Fruits and vegetables play an important role in people’s general well-being, especially if you need to live a healthy lifestyle away from disease and body dysfunction. It’s essential to embrace fruits and vegetables or, somewhat at least, have any of them included in your diet.
The good thing is that you can find the balanced diets you need in various vegetables and supplement them with fruits.
Find a description of fruits and vegetables that start with ‘F,’ including where they originated from, their nutritional and health benefits, and their uses and recipes.
The months in which they are grown, whether or not they are produced for commercial purposes, whether they are recommended for human consumption
1. Fairchild Tangerine Fruit
It is a kind of fruit in the tangerine family. It is reared by combining clementine’s mandarins and Orlando tangelo’s distinct characters. It has relatively thin skin compared to other tangerines making it difficult to peel. Fair child tangerines have many tiny seeds, and you need to be careful while eating; they come in deep orange color accompanied by rough skin.
In Asian markets, mainly Chinese, they sell the fruit with the stem and leave this because they believe that the stem and leaves bring good fortune some provinces in China name the fruit “stem and leaves.”
Fairchild is famous in the united states, especially in California’s dry regions. The trees are either planted on the ground or on containers to ease transfer during wet seasons. The flavor of juicy fruit is also canned so that it can be available year-round.
2. Fibrous Satinash Fruit
Fibrous satinash, whose botanical name is Syzygium fibrosum, is a type of rainforest fruit and mainly native to southeastern Asia. The species can also be found in some parts of Africa, Madagascar, through to the pacific. It has a range of diversity that occurs in Australia and Malaysia.
The fruit is either pink or red and has a shape that resembles a globe and is further characterized by a singular seed. The fruit is edible thus has a sour taste and best used in making jellies and jams.
The tree has flowers which are also a gem. The flowers, which are cream with many stamens, are home to many bird species. The flowers are cream and have a leathery and smooth texture. The tree has medicinal values. It is a potential anti-diabetic agent also known to reduce hypertension and further cures hydrophilic and lipophilic fractions.
3. Finger Lime Fruit
They are tiny citrus, popularly an Australian native but can be found in other countries like in the US. They resemble fingers hence their names. They come in a range of colors from dark green to rusty Red, and almost black the colors change as the fruit grows to maturity. The inside resembles caviar –lime because of the tiny bubbles that pop,
Finger limes in the US are grown in California, with less than a dozen people engaging in farming them. Hence due to their high demand, they are mostly expensive.
Additionally, the tree produces a small amount of fruit, and also caring for and cultivating it is usually tricky. Finger lime is a Seasonal fruit grown between July to December, but you can get them in the market from May.
Use finger lime in seafood like oyster, grilled salmon, and seared scallops to add crunch and some citrus flavor levels. You can use it on avocado or on melons to add citrus flavor for your afternoon snack. You can further add it to your cocktails or spirits to give a sophisticated taste and feel.
4. Florida Strangler Fig Fruit
This is an exhilarating fruit grown mainly in Florida and the west indies. The fruit intertwines its roots and trunks to a host tree as it grows, seeping all the nutrients, eventually strangles and kills the host tree hence its name strangler.
The fruit mostly comes in small sizes like that of a pea rather than marbles and is usually bitter when eaten raw hence not popular with humans. However, it is edible thus used as a source of food by the Florida populaces and early settlers.
The fruit is also used in the making make some rose-colored dye. In coast Rica, the fruit is commonly found in the dairy farm as the tree is used as a live fence and for making firewood, while in south Florida, its tree is used to conserve energy and as an indoor tree for ornamental purposes. The latex from the tree is used in making natural chewing gum.
The strangler fruit has its nutritional benefits as it is a good source of fiber and can also be used in weight loss. It also has antioxidant agents.
5. Forest Strawberries Fruit
This plant is expected in the northern hemisphere and grows naturally throughout the year. It is also referred to as wild strawberry or woodland strawberry. It is not difficult to grow. All you need is space for it to spread its runners and moisture and some sunshine.
It has an added advantage as it is flexible and can almost grow in all seasons, and stands relatively dry season. It is important to note that forest strawberries are not cultivated for commercial purposes due to their less yield but are thought to have exquisite flavor, and thus in France and some parts of Europe, they are used for patisseries.
