Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. It is one of the oldest cultivated plants. They are native to tropical South and Southeast Asia.

The avocado (Persea americana) is a tree native to Central Mexico, classified in the flowering plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel.

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) is a leafy green biennial, grown as an annual vegetable for its dense leaved heads. There are smooth leafed green, crinkled leafed and red/purple leafed varieties. It is related to broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts. They are said to have been domesticated somewhere in Europe before 1000BC. Cabbage are high in fibre, a good source of beta-carotene, Vitamin K, C, B6, Folate, just to mention a few.

The origin of pumpkins is not definitively known, although they are thought to have originated in North America. The oldest evidence, pumpkin-related seeds dating between 7000 and 5500 BC were found in Mexico. They contain Vitamin A, B, C, E, K, Potassium, Manganese and are a good source of beta-carotene with lots more as well.

Fragaria x ananassa, commonly know as strawberry is widely appreciated for its characteristic aroma, bright red colour, juicy texture and sweetness. The woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca) was the first strawberry species cultivated in the early 17th century. The French began taking the strawberry from the forest to their gardens for harvest in the 1300s. Did you know that 236grams of strawberries contains approximately 45 calories (188 kJ) and is an excellent source of vitamin C and flavonoids.

The potato belongs to a number of crops that were introduced to Europe and other continents during the last 5 centuries. The first edible potatoes were considered to have been cultivated over 4000 years ago in Peru. In Australia we are able to produce fresh crops in Western Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland so we have access to year round supply of freshly harvested potatoes.

Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics reveal that mushrooms were thought to bring immortality and that only the pharaohs, who were thought of as godlike, could receive this privilege. Commoners, therefore, were not even allowed to touch mushrooms. Many cultures believed that eating mushrooms could endow them with super-human strength. This belief was prevalent in Russia, China, Greece, Mexico, and Latin America. Other beliefs concluded that they gave people clairvoyance in locating lost objects, gave power to the Norsemen before a battle, not to mention, that it is a powerful aphrodisiac.

Part of the onion's popularity over the centuries is its versatility; they can be grown in a variety of soils and climates. Onions are one of the most ancient foods - historians generally agree that they have been cultivated for at least 6,000 years.

Here are some very interesting facts: Did you know? Apples come from the Rose family, Rosacea, that’s why they have a rosy aroma! Apples float in water because 25% of their volume consists of air. Why should you eat your apples with the skin? Because most of the anti-oxidants in apples, including Quercetin, are found in the skin. The most famous saying involving apples is, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Apples are a brain food. They contain high levels of boron, which stimulates electrical activity of the brain and increases mental alertness. Apples may not be rich in calcium, but its high levels of boron make it a great food to prevent osteoporosis and strengthen bones. Apples help in the battles against cancer and cholesterol; they boost immunity, enhance brain power, assist in preventing alzheimer's, averting asthma, weight loss, diabetes, healthier heart and the list goes on.

The origin of the lemon is a mystery, though it is thought that lemons first grew in southern India, northern Burma and China. Generic origins have proven lemons to be a hybrid between sour orange and citron. The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world, primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind are also used in cooking and baking.

10 Quick facts 1) Eggs contain 11 different vitamins and minerals. 2) Eggs have the highest nutritional quality protein of all food sources. 3) The surface of each eggshell can contain as many as 17,000 tiny pores. 4) Due to the variety of nutrients found in eggs, they are an ideal food to include in the diets of older adults. 5) Eggs are a source of omega-3 fats (the healthy fats), which can have significant benefits for the heart and blood vessels. 6) The perfect poached egg is cooked for 3-4 mins. 7) Research supports the inclusion of around 6 eggs a week as part of a healthy diet. 8) Eggs are kept at their freshest when stored in their cartons, in the fridge. 9) It is suggested that eating eggs may help treat acne as they lower the glycaemic load of the diet. 10) There are about 370 commercial egg farmers in Australia.

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Australia’s leading health research body suggests that Australians should eat more fish. Fish is low in fat, high in protein and an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Researchers worldwide have discovered that eating fish regularly, like one or two serves weekly, may reduce the risk of diseases ranging from childhood asthma to prostate cancer

The nutrition of red meat is greatly dependent on the way the meat is prepared. If you remove the visible fat on red meat, the fat content will be substantially reduced. The part of the animal that the meat is taken from can also affect the nutritional value.

Pears "A man watches his pear-tree day after day, impatient for the ripening of the fruit. Let him attempt to force the process, and he may spoil both fruit and tree. But let him patiently wait, and the ripe pear at length falls into his lap!" - Abraham Lincoln Did you know? • Winter pears are rich in levulose sugar, a valuable aid to diabetics • Victoria grows more pears than anywhere else in Australia • We’re another member of the rose family (like apricots and plums) • We’ve been eaten for thousands of years.

Dairy products Did you know that in 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip and the First Fleeter’ s came ashore at Sydney Cove with seven cows and two bulls. This small herd soon moved to the greener pastures of Parramatta where they escaped into the bush not to be seen for some seven years. Upon their recapture, the herd comprised 61 cattle. It was the cows of this group which became Australia's first dairy herd

Oranges originated thousands of years ago in Asia, in the region from southern China to Indonesia from which they spread to India. Sweet oranges were introduced into Europe around the 15th century by various groups including the Moors, and the Portuguese as well as the Italian traders and explorers who found them on their voyages to Asia and the Middle East. Juicy and sweet and renowned for its concentration of vitamin C, oranges make the perfect snack and add a special tang to many recipes;

Did you know? • We were one of the earliest vegetables grown by man • We’re related to parsley. Don’t you think that our feathery green tops look somewhat like parsley? • In the past our leaves were used to decorate the hats of royalty • Doctors say that we improve vision, especially at night because of our very high level of vitamin A (carotene).

