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In 1995, US scientists patented turmeric as a wound-healing agent. The patent was successfully challenged by India where turmeric has been used in Ayurvedic medicine, for thousands of years, for many things including wound-healing. It was/is also used as dye (for monks' robes), as a cosmetic (face masks), in marriage ceremonies (purification ceremony) and as a spice. The curcuma longa (turmeric) plant comes from the ginger family. Its leaves, stalks and flowers can all be use

Shiitake means mushroom of the castanopsis (shii) tree. Castanopsis is a kind of beech and shiitake was traditionally grown on its logs. In East Asian cultures, shiitake are connected with longevity and good health. Logs inoculated with shiitake spores would be placed next to newborns to symbolise their future growth and prosperity. Shiitake is also considered a tonic and an aphrodisiac. Shiitake are a good source of B2, B3, B5 and B6. They contain vitamin D if they have been

Emperor Nero is said to have eaten leek soup to improve his singing voice. The Romans brought leeks to Britain where they thrived in the cooler, wetter climate. There are many legends explaining why leeks are the emblem of Wales. The patron saint, David, is said to have consumed only leeks and water. Welsh soldiers were said to wear them in battle against the Saxons 'to differentiate themselves.' At the Battle of Crecy, Welsh archers fired at the French from a leek field. Wha

Mi gan is Mandarin for mandarin. For 2,500 years, China has had public officials called mandarins. The official language of the court was Mandarin and mandarin fruit is thought to have got its name from the bright orange robes worn by mandarins. Mandarins were first cultivated in China's Nanling mountains. Now, there are hundreds of varieties grown around the world. Satsumas are named after Satsuma province in Japan where they naturally hybridised from mandarin varieties. Cle

Hazelnuts grew on the Laurasian supercontinent which divided more than 60 million years ago. Consequently, there are varieties of hazelnut indigenous to North America and Eurasia. Varieties include the American hazelnut, the Giresun Tombul (Turkey), the Tonda Romana, the Spanish filbert and the Kentish cobnut. In the UK, the 14th of September was traditionally 'nutting day.' In some parts of the country, children were given the day off school to gather hazelnuts and other nut

Cucumbers were first cultivated in India. They play a symbolic role in the Hindu Janmashtami festival which celebrates the birth of Krishna. They represent the womb of Krishna's mother, Devaki. During the festival, a cucumber is symbolically cut at midnight to represent Krishna's birth. There are over a hundred varieties of cucumber in different shapes and sizes. These include English (in the shops), Kirby (for pickling), Persian, Carolina, the round Crystal Apple and the blu

Cargamanto beans originated in the Andes where they were a staple food and were also used to make jewellery and rosary beads. They were brought to Europe in the 1500s. They have become a culinary staple in Italy as borlotti beans and in Portugal as catarino beans. Although high in protein, they are not considered a complete protein because they only have low levels of methionine. Borlotti beans are high in B1, B2 and folate and also contain B3, B5 and B6. They are a good sour

The sweet pulp around cacao beans is thought to have been eaten in Ecuador for more than 5,000 years. The Olmecs, Mayans and Aztecs fermented cacao and spices into a drink and used it for religious and medicinal purposes and even as currency. The Mayans believed that humans were made of divine blood, corn and cacao. Cacao arrived in Europe in the 16th century where sweeteners were added to it. Fry's of Bristol are credited with making the first solid chocolate bar in 1847. Ca

Spanish conquistadors threatened to chop off the hands or execute any indigenous people growing amaranth. They saw its use in spiritual practices as a threat to Christianity. In response, seeds were preserved and secretly grown. In 1960s Guatemala, amaranth was threatened again during the state suppression of the Mayan people and culture. Once again, seeds were hidden in glass jars under floorboards and buried in fields. Today it is still a niche crop in Central America and t

Ancient Egyptian labourers were sometimes paid in radishes (and onions and garlic). Green radishes were valued as ornaments during China's Shang dynasty. Mexico's Noche de Rabanos (night of the radishes) is a radish-carving competition that takes place on December 23rd. Radishes are diverse in shape and colour. They range from the familiar red globe through the black/nero tondo, watermelon, luobo and red king to the daikon/mooli which can be white, purple, red or green. The l

Yang Tao (sunny peach) was first cultivated by China's Song dynasty. Its seeds were taken to New Zealand in 1904 where, originally, it was known as Chinese gooseberry. It was rebranded as 'kiwi' in the 1950s. This was to boost sales and promote it as a 'kiwi' product. It was named for its resemblance to the iconic flightless bird, the kiwi. Kiwi is very high in vitamin C - just one provides 60-70% of the RDA. It is a good source of vitamins E, K, folate and fibre. It also con

First cultivated in the Middle East, oats spread further north where they flourished in colder, wetter climates. Oats became a staple food in Scotland and, traditionally, they were used to protect people from faeries. People would carry oats in their pockets, put it on their children's heads at All Hallows and scatter oatcake around the house of a newborn. The high, starchy glutinous content means they can be used as glue additives. They are also used in body washes, shampoos

Australians traditionally called Brits 'poms' because of their tendency to redden in the sun, like a pomegranate. The Greek myth that explains the seasons involves the seeds of the pomegranate. Zeus' daughter, Persephone, was abducted by Hades, the king of the underworld. Persephone's mother, Demeter, was the goddess of agriculture and her grief caused the crops to fail. It was agreed that Persephone could return to Demeter for part of the year - spring and summer. However, b

The Halloween tradition of 'kail' divination used to take place in Scotland and Ireland. Young people would pick a stalk of kale in the...

In Iran, they're considered the 'smiling nut,' in China, they're the 'happy nut,' in India, they're the hot nut and in California,...

Plums are a stone fruit that originated in China where plum blossom is considered a symbol of good fortune. The five petals of the plum...

The herb, dill, gets its name from the Norse word, dylla, meaning to soothe. Ancient Egyptians used it as an aphrodisiac and to ward off...

Many folkloric traditions have used cabbages to explain where babies come from. The shape of a cabbage is likened to a womb and the...

Figs are thought to have been the first plant food to be domesticated. There is evidence that they were cultivated more than 11,000 years...

Lentils were part of the Neolithic Package - a set of innovations that marked the transition from hunter-gathering to settled...