The forest strawberry bears fruit that is consumed raw and also used in jam juices and bakery. Forest strawberries can be used to make cosmetics for lightening teeth and soothe sunburns. The fruit also has medicinal value as it can be used to reduce fever. The leaves can replace tea, which provides fiber that is helpful for indigestion, and a potassium source, which is excellent in lowering blood pressure.
6. False Mastic
False Mastic fruit is intrinsic to central America and the Caribbean, and the southern parts of Florida. The fruit grows naturally in dry forests and also can be found along with the sea shows as it is tolerant to the salts.
False Mastic, also known as jungle plum and wild olive, is edible; however, it is bitter and acidic, therefore not so common to humans but a species eaten by wild animals and birds. It is said to be gummy if consumed a lot of it, thus glues your lips together. Others disregard the leaves, barks, and fruits, sighting its unpleasant odor.
The fruit is yellow, and the shape resembles that of an olive. It is 1-inch long. The interior is white fleshy and gummy and has a thick, tough skin cover. It has a single seed that is ½ inch. In the Bahamas and West Indies, the tree of false mastic fruit is used for timber, while in America, the timer is used in making cabinets and boats.
7. Florentine citron
It is an indigenous fruit found in Southeast Asia and India and traced its way to the Persian Gulf and finally to the Mediterranean. The Florentine fruit is said to be the pioneer lemon from which other lemons were established, thus known as the lemons’ granddaddy.
Florentine citron fruit has a range of medicinal uses. For instance, In ancient Greece, the fruit was used as an antidote to some poisonous. It is also used to combat nausea and vomiting during sea journeys and the nations that live by the sea.
Vitamin c in it is also essential in treating some parasitic illnesses in patients. Additionally, a combination of vitamin C and potassium in the citron helps improve blood circulation, hence reducing blood pressure.
The outer cover has oil and a sweet fragrance, which is extracted and used in making perfumes. At home, you can use it as your salads, cutting it into tiny slices and dressing it up with pepper and olive oil.
8. Flatwoods plum
It comes in various names like the hog plum, sloe plum, and its scientific name prunus umbellate. They can grow in any environment; however, they are famously known to grow in Florida and east Texas.
You find them growing as shrubs, but can also be perfect with landscaping considering their beautiful flowers that blossom and for their height that is easy to maintain and the beautiful flowers.
The flat wood plum is purple and round-shaped with a diameter of 5 to 1 inch. They are usually dry and firm even as they ripen. The fruit is edible in small amounts as it is scientifically proven to have some level of toxicity.
It’s bitter with the first bite, but it eventually fades away, giving it a tart and sweet flavor. The sweet flavor can also make jellies and jams and is further used in making fruit preserved recipes. They are also food for your livestock. You rarely find them in groceries or stores; hence, you need them to look for them online.
9. Fox grape
Fox grape’s generic name is Vitis labrusca. The fox grapes have different 30 names, but the most common ones are black grapes—Frost grape, plum grape swamp grape, etc.
Fox grapes are reared in cool climatic temperatures; hence you find them in northern America and South Carolina to the Appalachian mountains.
Since time immemorial, the grapes have been used to make wines; thus, fox grape is an excellent component to wines, used in jam and jellies, and can also be eaten fresh and further left in the garden for bird and other animals to feed.
The foxy grapes have an intense and candy-like aroma with a naturally sweet flavor.
They grow well in moderately fertile loam soil, with a bit of sun or in shades; however, it requires warmth from the sun for the fruit to ripen. It is cultivated for commercial pu[rposes and also because it can be eaten raw.
10. Fukushu kumquat
Fukushu Kumquat is a dwarf tree massively grown in southern Japan and China, where they originated. They are also found in northern America but have notable differences from the ones in japan and china.
The fruits are spherical and usually 2 to three-inch in diameter. The skin is thin and orange, while the flesh is also orange and divided into 6 to eight parts characterized by a few seeds.