The First Fleeters brought artichokes to Australia where they were planted in similar conditions to where the European settlers had come from. (Artichokes had been grown in Europe for centuries).

Milk thistle Silybum marianum is a flowering herb related to the daisy and ragweed family. It is native to Mediterranean countries. Some people also call it Mary thistle and holy thistle. It was probably introduced to Australia as a medicinal plant in the 1850’s.

A Peach tree is portrayed in the domuswall paintings of the towns destroyed by the Vesuvius eruption of 79 AD, with the oldest artistic representations of peach fruit, discovered so far, are in the two fragments of wall paintings, dated back to the 1st century AD, in Herculaneum, now preserved in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.

Kale is a vegetable with green or purple leaves, in which the central leaves do not form a head. It is considered to be closer to wild cabbage than most domesticated forms. It is grown throughout the year and is harvested by taking the leaves off the stems so that the plant re-generates. Kale is being called “the new beef”, “the queen of greens” and “a nutritional powerhouse.

Now, you may have known that eggplants are a great source of folic acid and potassium, and some studies say they help lower blood pressure and cholesterol. But, here are some other fun facts you might not have known about eggplants.

Chard is considered to be one of the healthiest vegetables available, and is a valuable addition to a healthy diet (like other green leafy vegetables).

Cherries belong to the stone fruit family along with apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums and loquats. In spring, cherry trees are massed with beautiful white and pink blossoms, which form in clusters consisting of several flowers. These turn into bunches of one to three fruits, which are harvested when ripe. We’re at our best value from November to January.

In the 1st century BC writings of Horace, lagana were fine sheets of dough which were fried and were an everyday food. It is said that: Pasta may reduce the risk of breast cancer. Pasta may lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes. Pasta meals with tomato-based sauces may reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Pasta does not cause food cravings. Mediterranean diet is a health approach in which the goal is to prevent illness and diseases

Cucumbers belong to the same botanical family as melons and squashes (including zucchini and pumpkin). The cucumber is a creeping vine that roots in the ground and grows up trellises or other supporting frames, wrapping around supports with thin, spiraling tendrils. The plant has large leaves that form a canopy over the fruit. The fruit of the cucumber is roughly cylindrical, elongated with tapered ends. Having an enclosed seed and developing from a flower, botanically speaking, cucumbers are classified as fruits.

All beans belong to the legume family. In general, there are two main bean types: shell beans, grown for their protein-rich seeds, which are eaten both fresh and dried; and snap beans, cultivated mainly for their pods. The two groups are further divided according to growth habit. Bush types are generally self-supporting. Pole beans have twining vines that require support from stakes, strings, wires, or trellises.

Parsley is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K. It is a good source of iron and folate. The delicious and vibrant taste and wonderful healing properties of parsley are often ignored in its popular role as a table garnish. Highly nutritious, parsley can be found year round.

Did you know? • Eating garlic can help to keep mosquitoes away • Garlic is a member of the lily family but are often called the ‘pungent rose’ • Garlic grows wild as a root in southern Italy and parts of France • The sulphur compounds in garlic only become active when the garlic is crushed or cut. You can test this by smelling a clove of garlic and then cutting it and smelling it again. It smells quite different when cut because oxygen has changed some of the sulphur compounds

Ginger or ginger root is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale. Ginger cultivation began in South Asia and has since spread around the world. Young ginger rhizomes are juicy and fleshy with a very mild taste. They are often pickled in vinegar or sherry as a snack or just cooked as an ingredient in many dishes

The Aztec's domesticated tomatoes about 500BC. The English word tomato comes from the Spanish word, tomate, derived from Nahuatl (Aztec language) word, tomatl.

Around 800 BC, the beetroot was mentioned in an Assyrian text as growing in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and offered to the sun god Apollo in the temple of Delphi by the Greeks. It is said to help Stamina; reduces blood pressure and the risk of heart attacks and strokes; lowers cholesterol; is a good laxative and turns our human waste red.

Coffee is a brewed beverage prepared from the roasted seeds of several species of an evergreen shrub of the genus Coffea. The two most common sources of coffee beans are the highly regarded Coffea arabica, and the "robusta" form of the hardier Coffea canephora. The latter is resistant to the coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix), but has a more bitter taste.

Blueberries, also known as bilberries, whortleberries and hurtleberries and are known for their velvety, deep-blue colour, of course. These luscious berries are one of the few fruits native to North America.

There have been many studies linking cocoa and dark chocolate with health benefits. Cocoa and chocolate contain a large amount of antioxidants (flavinoids). Cocoa and dark chocolate may keep high blood pressure down and reduce the blood's ability to clot, thus the risk of stroke and heart attacks may be reduced.

Basil is commonly used fresh in cooked recipes. In general, it is added at the last moment, as cooking quickly destroys the flavour. The fresh herb can be kept for a short time in plastic bags in the refrigerator, or for a longer period in the freezer, after being blanched quickly in boiling water. The dried herb also loses most of its flavour, and what little flavour remains, tastes very different.

• Capsicum are really fruits but are prepared like vegetables.

Rhubarb’s origins are probably on the Tibetan Plateau. It spread early into north western China and then to some of the bordering areas of Central Asia and Mongolia.

Corn or maize (zea mays) is a domesticated native plant of the Americas. The earliest direct-dated maize in the northeast is 399–208 BC, in the Finger Lakes region of New York.