5 interesting facts about Peaches

1. Peaches are native to Northwest China.

2. Peaches are a type of prune and are closely related to cherry, apricots, almonds and plums. They are a member of the rose family.

3. China is the world’s leading producer of Peaches followed by Italy.

4. Peaches have always been significant in Oriental cultures like China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. In Europe, several renaissance artists have painted still life paintings of fruits with the peach given a prominent position.

5. Some 110 chemical compounds contribute to the characteristic peach aroma, including alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, esters, polyphenols and terpenoids.

5 interesting facts about Watermelon

1. Watermelon is native to Southern Africa.

2. The watermelon fruit is actually a kind of berry. Botanically, it is called a Pepo.

3. China is the world’s largest producer of watermelon, closely followed by Turkey.

4. Although the flesh is the most often consumed part, some cuisines make use of the rind and even seeds. Pickled watermelon rind is a Southern US speciality.

5. Naturally round or oblong, farmers in the Zentsuji region of Japan have successfully grown cubic watermelons! The shape was designed to make the fruit easier to stack.

5 interesting facts about Rice

1. Rice is native to China.

2. Rice is an agricultural commodity with the third-highest worldwide production. China is the world leader in production followed by India.

3. The largest collection of rice cultivars, number over 100,000 is housed at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines

4. Apart from being a staple food source, rice and its by-products are used to make straw, rope, paper, wine, biscuits, beer, cosmetics, packing materials and even toothpaste!

5. Two Japanese car brands were named after rice. Toyota means ‘bountiful rice field’ and Honda means ‘the main rice field’.

5 interesting facts about Potatoes

1. Potatoes are native to South America.

2. Potatoes are the world’s fourth largest food crop. China is the largest producer followed by India. Together, these two countries account for a third of the world’s production.

3. There are over 5,000 varieties of potatoes grown worldwide. Nearly 3,000 varieties are found in the Andes region alone. There are even purple and blue potatoes!

4. Potatoes contain toxic compounds called glycoalkaloids. These are concentrated in the green flowers, sprouts and leaves.

5. Vodka, Potcheen and Akvavit are alcoholic beverages brewed from potatoes!

5 interesting facts about Oranges

1. Oranges are native to Southern China and North-Eastern India.

2. Orange trees are estimated to be the most cultivated fruit trees in the world! Brazil is the world’s leading producer of oranges, followed by the United States.

3. Over two thirds of all orange produce goes for juice extraction. The rest is sold as fruit or converted to marmalade, preserves and Orange Oil.

4. After chocolate and vanilla, orange is the world’s favourite flavor!

5. Orange peel is used by gardeners as a slug repellent!

5 interesting facts about Bananas

1. Bananas are native to tropical Indo-Malaya and Australia.

2. The banana plant is the largest herbaceous flowering plant. Indian is the world’s largest cultivator of Bananas followed by China.

3. Nearly every part of the banana plant is useful. The fruit is consumed either ripe or raw. The flowers and trunk are used in Asian cuisine. The leaves are used as temporary utensils or waterproof roofing. The fiber is used to make textiles and paper!

4. Because of their high potassium content, Bananas are naturally radioactive!

5. The Banana has its own emoji! The Unicode standard includes U+1F34C to represent the banana. In HTML, this is &#127820.

5 interesting facts about Onions

1. It is believed that onions are native to Central Asia.

2. Over 170 countries produce onions as a agricultural product. China is the largest cultivator closely followed by India.

3. The stinging sensation caused by freshly cut onions is due to the presence of the volatile gas Syn-propanethial-S-oxide. This gas stimulates the nerves in the eyes.

4. Raw and cooked onions contain traces of sulfoxide. While not harmful to humans, this could potentially be deadly for dogs, cats, guinea pigs, monkeys and other animals.

5. Onions are also used in divination! Divination by onions is called Cromniomancy!

5 interesting facts about Mangoes

1. The mango is native to South Asia.

2. The mango is the most-cultivated fruit in the tropics. India is the leading cultivator of the Mango with almost 50% of global production. China is the second largest producer.

3. The mango is the National Fruit of India, Pakistan and the Philippines. The mango tree is the National Tree of Bangladesh.