Fukushu kumquat is reared throughout the year but is most prominent during the winter seasons. It is a fruit from the citrus family with one such advantage that it can be eaten raw, including its skin, unlike other citrus fruits. As such, the flavor is usually tart and sweet.
They are also used in jelly and salads and can further be pickled and make kumquat sauce.
They have health benefits that involve having components of vitamin C and potassium. They are also used in curing sore throat and anti-inflammatory.
They are also good in fiber which helps during digestion. You can also grow kumquat trees on pots since they are evergreen and dwarf trees, and they can still give fragrance and produce flowers and fruits, thus can add zest to your garden.
11. Feijoa
Feijoa is a fruit primarily grown in areas with subtropical climates like South America, Europe, South Africa, New Zealand. Feijoa’s taste varies as some say that the taste is in between strawberries, guavas, or pineapple, while others say it has a mixture of mint and pineapple.
It s considered a versatile fruit as it can be used in baking cakes, muffins, sauces, jams, jellies, and In curries . in new Zealand, the fruit is used as an ingredient to most products, including skin products. It is round-shaped with a diameter of 2inches wide and a dull green color labeled with patches of crimson.
The nutritional benefits are that they are low in calories, have vitamin C, vitamin B, and vitamin E, which are essential as they act as antioxidants. Feijoa further has minerals such as calcium and magnesium essential to keep you free from illnesses. The best feijoa has no blemish with a soft skin ad; the aroma should also attract you to it.
12. Fei banana
Fei banana traces its origin to France. The Polynesians mainly cultivate it. During the Polynesian migration, they carried with them the bananas to other countries in the world.
They are primarily grown in the slopes of mountains island within an altitude of 300m and 1200metres, but you can find them in the low-altitude areas.
Fei banana can easily be identified because of its peel, bright orange color to red, and its yellowish-orange flesh. The flesh is known to have 200 times more vitamin A than any other banana of its kind. They are also known to be rich in starch.
Additionally, its sap is a violet color used to make permanent dye for clothes. The banana brunches have a unique character as they grow upwards toward the sky, unlike other branches of various bananas.
To consume the banana, you need to cook it, banana roast it, or boil it. It can be cooked with meat or fish or eaten with coconut milk. It has a sweet and tangy taste. The banana trees’ brunches are used to make weaving materials, while the banana leaves are used for plates and further to wrap food for cooking and in wrapping cigarettes.
13. Fazli mango
Fazli mango is predominantly grown in South Asia, primarily found in India and Bangladesh. The Malda district of west Bengali is the ultimately known producer of these mangoes. A single Fazli mango can each weigh up to a kilogram. It is grown chiefly for commercial purposes and almost readily available in the stores and markets. It is also increasingly gaining popularity in the export market.
Fazli mango is found chiefly between mid-June to August. The mango is usually 14cm long, 9.5cm wide, and 8cm in height. It weighs between 500gms to 1kg. It has a greenish outer cover and light yellow inside. It is popular because of its sweet aroma and taste. Fazli is the best-known variety of mango that can widely be cooked with different dishes which are mango-based. It can also be used in making jams and pickles.
Like any other fruits, Fazil mango is rich in vitamin c, vitamin E, and Vitamin A. Additionally, it acts as an antioxidant or an anti-inflammatory. All this helps support your health by boosting the immune system, thus reducing the risk of diseases.
14. Fascell mango
Fascell is a fascinating and versatile type of mango. It tastes generally varies from the flavors of caramel, rose blossoms, and a hint of citrus. It has a pungent smell and especially good when it is refrigerated after it has ripened. The flesh is, therefore, sweet and no presence of fiber. Its colors turn from green when it still young to red then to a beautiful rose color when it fully ripens.
Fascell mango is grown a single seed, a crossbreed of the Haden and brooks to fill the gap within which the two mangoes were being harvested. Hence it got its name from its founder Michael Fascell of Miami, in 1929. The fruit is still grown, however, on a small scale. The fruit’s appearance is a beautiful heart shape with a beak and has a single seed.
Fascell mango is mainly grown for commercial purposes. However, in small amounts in Florida, it is grown in homestead and university for research purposes. Fascell can be eaten raw or added in smoothies or on cakes, or you can grill them and add them to chicken kababs, or you can further add to salads.
