#1 Sesame Seeds
Sesame is a flowering plant that grows close to the equator in tropical regions. India and Sudan are the world’s largest producers of sesame seeds. The sesame seeds crops in these areas are the oldest oilseed crops ever. They grow in large capsules in the same way that peas grow. When it is time to harvest, they are shipped all over the world and put on baked goods.
#2 Pistachios
Pistachios are members of the cashew family and people absolutely love them. They are most popularly grown in the Middle East and in Central Asia. What you may not know is that the pistachio is actually the seed from a tree. The tree itself comes from a beautiful flower.
#3 Vanilla
Vanilla is one of the most popular flavorings. It is used in ice cream, frosting, cakes, and a variety of other foods. The vanilla itself comes from a flowering orchid plant. It has been cultivated for centuries, starting with the Totonac people of Mexico. When the Aztecs took over the culture, they also developed a taste for the plant. They named it “the black flower.” This is because the plant turns black right before it is ready to be cultivated.
#4 Kiwi
Kiwi is a fruit that grows on vines the same way that grapes do. It is a commercially grown crop all over the world including Chile, New Zealand, China, France, and Greece. The first place to grow kiwi was China. The original name for this tasty fruit was the Chinese Gooseberry. Later, the name was changed and it was recognized all over the world as kiwi.
#5 Peanuts
Peanuts are actually edible seeds. What you may not know is that they come from a beautiful flower. They are classified as an oil crop due to their high oil content. Peanuts are also one of the most popular nuts on the planet. In 2014, 42 million tons of peanuts were grown and distributed all over the world. Peanuts are added to food, they are used to make peanut butter, and they are a great salty snack.
#6 Brussels Sprout
This is a very bizarre looking vegetable. It originated in Brussels, Belgium, which is how it got its name. It is a close relative to the cabbage family and it actually looks like little cabbages. Instead of growing closer to the ground like cabbage, the pods grow upwards. When the plant sprouts, we get the edible buds known as Brussels sprout. This is a vegetable that you either love or hate. There is really know in between when it comes to Brussels sprout.
#7 Almonds
Almond trees grow mostly in the Middle East and certain parts of North America. The seed grows in the fruit of a tree called a drupe. The drupe is a hard shell that grows around the almond, however, it is not actually a seed. The almond is more closely related to the peach than an actual nut, which comes as a surprise to most people.
#8 Cinnamon
Cinnamon is one of the most popular spices in the world. It grows in the inner bark of a tree called Cinnamomum. Cinnamon has been around for a very long time. The first recorded history of the use of cinnamon was in Egypt in 2000 BCE. It is one of the oldest known spices in existence. Since then, bakers and chefs from all over the world have been using it.
#9 Saffron
Saffron is a spice. It comes from a flower called the Saffron Crocus, which is a beautiful flower. The spice is very expensive because it needs to be harvested very carefully by hand. This spice is grown and cultivated from the East of India to the West of Spain.
#10 Cashews
This is one of the best photos that prove we have no idea how food grows. These odd looking fruits are actually cashews from a cashew tree. It is a tropical fruit and it is where we get our cashew nuts from. You can also get cashew apples from the tree. People all over the world eat this fruit. In some parts of the world, it is used to make a sweet fruit juice as well as liquor.
#11 Coffee
Millions of people enjoy a good cup of coffee in the morning. The coffee plant has been around since the earliest records in history. According to the legend, the Oromo people from Kaffa, Ethiopia were the first people to realize the effects of caffeine, however, this has not yet been proven. Coffee actually comes from the cherry of a Coffea plant. The plant grows best closest to the equator. Coffee is grown in Africa, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific regions. When the coffee beans are harvested, they are taken from the inside of the cherry. They are later roasted to create the coffee that you need to start your day.
#12 Chocolate
Chocolate comes from the cacao bean. It is a dried and fermented seed of the Cacao, which is also where cocoa butter comes from. To manufacture chocolate, there is a long, complicated process involved. Before chocolate is made into the candy bars that many people love, it is grown on seed pods that look very odd. The pods grow best in hot, rainy climates close to the equator.
