Which Foods That We Eat Began in Tropical Forests?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Which foods that we eat began in tropical forests?

The Big Idea

Many foods we eat began in warm tropical regions, and a number of them in or near rainforests! People now grow them on farms all over the world, so they can reach stores far away. Their wild relatives still grow in the forest.

Sweet Treats

Step one: sweet treats. Chocolate comes from the seeds of the cacao tree, and vanilla comes from a rainforest orchid. Both first grew in warm, wet places. The vanilla orchid flower becomes a long green pod.

Fruit and Nuts

Step two: fruit and nuts. Bananas, mangoes, and Brazil nuts also began in tropical regions. Brazil nuts still grow on tall rainforest trees, in big round pods that fall to the ground.

Spices

Step three: spices. Spices like cinnamon and black pepper also came from tropical forests. Wild relatives of these crops still hold useful traits that future farmers may need.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look at the foods! Chocolate begins as seeds in cacao pods. Bananas grow in big bunches. Mangoes ripen on tall trees. Brazil nuts come from giant rainforest trees.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Vanilla comes from a rainforest orchid. Most of these foods are now grown on farms. Wild relatives can help farmers grow stronger crops. Never taste wild plants. Eat only food a grown-up gives you.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Check your kitchen with a grown-up. Find five foods that might come from tropical places. Look on the label for the country. Find where each is grown on a map.

Outro

Many favorite foods have a tropical story. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!