The Avocado
is a member of the Lauraceae (laurel) family. It
is often called an alligator pear due to
its shape and the color of its skin. The English
word avocado is a corruption of the
Spanish word aguacate, which itself was
a corruption of the Aztec word ahuacatl ("testicle").
Breadfruit
is a species of flowering tree in
the mulberry family that grows throughout
Southeast Asia, on most Pacific islands, and in
the Windward and Leeward Islands of the
Caribbean. Its name is derived from the
texture and smell of the cooked fruit, which is
similar to freshly baked bread.
The Coconut
is the fruit of the coconut palm.
Its name is derived from the Spanish word coco,
meaning "monkey face," because the
three indentations on one end resemble the head
and face of a monkey. Virtually every part
of the coconut and coconut palm can be used by
humans, and coconuts are part of the daily diets
of many people.
The Cranberry
is an edible red berry
that grows on a perennial, woody, trailing vine.
The plant is called cranberry, or craneberry,
because the slender stems of the fruit curve like
the neck of a crane. Cranberries are high in
antioxidants and other compounds proven
beneficial in the prevention and treatment of
urinary tract infections.
The Custard
Apple
is the fruit of a deciduous tree native to the
West Indies, Mexico, Central America, and
northern South America. The fruit is very
nutritious, providing significant amounts of
vitamins C, A and B6, copper, potassium, calcium,
and dietary fiber.
Grapes
are juicy, smooth-skinned berries that grow on
woody vines. About 80 percent of all grapes grown
are used in making wine. The rest are sold in the
form of table grapes, raisins, juices and
jellies, and concentrates.
The Concord Grape
was developed in Concord, Massachusetts, in 1849.
Today it is found in most brands of grape jelly
and juice, as well as in many domestic wines.
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The Thompson
Seedless Grape
was developed in California in 1876 to help
raisin producers increase their profits.
Raisins
have been a food delicacy since ancient times.
The raisin industry of California was started by
Jesuit and Franciscan priests. They are well
known as a nourishing food.
The Macadamia Nut
is a large, round seed that grows
on the macadamia tree, a tropical Australian
evergreen. Today, Hawaii is the largest producer
of macadamia nuts in the world, followed by
Australia.
The Mango
is the fruit of an evergreen tree in the same
family that includes cashews and pistachios. An
average-sized mango provides up to 96% of the
recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C, 32% of
Vitamin A, and 15% of dietary fiber, all for only
135 calories. Mangoes also contain emzymes that
aid in digestion and intestinal health.
Papaya
is the fruit of a woody herb that grows up to 33
feet tall. Papayas are very nutritious, providing
about 103% of the recommended daily allowance of
vitamin C (far more than provided by either
oranges or lemons), and significant amounts of
vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, vitamin E,
potassium, calcium, and dietary fiber.
The Pomegranate
is a decidous shrub that typically grows 12-16
feet high, but can reach heights of up to 30
feet. The fruit (technically a berry) is 2-1/2 to
5 inches in diameter and contains up to 600
seeds, each of which is encased in a pulp that
varies from white to deep red or purple in color.
The Pomelo
is the largest member of the
Rutaceae (citrus) family, and the progenitor
of the grapefruit (which is a hybrid originally
created by crossing the pomelo with the orange).
Native to southern China
and Malaysia (and possibly other parts of
southeast Asia), it is now cultivated in many
tropical and semi-tropical countries.
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