. But did you know that watermelon is actually very healthy for you? Also referred to as Citrullus Ianatus, the watermelon belongs in the same category as cucumbers, pumpkins and squash. Watermelons originated in the northeast part of...

Also known by its scientific name of Curcuma Longa, turmeric is an herb that belongs to the ginger family. It is normally grown in countries in Southern and Southwestern Asia. Turmeric has been used for centuries in India and China as part of various medical treatments. Having been available for consumption for around 4,000 years, turmeric...

As long as 8,000 years ago honey was depicted as being used as an edible food in cave paintings in Valencia, Spain. The production of honey initially flourished in places like Greece and Sicily, and before sugar became available in the 16th Century, honey was often valued as a natural sweetener for foods and drinks....

Today cinnamon is a popular spice used by people in a variety of meals and drinks, but it also plays a lesser-known role in alternative medicine. One can trace the medicinal uses of cinnamon back to 2700 B.C. where it is frequently mentioned in Chinese botanical textbooks, thanks to its antibacterial and antipyretic properties. Cinnamon is...

Did you run today? Hit the gym? Take the dog for a long, brisk walk? The CDC and the surgeon general recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of exercise each week to stay healthy. That works out to 30 minutes, five days a week (in case you don’t want to do the math)....