Healthy, Nutrition-Laden Lentils one of World’s Oldest Cultivated Crops

One of the oldest cultivated crop plants, lentils are native to southwestern Europe and temperate Asia. Carbonized seeds have been found in Neolithic villages in the Middle East dating back to 7000 BC and are believed to have been domesticated long before that. By 2200 BC lentil plants appeared in Egyptian tombs and were referred to in the Bible as “mess of pottage” for which Esau traded his birthright.

The English “lens” describing the name in optical instruments comes from their Latin name as its cross section resembles a lentil seed. Christian “Lent” has the same origin as lentils were traditionally eaten during fast.

Lentils contain good to excellent amounts of six important minerals, two B vitamins and protein with virtually no fat. The significant amounts of folate and magnesium (nature’s own calcium channel blocker) are thought to help prevent heart disease and there are scientific studies which support this assertion.

Lentil are also rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber. The fiber in lentils provides two benefits: (1) helps lower cholesterol, and (2) the high fiber content helps prevent sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal. Lentils also increase energy by replenishing iron stores in the body.

Soybeans’ Nutrition Profile and Versatility Provide Healthy Alternative

One of the most nutritious vegetables, soybeans are native to Asia. Chinese Emperor Shen Nung used the soybean plant to introduce people to the art of cultivation. Mentioned in Materia Medica around 2900 B.C., soybeans were introduced to Europe by Engelbert Kaempfer, physician to the Governor of the Dutch East Indian Company on the island of Japan between 1690 and 1892. Since the Japanese guarded their crop, Kaempfer had to bribe the guards to acquire the specimens.

Benjamin Franklin sent seeds back to the United States from France in the late 18^th century. Soybeans were first grown in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1829 and were considered a luxury. Automobile manufacturer Henry Ford was one of the first to understand the potential for soybean as a manufactured food. Ford ate soybeans at every meal, had a suit made from soy fabric, and sponsored a sixteen course soybean dinner at the 1934 “Century of Progress” show in Chicago.

It wasn’t until the 1930’s that soybeans started to be processed industrially for edible oil and protein meal in the United States. Today soy bean can be found in tofu, soy beverages, soy flour and other soy based products. Soybeans now account for 45% of acreage and 55% of the production in the United States.

Soybeans not only contain all of the amino acids, they contain more protein than beef, more calcium than milk, more lecithin than eggs, and more iron than beef. This high quality source of protein is also low in calories and saturated fat. The only negatives about soybean are that soy protein may hinder iron absorption and because soybeans are high in sodium, they may cause allergies.

Sweet Potato (not to be confused with the Yam) is a Nutritious Tuber

Although often used interchangeably the sweet potato and the yam are not the same vegetable. True yams are native to Africa and seldom seen in the North America. And unlike the sweet potato which is seen in your local grocery store, yams can grow up to 100 pounds.

The sweet potato is a sweet tuber unrelated to the “Irish” potato and is a relative of the bindweed in the morning glory family.  The sweet potato was cultivated in prehistoric Peru and can be found throughout the tropic regions. Sweet potatoes were also cultivated in Polynesia before 1250 and reached New Zealand by the 14^th century.

Captain Cook and Sir Joseph Banks discovered the Maoris growing sweet potatoes growing them when they landed in 1769. Columbus introduced sweet potatoes to Spain, which were widely cultivated by the mid-16^th century. Sweet potatoes reached England by way of the Canary Islands about the same time as the “common” potato in Elizabethan times.

The sweet potato and their leaves contain antibacterial and fungicidal substances which are used in folk medicine. In Shakespeare’s day they were sold in crystallized slices with sea holly (eryngo) as an aphrodisiac. Similarly, The Empress Josephine introduced sweet potatoes to her companions, who were soon serving them to stimulate the passions of their lovers.

