Jackfruit is the world's biggest fruit to grow on an actual tree and can grow up to 3ft (1m) long and weigh up to 100lb (45kg)! Indigenous to the Southwestern rain forests of India, jackfruits are related to figs, mulberry and breadfruit. The trees are widely cultivated for their fruit, seeds and ...

The sociable South American tradition of passing around a gourd of Yerba (‘herb’ in Spanish) mate leaves soaked in warm water has now developed into a health craze in the Western world. With the botanical name 'Ilex paraguariensis' a member of the holly family, Yerba mate is known for its ...

Hibiscus, or Hibiscus Sabdariffa, is a tropical flower belonging to the Malvaceae family. Botanists believe that there are eight original hibiscus species that can be considered ancestors of the hibiscus hybrids found today. These are said to be native to India, China, Mauritius, Hawaii, Fiji, and ...

Saffron, otherwise known as ‘Kesar’ in Hindi is a prized condiment and by far the most  expensive spice in the world.  It is native to Southern Europe's Crocus sativus plant and renowned globally for its culinary and medicinal characteristics. Its distinct flavour comes from its innate chemical ...

With no agreed place of origin, a multitude of myths from a host of cultures surrounding their uses as signs of social hierarchy through to symbols of immortality and their ambiguous position in nature in which they are considered more closely related to humans than plants – the prehistoric ...

Soya and soya products tend to receive a bad rap in the media. Health claims about soya are sometimes over inflated more than necessary and don't paint the full picture. Let’s look at five of the most commonly discussed now in Top 5 Soya Health Claims! 1. Soya is a source of complete protein ...

Chamomile is a daisy-like plant in the Asteraceae family native to western Europe, India and western Asia. There are many species of this plant, two of which include Matricaria chamomilla and Anthemis nobilis. This herb consumed as a tea has a flavour similar to that of apples and in addition to ...

Grocery shopping is easy these days – you can get what you want at any time of the day from anywhere you want – whether strawberries from Spain or avocados from Israel simply at your convenience. We might forget that spring and summer is a good time to explore local varieties instead of the ...

They’re sweet, juicy, a fantastic pick-me-up and refreshing source of multiple nutrients as well as one of the popular fruits on supermarket shelves. You might have asked yourself are cuties satsumas? Well, the mandarins you see in grocery shops called 'cuties' and 'sweeties' are clementines, ...

Our sweet but prickly pal the pineapple, a tropical plant and member of the Bromeliaceae family, is native to Paraguay, Brazil and potentially regions of the Caribbean. It was first brought to Europe subsequent to Columbus’ return in 1493. The name 'pineapple' matured in the 17th century thanks to ...