Food seems to be everywhere we turn! The grocery store, take out restaurants, fast food restaurants, supermarkets, food carts, food trucks, and the list just keeps going! But, that delicious food for sale had to come from somewhere, right? Some of it most likely was grown and then harvested from a vine of some sort. The following foods did just that!
Grapes
Grapes are the fruit (or berry) that forms at the end of a woody grapevine. They are usually found in green, red, and purple varieties. Several products are made from grapes including juice, wine, jelly, jam, and preserves. The origins of the grape are believed to have been central said, the Mediterranean and Europe.
Grapes are high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. They are believed to provide our bodies with cancer-fighting properties, heart health benefits, and may even have a positive effect on people with low blood sugar or diabetes.
Zucchini (and squash)
Zucchini is also commonly referred to as summer squash. It is the elongated green fruit that grows from a yellow squash blossom on a zucchini vine. Zucchini can be eaten raw, baked, roasted, grilled, or even shredded and made into zucchini bread. The squash blossoms can also be harvested, stuffed, and cooked, as well. The origin of the zucchini is believed to have been in Milan, Italy.
Zucchini is considered a superfood which means it is packed full of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and is also a low-calorie food! Some of its benefits include promoting heart health, digestive health (good source of fiber) as well as a great source of potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A, and folate!
Watermelon
Watermelon is the large fruit that develops on a large vine. Unlike the previous two foods, the watermelon has a hard outer shell or rind that is not consumed, but rather the pink fleshy inside is the edible portion. Watermelon can be cut open and eaten raw, grilled, added to a salad, or even juiced and made into a beverage! The origin of the watermelon is believed to have been west Africa.
As its name suggests, watermelon is almost entirely made up of water. Therefore, it is a great source of water to hydrate the body. Watermelon is a low-calorie, low-sugar, and low-fat fruit that is also a great source of vitamin C!
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are an orange-red “berry” that forms on the vine of a tomato plant. Tomatoes are categorized as fruits, however, most of the uses of the tomato fall into the vegetable category. Tomatoes are used to make sauces and beverages. They can be used as salad toppings, sandwich ingredients or just eaten raw. The origin of the tomato is believed to have been in the Andes (today we know this area as Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Ecuador).
Tomatoes contain a large amount of water, similar to the watermelon. They are also a low-calorie, low-fat and low-carbohydrate food that is also a great source of vitamin C!
Dragon fruit
Dragon fruit is a mystery to me. I have never seen it, tried it, and I couldn’t tell you much about them from my own knowledge. So, I must turn to research for help!
Dragon fruit is another vine-grown fruit. There are several different varieties but the most common is a pink-red outer layer with green “scales” resembling the skin of a dragon (hence the name dragon fruit). The inside of the dragon fruit is the edible portion. The most common dragon fruit insides are a creamy white color with small black seeds (as shown in the picture below). The sweet flavor of the dragon fruit insides is said to resemble a pear and kiwi mixture. The true origin of the dragon fruit remains unclear. However, it is believed to have originated in Central America or the northern region of South America.
Don’t let its unusual appearance fool you, this fruit packs a punch of health benefits! Dragon fruit is a great source of finer, iron, and magnesium. It is also a low-calorie, low-carb and fat-free food!