Sweet potatoes, naturally sweet and high in fiber, are an excellent source of beta carotene, carbohydrates, potassium, folate, vitamins C and B(6). The sweet potato plant also contains sterols which are good cholesterol lowering compounds. The yam, in contrast, is not rich in vitamins but is a good source potassium and starch.

Succulent Asparagus Spears are Healthy Side Dish despite Odorous Side Effect

A member of the lily family, asparagus has been cultivated for over 2,000 years. Pliny the Elder described methods used by Romans for producing plants with blanched stems and refers to a cultivar whose spears weighed a pound. In the ancient world spears of asparagus were believed to arise from rams’ horns buried in the ground.

Wild asparagus grows in Europe, Asia and Northwest Africa in such diverse habitats as dry meadows, sand stones, limestone cliffs and volcanic hillsides. Available in every season, the delicious taste and succulent texture of asparagus have made it a vegetable that can paired with a variety of entrees.

Asparagus is a good source of folate and potassium. Low in calories, the asparagus stalks are high in fiber. Like other foods which contain purines, it may precipitate a gout attack. Asparagus has been used to treat rheumatism and cystitis.

One notable side effect of eating asparagus for about 40% of people is a strong odor in the urine which occurs when the body metabolizes sulfur compounds in the body. Fortunately, only people who lack the enzyme to break down asparagus will experience this harmless phenomenon.

Despite Small Size, Peas Loaded with Nutrition

Peas are an ancient crop with earliest records found in excavations in Mediterranean and European countries dating back to 7,000 B.C.  Cultivated in abundance by both the Greeks and Romans, peas were introduced to Britain by the Romans. In classical Greece peas were known as “pison”, which was translated in English as “peason”. By the reign of Charles I peas had become “pease”, and eventually shortened to “pea” in the 18^th century.

In jolly old England “pease porridge (or pudding)”, made from dried peas, butter and eggs was traditionally served with pork and boiled bacon. Peas were also a versatile food as noted in the nursery rhyme, “…pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold, pease porridge in the pot nine days old…”.  Peas were eaten dried or ground until the 16^th century when Italian gardeners developed tender varieties for cooking and eating fresh. It wasn’t until the following centuries that this practice was accepted by the wealthy as fashionable.

The pea plants also have the notable distinction of playing an important role in unlocking the mystery of modern genetics. The trait analysis of pea plants done by Gregor Johann Mendel was later published in his now famous paper on the role of genetics in determining traits in 1865. Initially questioned and dismissed, Mendel’s analysis proved to be correct.

Peas are an excellent source of protein and other soluble fibers and create a complete protein when served with grain products. Peas are also a good source of Vitamins C, B (6), Folates, Thiamine, and Potassium. Peas are said to reduce fertility, prevent appendicitis, lower blood cholesterol and control blood sugar levels. People with gout should avoid peas as they are high in purines which are known to produce flare-ups in the disorder.

Apples’ Popularity Has Grown Significantly Since Garden of Eden

Native to temperate areas of Europe and Asia, apples have been harvested from the wild since prehistory and were well known to the Phoenicians in Mesopotamia. The Romans encouraged apple cultivation and the Roman historian Cato noted six varieties in the 2^nd century B.C. Pliny wrote of 36 varieties by the 1^st century A.D. Despite a significant decline in apple production during the Dark Ages, by the late 17^th century Vorlidge had recorded 92 apple varieties. The first apples in North America were said to be planted on Governor’s Island in Boston Harbor.

The expansion of the colonies in North America is credited for the enormous explosion of apple varieties. Apples today are grown extensively in every temperate region around the world. Today there are over 5,000 apple varieties representing about 2,000 distinguishable clones. Apples can be green, yellow, scarlet orange, dark red and almost purple. The texture can be crisp to soft and may be juicy or dry, acid or insipid, bitter, bland or aromatic.

While apples contain minimal nutritional value, apples contain numerous phytochemicals such as Quercetin that helps prevent heart disease by preventing LDL cholesterol from being oxidized to a more dangerous form. Apples are also low in calories, high in soluble fiber that also helps lower cholesterol. Apples also enhance dental hygiene.