15. Farkle berry
Farkle berry, also known as a vaccinum arboretum, is a fruit that is intrinsic to central Florida westward to central Oklahoma, southeastern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and the Edwards Plateau of Texas.
The plant is an evergreen tree or shrub that grows up to 3to 5m tall it is considered the only member of its kind to reach the tree size. Farkle berry can grow well in rocky canyons, sandy savannah, pinelands, coastal plains, wet bottomlands, wood streams, coastal scrub forests, rocky ledges, etc.
Farkle berries are listed as inedible because of their bitterness and t tart; however, it is not poisonous. To enjoy the Farkle berry t is mixed with other ingredients in jam jellies baked foods to add its tart to the sweet flavors. It is a favorite habitat for some wild species like the chipmunks, songbirds who feed on the berries, and the tree for shelter.
Vegetables that start with F
Various vegetables start with an F. Below is a combined list of such vegetables, their origin, their uses, and their health and nutritional benefits, among other interesting facts.
1. Fat Hen
It mainly grows well in waste places and also cultivated land, grown during the summer season. Primarily popular in Britain. It is a kind of weed that grows besides other root crops like potatoes, sugar beets.
It is equally a garden weed. It does well in fertile soil as adding manure to the soil increases its efficacy. It derived its name as it was a food popularly used to fatten poultry.
Fat Hen was consumed as a vegetable back then until the 16th century when it was replaced by spinach and cabbage. In Canada, it is a grown food for pigs and sheep.
It can still be consumed due to its high vitamin C contents; however, it is a plant that can easily extract too many nutrients from the soil like nitrates which may pose harm to your health but has not been potentially proven to be poisonous.
Fat Hen has nutritional values as they have high vitamin A, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus contents. They are further a good source of protein, minerals, B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, iron, and fiber.
2. Fava bean
This vegetable was back during the 6000BC popular with the ancient Greeks and the Romans. Today it is an everyday cuisine found in most dishes of the middle east, Asia, African Europe, and South America. The bean is versatile in that it can be consumed raw, roasted or cooked, or further dried for later use.
Fresh Fava beans have a taste that resembles a nut with some buttery flavor and a slight taste of bitterness. The dried fava beans have a mild taste and are somewhat similar to dries chickpeas.
There are various recipes to use with fava beans; however, it is grouped into either dried or fresh beans.
Dried beans are commonly used in making soups, pasta, falafel, and stews. On the other hand, fresh beans can be boiled, steamed, roasted, or fried. Fresh fava beans can also be used raw in salads or pesto.
They also have nutritional benefits, which has made it a food diet embraced by many cultures. The beans are rich in protein contents and fiber, and vitamin B. It also has minerals like iron and phosphorus.
3. Fiddlehead ferns
Where can you find fiddleheads? It is primarily grown in Europe, Asia, the united states, and Canada. They are common in May or during the early spring. They are coiled-up ferns, and I arguably look odd from their shape.
Fiddleheads cannot be eaten raw as they carry food-borne illness and can mess your stomach; hence it is advisable to precook it entirely before consuming.
You can boil it between 6 to 8 minutes to avoid overdoing it. You can cook them with morel mushrooms if you want an excellent experience and taste.
They blend well with lemons and butter and are a perfect combination of egg dishes and sauces, particularly the hollandaise.
People settle that fiddlehead’s taste resembles that of asparagus and spinach. Some say they taste like artichoke, and partly mushrooms say it hugely depends on your taste buds; nevertheless, they have an earthy spring-like flavor and a nutty taste.
Fiddles are low in calories. They also provide vitamin c and other minerals. it is also essential to note that fiddles should only be eaten in small amounts; otherwise can result in stomach upset
4. Florence fennel
It is a type of vegetable that tolerates both the cool weather and warm. However, as it gets to maturity, it best ripens in cold weather. It has a bulbous base and leaves stalks used for vegetables and the main reason they are grown.
Florence fennel can be consumed raw or cooked. When it is raw, you can slice it into pieces to use in salads. During cooking, be sure not to overcook it so that you can preserve some nutrients and equally its flavor. Florence fennel can be used to enhanced salads or cold dishes.
