Why the Sweet Potato is Better than the Common Potato
Sweet potatoes, first domesticated millennia ago in Central America still plays a role in the culinary culture of the region. It has also become...
Pigeon Peas: This Legume Tree Naturally Fertilizes the Soil
Pigeon peas are hardy, easy to grow, and beneficial to intercropping. Orginally a staple pulse in Indian cuisine, they became incorporated over time into...
Breadfruit: This Fruit Can Feed a Whole Family
Breadfruit trees can live for up to 100 years and produce more than 2,000 pounds of fruit each season. They grow well in groves...
Are Bugs the Next Big Thing in the Culinary World?
Fried, crispy and crunchy: entomologist Esther Ngumbi says scientists and chefs are collaborating to find ways to make insects the next big thing in...
Culantro: Cilantro’s Tropical Cousin
Culantro is often described as the more pungent cousin to cilantro. Often growing wild in the Caribbean, it’s used in a variety of seasonings...
Why All the Bananas at the Grocery Store taste the same
Musa, the genus of plant that provides bananas and plantains is a resilient species with the ability to withstand hurricanes and other natural disasters....
How Eating more Zinc Strengthens your Immune System
Walk down the cold-remedy aisle of almost any pharmacy and you’ll see a shelf full of zinc supplements. Clearly, people must be worried that...
Why Plant-based Food is not Always Healthy
As we ring in the new year and people announce their resolutions and goals for 2022, many opt for getting healthy, cutting out drinking...
Taro: The Heart-Shaped Tuber that created Humankind
Harvested for over 9000 years, taro is an ancient crop that is an element of many Polynesian creation myths. Like other tropical tubers, it...
Cassava: The Tropical Starch Behind Fufu and Boba
Cassava is the third largest source of carbohydrates in tropical regions, providing basic staples for over one billion people. Drought-resistant qualities and ability to...