The only potential negative about apples is that the skin may contain pesticides. There is also one recorded case of someone dying from eating too many apples because apples contain small amounts of cyanide. Best to stick to the old adage, “…an apple a day…”.

Potato an Important, Hearty Starch with a History of Fighting Starvation

The potato is arguably the fourth most important food after wheat, corn and rice. A nutritious source of starch, the potato was first cultivated in Chile and Peru as far back as 5,000 B.C. Its name is derived from “batatas”, the Caribe Indian name for the sweet potato or “papa” and “patatas” as it’s called by the South American Indians.

Potatoes were first introduced to Europe by the Spaniards in the 16^th century. Sir John Hawke brought them to England in 1563 and extensive cultivation began after Sir Francis Drake brought them back in 1586. It was Sir Walter Raleigh who introduced them to Ireland and later, Queen Elizabeth I herself.

Initially, potatoes were considered a curiosity in England and Germany. The Frenchmen actually believed that potatoes caused leprosy and fever until 1773 when French scientist, Antoine Parmentier, wrote a thesis extoling the potato’s virtue in fighting famine. Parmentier acquired this knowledge while being held as a prisoner in the Prussian War where he was forced to survive on potatoes. Parmentier, inventor of the French fry, established soup kitchens throughout Paris to help feed the malnourished. By the early 19^th century, the potato had become a staple in the French diet.

The potato is most closely associated with the country of Ireland because its climate and plentiful amount of rainfall produces large crops. The famous Irish potato famine was caused by the fact that the potatoes were propagated from small tubers that were passed from household to household. And because the whole crop came from a few original plants, it made the entire crop susceptible to potato blight. The devastating crop failure in the 1840’s resulted in deaths of more than 1.5 million people and another million who immigrated to the North America.

Potatoes are an inexpensive, filling, nutritious starchy food whose skin is a good source of fiber. Potatoes contain little fat and are a good source of Vitamins C, B (6) and provide more Potassium than bananas. The boiled juice of a raw potato is said to relieve gout, rheumatism, lumbago, sprains and bruises. One traditional cure for sciatica and lumbago was to carry a potato in your pocket. 

The common name "spud", used to refer to a potato, comes from a tool that was used to weed the potato patch.

Corn a Hard Crop to Keep Out of Your Diet

After wheat and rice, corn (or maize) is one of the most important cereals in the world. There are more than 500 by-products created by corn and corn derivatives are found in over 800 different processed foods. Most of the corn harvested in the United States is actually field or dent corn, which is allowed to mature in its stalk, dried and used as animal feed or processed into flour to make cereals.

Maize, first cultivated in Mexico around 7,000 B.C., was a base food for early American civilizations and life for the Aztecs revolved around the milpa or cornfield. Maize became a staple crop in North America after A.D. 800 and was first introduced to Europe in the 16^th century from Central America where it was valued for the cobs and yellow meal.

Most Americans are familiar with sweet corn which is served at summer cookouts, fairs and festivals on a cob lathered with butter. Sweet corn is the sweet form of maize cultivated exclusively for human consumption off the cob and can be found in grocery stores and local farmers markets throughout the U.S. during the summer months.

Sweet corn, which is high in starch and protein, provides the following nutritional profile:

•   Good source of foliate and thiamine;
•   Rich source of lutein;
•   Although corn lacks lysine and tryptophan, two essential amino acids needed to make a complete      protein, when corn is combined with beans and other legumes, a complete protein is created;
•   Niacin in corn is not released in the human digestive tract.

Sweet corn reduces the risk of certain cancers, heart disease and dental cavities. Corn oil is reported to lower cholesterol levels more successfully than other polyunsaturated oils. Popcorn fans will be happy to learn that air-popped, un-buttered popcorn is low in calories and very high in fiber.