4. Mangoes are related to cashews and pistachios.

5. Mango trees can grow up to a 100 feet tall. Even trees as old as 300 years continue to bear fruits!

5 interesting facts about Apples

1. Apples are native to Central Asia.

2. There are over 7,500 known varieties of Apples grown today. China leads with 49% of the total world production.

3. The Apple tree was perhaps the earliest tree to be cultivated. This is probably why Apples are remarkably significant in many cultures including Norse, Greek and European Christian.

4. The seeds of Apples contain a sugar and cyanide compound called cyanogenic glycoside. In small doses, these are not harmful to humans.

5. Apples are actually part of the Rose family – just like pears and plums!

5 interesting facts about Tomatoes

1. Tomatoes are native to Central and South America.

2. Although considered a culinary vegetable, a tomato is actually (biologically) a fruit!

3. Tomatoes are the eighth most valuable agricultural commodity worldwide. Currently, China is the world’s largest producer and exporter of tomatoes. India occupies second place.

4. There are over 7,500 varieties of tomatoes grown for various reasons. It is used in diverse culinary ways including raw in salads, processed in juices and ketchup, breaded and fried for salsa, pickled, as sauces etc.

5. Leaves, stems and unripe green fruit of the tomato plant contain small amounts of the toxic alkaloid tomatine. Tomato plants can be highly toxic to dogs!

5 interesting facts about Fenugreek!

1. Fenugreek is native to Iran and Iraq. It has also been found in the tomb of Tutankhamen proving that the ancient Egyptians knew about it.

2. Fenugreek is a semi-arid plant of the family Fabaceae. It is used as a herb (dried or fresh leaves) spice (seeds) and vegetable (fresh leaves, sprouts and micro-greens).

3. The largest Fenugreek producer in the world is India. The state of Rajasthan produces more than 80% of India’s output.

4. Fenugreek is an important ingredient in South Indian, Turkish, Persian, Egyptian and Jewish cuisine.

5. Highly nutritious, 100 grams of Fenugreek leaves provide up to 40% the recommended Daily Nutritional Value of Calcium.

5 interesting facts about Cloves

1. Cloves are native to Indonesia.

2. Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae.

3. The compound most responsible for the Clove aroma is Eugenol. It comprises 70 to 90% of the essential oil extracted from cloves.

4. The aroma of clove pairs well with cinnamon, allspice, vanilla, red wine, basil, onion, citrus peel, star anise and peppercorns – making it a versatile spice used across world cuisines.

5. Cloves are used in a type of cigarette called Kretek in Indonesia. Due to its bio-active chemicals, clove may be used as an ant repellant!

5 interesting facts about Star Anise

1. Star Anise is native to Vietnam and Southwest China.

2. Star Anise belongs to the genus Illicum – which is Latin for entice! In Persian it is known as badiyan, in French badiane and phookchakri in Hindi/Urdu.

3. Star Anise oil is a highly fragrant oil used in cooking, perfumery, soaps, toothpastes, mouthwashes and skin creams.

4. Over 90% of the commercial Star Anise crop is used for the production of Shikimic Acid – an intermediary in the synthesis of Tamiflu.

5. In traditional Chinese medicine, Star Anise is considered a warm and moving herb and used in relieving cold-stagnation in the middle jiao. Japanese Star Anise on the other hand is highly toxic and inedible. It causes severe inflammation of the kidneys, urinary tract and digestive organs.

5 interesting facts about Basil

1. Basil is native to India. However it was familiar to the ancient Greeks.

2. The name “Basil” comes from the Greek Basilikon Phuton which means “Royal/Kingly plant”.

3. There are over 160 varieties of Basil currently available including Genovese Basil, Thai Basil, Lemon Basil and Holy Basil.

4. When soaked in water, the seeds of several Basil varieties turn gelatinous and are frequently used in several Asian drinks like Faluda and Sharbat.

5. Basil is highly revered in several religions with Hinduism, Greek Orthodox and the Jewish faiths giving it a great deal of prominence. The ancient Egyptians and Greeks believed that placing Basil in the hands of the dead would open the gates of heaven!

