Grains of paradise are native to the coastal areas of Africa;s Gulf of Guinea which includes today's countries of Liberia, Ivory Coast, Togo, Nigeria, and Cameroon where grains of paradise have a long-standing record of ethnobotanical use. Before the spice trade routes from Western Europe to the East Indies were established, a lively trade of grains of paradise, cubeb, and long peppers existed. Oceanic travels to the Spice Islands by the Portuguese, Dutch, and English in the 17th century diminished the value and importance of grains of paradise in face of competition of black pepper, clove, mace, and nutmeg.
Outside West Africa, grains of paradise are only a minor spice commodity, finding use as a flavoring in alcoholic beverages such as beer, ale, and gin. It is an ingredient in raz al hanoutâ a Moroccan spice mixture.
Dry cocoa solids are the components of cocoa beans remaining after cocoa butter, the fat component, is extracted from chocolate liquor, roasted cocoa beans that have been ground into a liquid state. Cocoa butter is 50% to 57% of the weight of cocoa beans and gives chocolate its characteristic melting properties. Cocoa powder is the powdered form of the solids sold as an end product.
Cocoa powder contains flavanol antioxidants, amounts of which are reduced if the cocoa is subjected to acid-reducing alkalization.
[1] Health benefits have been attributed to cocoa flavonoids
A coffee bean is a seed of the Coffea plant and the source for coffee. It is the pit inside the red or purple fruit often referred to as a cherry. Just like ordinary cherries, the coffee fruit is also a so-called stone fruit. Even though the coffee beans are not technically beans, they are referred to as such because of their resemblance to true beans. The fruits â?? coffee cherries or coffee berries â?? most commonly contain two stones with their flat sides together. A small percentage of cherries contain a single seed, instead of the usual two. This is called a "peaberry". The peaberry occurs only between 10 and 15% of the time, and it is a fairly common (yet scientifically unproven) belief that they have more flavour than normal coffee beans.
[1] Like Brazil nuts (a seed) and white rice, coffee beans consist mostly of endosperm.
Raw ginger is composed of 79% water, 18% carbohydrates, 2% protein, and 1% fat (table). In 100 grams (a standard amount used to compare with other foods), raw ginger supplies 80 Calories and contains moderate amounts of vitamin B6 (12% of the Daily Value, DV) and the dietary minerals, magnesium (12% DV) and manganese (11% DV), but otherwise is low in nutrient content (table).
When used as a spice powder in a common serving amount of one US tablespoon (5 grams), ground dried ginger (9% water) provides negligible content of essential nutrients, with the exception of manganese (70% DV).
Found exclusively in West and Central Africa, the Griffonia simplicifolia plant has made a name for itself not only because it reaches 10 feet tall, but rather due to the extensive list of health benefits it has provided since ancient times. Now, to break this down, it is not the plant itself that offers the benefits, but the seed of the plant. The Griffonia seed is a black, dime-sized seed that contains the largest amount of the compound 5-HTP, making up nearly 20% of its composition. 5-HTP is a chemical that serves as a precursor to the synthesis of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that regulates mood, appetite, and sleep. When serotonin levels increase, feelings of anxiety and depression drop, feelings of well-being elevate, and you can count on a good nightâ??s rest. Found exclusively in West and Central Africa, the Griffonia simplicifolia plant has made a name for itself not only because it reaches 10 feet tall, but rather due to the extensive list of health benefits it has provided since ancient times. Now, to break this down, it is not the plant itself that offers the benefits, but the seed of the plant. The Griffonia seed is a black, dime-sized seed that contains the largest amount of the compound 5-HTP, making up nearly 20% of its composition. 5-HTP is a chemical that serves as a precursor to the synthesis of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that regulates mood, appetite, and sleep. When serotonin levels increase, feelings of anxiety and depression drop, feelings of well-being elevate, and you can count on a good night's rest.
Voacanga africana is a small tree in the family Apocynaceae that grows to 6 m (20 ft) in height. It is native to tropical Africa. The small tree has leaves that are up to 30 cm (12 in) in length, and the tree produces yellow or white flowers, which after being successfully pollinated bear fruit with a green exocarp and yellow mesocarp surrounding the seeds.
People apply shea butter to the skin for acne, burns, dandruff, dry skin, eczema, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. In foods, shea butter is used as a fat for cooking. In manufacturing, shea butter is used in cosmetic products.