It can be grilled, boiled,sautéed. A better recipe is to puree cooked fennel and season with butter, salt, and pepper.
Its health benefit includes being a base to reduce weight loss, chewing Florence fennel can improve your breath smell. It can also be used in a dog’s kennel to protect it from fleas. It is added to water to make tea which can be used to soften digestion.
It is believed that in the ancient days, the Florence fennel would be used as a remedy to cure blindness. Some used to cure poisonous snake bites, while others used it to give them the strength to run during the Olympic games.
5. Fluted pumpkin
It is a kind of vegetable primarily grown in West Africa and particularly indigenous to southern Nigeria.
The genre name is Telfairia occidentalis, but the locals have their names in their native dialect which they use to identify among them is fluted pumpkin, ugu, fluted gourd. The fruit of this plant is inedible; hence it is mainly cultivated for its leaves and seeds.
Fluted pumpkin is known for its protein contents and rich in iron; hence, the leaves have been used to treat patients with anemia.
The leaves’ protein is further said to be important in enhancing the body tissues, including the muscles and nervous system, and further helps hormone balancing.
Fluted pumpkin is ideally grown when the rainy season is minimal, that is, between April and May. You can either cook, boil, or even make juice out of a fluted pumpkin; hence it is edible when cooked and not raw.
Examples of recipes you can try with fluted pumpkin, pumpkin leaf juice made from milk and honey, stir fry pumpkin leaves with ginger and garlic, use pumpkin leaves in garnishing nodules and egg, pumpkin yam porridge.
6. French Sorrel
French sorrel is considered fresh herbs that resemble spinach. They originated in the highland areas of France and spread to the neighboring countries. They have small green leaves in the shape of a bell with some wrinkles. French sorrel has an earthy flavor with a distinct lemon taste that makes it unique from other sorrel varieties.
French Sorrel is an easy plant to grow; hence does not require any technicalities or having to babysit it around. You only need to watch out for the weeds and pluck them out and then during harvesting, which might be pretty intense.
The leaves of French sorrel are tender and young hence might not require much cooking; hence you can use them as garnishes to cooked food or spring dishes. Also, sorrel has a sure pungent flavor; hence you might be forced not to make salads of its own, but you can mix it with other ingredients like lettuce, remember sorrel is bitter; hence you might need to blanch it to reduce the bitterness.
Sorrel is encumbered with Vitamin C and A, which play an essential role in improving your immune system and boosting your heart health. The presence of potassium also plays a significant role in lowering the blood pressure equally increasing blood circulation.
7. Fennel
It is in the carrot genre; however, it is not a root vegetable. Fennel bulb grows above the ground. It also has feathery leaves that grow on top of the bulb, and with time the yellow flowers also start showing up.
The best thing about these vegetables is that everything from the bulb to the flowers and the leaves is all fit for human consumption and can either be cooked or eaten raw. Fennel can be found in cooler weather, mostly spring or autumn.
Fennel and its seeds come packed with various nutrients that include Vitamin C, calcium, magnesium manganese, and potassium. Fennel has antibacterial contents that help in enhancing mental health, reducing inflammation, and relieve menopausal symptoms.
Fresh fennel bulbs, when eaten raw, have a crunchy feeling; however, when cooked or slightly blanched, they are silky. On the other hand, the green leaves can be used as a garnish for sweet dishes to add some bitter-sweet taste to the dish.
The bright pale green seeds further add some spice to your dish, given its aroma that resembles a sweet anise dish. In India, Iran, and Afghanistan, the Seed is blended with other spices like gharam, and also in Chinese five-spice powder, a common spice that is added to Italian sausage.
8. Fenugreek
Fenugreek is more or less a herb mainly found in the Mediterranean, western Asia, and southern Europe. It is classified under the pea family. They are comparable to cloves.
The seeds can be cooked and can also be used in medicine to hide other medicine tastes. In India, the leaves are eaten as vegetables. Fenugreek seeds taste like marble syrup.