5 interesting facts about Cumin

1. Cumin is native from the East Mediterranean to India.

2. Cumin is the dried seed of the herb Cuminum cyminum. It is a member of the parsley family.

3. India is the world’s largest producer and consumer of Cumin seeds. It produces 70% of the world’s supply and consumes 90% of that!

4. Cumin seeds have been in use since ancient times. The ancient Egyptians used cumin seeds as a spice and as a preservative in mummification.

5. The Maltese island of 'Comino' is named after this spice which grows as a wild plant there!

5 interesting facts about Vanilla

1. Vanilla is native to Mexico. However it is grown throughout the tropics with Indonesia and Madagascar being the world’s largest producers.

2. Vanilla is the second-most expensive spice (after Saffron). This is primarily because of the intensive labor required to grow and extract it.

3. The characteristic aroma and flavor of Vanilla is due to the presence of the chemical compound Vanilin.

4. Mexico enjoyed a 300-year monopoly on the production of Vanilla as natural pollination could only occur due to the presence of the Mountain Bee of the melipona genus. A simple hand-pollination method was only discovered in 1841.

5. Vanilla is regarded as the world’s most popular aroma and flavor. It is widely used to complement and enhance the flavor of other substances such as chocolate, custard, caramel, coffee and even liquors!

5 interesting facts about Nutmeg

1. Nutmeg is native to the Banda Islands of Indonesia.

2. Indonesia produces over 75% of Nutmeg. Grenada produces the second largest 20% share of global production.

3. Nutmeg has psychoactive effects in large doses. This is due to the presence of Myristicin – a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. Nutmeg is highly toxic to dogs!

4. Nutmeg trees are propogated both sexually and asexually. There is no reliable method of determining plant sex before flowering; which typically happens between the sixth and eight year of growth.

5. In Indonesian, Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine, Nutmeg is often used as a spice for savory dishes. In Europe, Nutmeg is a traditional ingredient in mulled cider, wine and Eggnog.

5 interesting facts about Cinnamon

1. Cinnamon is native to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Malabar Coast of India and Burma.

2. Sri Lanka produces 80% of one species of Cinnamon. Indonesia produces one third of all the other species. India is a minor producer of Cinnamon.

3. The flavor of cinnamon is due to an aromatic essential oil that makes up 0.5 to 1% of its composition.  The pungent taste and scent come from cinnamaldehyde.

4. Cinnamon was rare and highly prized in the ancient world. It was considered a gift fit for monarch and even gods. The mythical Phoenix was reputed to build its nest with cinnamon.

5. Cinnamon bark is used as a spice. It is frequently used in the preparation of chocolate. It is also used in many dessert recipes, coffee, tea, hot cocoa, aromatic wine and liqueurs. More unconventional uses include using Cinnamon for pickling!

5 interesting facts about Saffron

1. Saffron is native to South West Asia. It was probably first cultivated near Greece.

2. Saffron is most expensive spice in the world. Iran is the world’s largest producer and exporter of Saffron, accounting for over 90% of global cultivation.

3. Saffron's taste is a result of the chemicals picrocrocin and safranal.

4. Saffron has been traded and used for over five millennia. In fact, Saffron-based pigments have been found in 50,000-year-old depictions of prehistoric places in northwest Iran.

5. Saffron is known as a therapeutic drug. Egyptian healers used Saffron in the treatment of various gastrointestinal ailments. The Romans used Saffron in medicines for the treatment of wounds, coughs, colic and scabies.

5 interesting facts about Cardamom

1. Cardamom is native to South India.

2. Cardamom is third most expensive spice in the world. Gautemala is the world’s largest producer and exporter of cardamom, followed by India. India was the largest producer till the 20^th century.

3. There are two types of cardamom. Green cardamom – cultivated between India and Malaysia and Black cardamom – cultivated in the foothills of the Himalayas. Both types are native to India.

4. The Vikings first introduced cardamom to Scandinavia and it forms an integral part of their cuisine even today. The European Union imports over 1,200 tons of cardamom with Sweden being the top consumer.

5. Traditional medicine has always listed cardamom as an aphrodisiac. Research has also revealed its carminative, diuretic, antispasmodic, antiseptic and expectorant properties – among a host of other health benefits.