Al-Hadeeqah Holistic Awareness

Photo Credit:Al-Hadeeqah HA They can be made into a relish, consumed as a refreshing beverage,  or even enjoyed raw.  The tart cranberry is one of the many products included in the autumn harvest.  On the East coast,  they are in season from September to December. Because it lacks sweetness, many people don't experience the health benefits of cranberries as they were once revered for. Cranberries are native to North America and were used by the Native Americans as food, medicine, and dye. The top three states that currently grow cranberries are New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Massachusetts. The cranberries grow in bogs on an evergreen vine that is neither a tree nor bush. These perennial plants take 16 months to grow. Water is essential for the success of the cranberries. The bogs are flooded twice a year; once in the winter to insulate the vines and protect them from the winter frost and a second time in the Autumn season (the following year) for harvesting. [ 1 , 2 ]

Prickly pear  There are many varieties of prickly pear but the most commercialized variety is the Opuntia Ficus-Indica . This antioxidant-rich fruit is native to the southwestern part of the US, South America, and Mexico, but has popularity in other areas of the world including the Middle East and North Africa. You may find it most abundant in local farmers markets when it reaches its riping peak in the summertime, however, its general season does range from spring until fall.  You can find this fruit in different shades of greens, yellows and, purples. It's a more common sight to see these ranges of colors abroad whereas, in America, the purple variety is more widely available.  [ 1 ] Prickly pear is chock full of immune-boosting vitamin C. Roughly 1 cup (about 146g) of this fruit contains 35% of the recommended daily value. The runner-ups in the vitamin category are the vitamin B complexes, such as folate, riboflavin, thiamin, and vitamin B6. Generally, these vitam