It can be effective in combating health-related issue like, ingesting the seeds lowers sugar level to people with diabetes hence can be a potential treatment for diabetic patients. It helps to relieve menstrual cramps for women with painful menstrual periods.
It can also be used in sexual stimuli in healthy people and further to combat sexual problems that prevent sexual activity.
In foods, fenugreek is used in adding spice to ingredients that easily blend with it. It is used for adding flavor to foods to replace Marple syrup In beverages, foods, and tobacco.
It can also be used to manufacture cosmetics, and fenugreek seed should be stored in a cool and dry place. If stored properly, they have a lifespan of up to 6 months.
9. Finocchio
Finocchio Otherwise pronounced Pinnochio like the Disney puppet, is a variety of fennel vegetables grown chiefly in Europe. Any fennel variety can be used as a herb, a spice, or vegetable. It is treated as a perennial herb, hence classified under sweet fennel, usually left on the ground to produce seeds.
Most Italians recommend eating finochio as a dessert to replace biscuits and cheese. Thus you will most likely find it on the table during meals. The proper way to store finochio is by immersing it in water to preserve its color. It’s best eaten with its natural taste when it’s raw so that you can enjoy the flavors and the nutritional benefits at this point are massive.
It mainly cleanses your pallet hence making digestion easy. It can be eaten raw or further infused in dishes to add flavor like deep-fried, soups, and pasta, or sautéed and added to gravy served over steaks. Feathery leaves have beautiful sight in the gardens and can also be used as a fresh sauce to fish, chicken, tomatoes. You can also harvest Seed to use it in making spice.
10. Frangipane (edible flower)
Frangipane flowers, also known as plumerias, grow best in warm climatic conditions. Therefore they are native to Mexico, the Caribbean pacific island, and south America.
However, They can be grown throughout the year, including during cool seasons. You can place them in a container and place them indoors. Most of these plants are toxic; however, the flowers are edible. The flowers are traditionally used to make leis.
The flowers are white with a bright yellow center and are usually waxy, and funnel-shaped flowers are mainly produced during summer seasons but can also produce in the winters. During this production period, the seeds bloom and are usually harvested to be used in the next planting. Frangipane tree, when cut, removes a white latex that can be pretty irritable on the skin; hence advised always to use gloves when handling the plant.
Frangipane flowers may be used raw in salads, immersed into a tea, fried, or an ingredient in making jellies, omelets, and candies. The flowers are also used to make soap, massage oils, and perfumes, while in some India and Bali, they are used for religious purposes.
11. French bean
French beans are smaller green beans with soft velvet-like pods with very tiny seeds in them. They are sweet, tender, and very delicious tasty beans.
French beans grow five to twelve inches long; however, it depends on the variety as some grow to a height of 7 inches long as they climb to their hosts. During harvesting, choose the beans that are firm, young, bright, and fresh beans.
French beans trace their history in central and south America, where they were grown as indigenous crops but were spread to other parts of the world like Africa and Europe with Spanish and Portuguese settlers. They are usually planted in late May or early June. But you only harvest them manually.
You can prepare French beans by themselves for cooking or pair them with other dishes, i.e., you can stir fry the beans with butter or toss French beans with garlic in soy. Use French beans as dry vegetables and mix with potatoes, a typical recipe in India and try making French beans with coconut or coconut curry. You can also cook them lightly and serve them with pasta.
French beans contain vitamin which helps in fighting any disease. It also has antioxidants, a content that helps reduce inflammation and further absorption of iron and calcium also a great detox. French beans are low in fats and calories.
12. Free green
Free green is more like chicory and endives but can also be used like lettuce and used in making salads. The leaves are usually green outside, but as you go in turns yellow and has a freezing or curly shape.
Because of their tenderness, they are best when eaten fresh in salads. You can also cook them to give a smooth texture but be careful not to overcook them. Here are classic ways to make your e salad, wilted frisee salad with hot, smoky tomato dressing, warm chanterelle, frisee salad, and poached shrimp melon and spicy salad.
Frisee is a green vegetable with minimal calories its also good in folic acid and has vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K, and is packed with minerals such as manganese copper, potassium, and iron. It also helps in the cleaning of the gallbladder and the liver.
