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A little more knowledge.
A closer look at food.
Explore TheFoodGlossary, one food at a time.
Prefer a book? Explore the edition →226 foods · showing 24
Fruit
Apple
Malus domestica Borkh.
Crisp, fragrant, and remarkably versatile—the everyday fruit that can move from lunchbox to salad, skillet, sauce, or pie.
Food form: The form used for this chapter’s nutrition panel
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Fruit
Acerola
Malpighia emarginata
A bright, delicate tropical cherry prized for its vivid tartness and unusually concentrated vitamin C.
Food form: Acerola, (west indian cherry), raw
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Spice
Allspice
Pimenta dioica
One berry with aromas that recall clove, cinnamon, pepper, and nutmeg—without being a blend.
Food form: Spices, allspice, ground
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Nut & seed
Almonds
Prunus amygdalus
A crisp, mild kernel that shifts from creamy to deeply toasted depending on preparation.
Food form: Nuts, almonds
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Grain & staple
Amaranth
Amaranthus spp.
Tiny seeds that cook into a soft porridge, toast with a nutty aroma, or pop into miniature crisp grains.
Food form: Amaranth grain, uncooked
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Spice
Anise Seeds
Pimpinella anisum
A small aromatic seed with a clean licorice-like flavor used in breads, sweets, teas, and savory spice blends.
Food form: Spices, anise seed
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Fruit
Apricot
Prunus armeniaca
A fragrant stone fruit balancing honeyed sweetness, floral aroma, and gentle acidity.
Food form: Apricots, raw
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Grain & staple
Arrowroot
Maranta arundinacea
A tropical rhizome best known through its refined starch, which thickens sauces into a clear, glossy finish.
Food form: Arrowroot, raw
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Vegetable
Artichokes
Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus
An unopened flower bud whose tender heart and leaf bases reward slow, hands-on eating.
Food form: Artichokes, (globe or french), raw
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Vegetable
Arugula
Eruca vesicaria
A peppery leafy green that brings mustard-like bite to salads, pasta, pizza, and quick sautés.
Food form: Arugula, raw
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Vegetable
Asparagus
Asparagus officinalis
A perennial spring vegetable harvested as young spears before they open into ferns.
Food form: Asparagus, raw
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Fruit
Avocado
Persea americana
A rich, creamy fruit whose ripeness transforms it from firm and grassy to buttery and spreadable.
Food form: Avocados, raw, Florida
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Fruit
Banana
Musa spp. and hybrids
A soft, portable tropical fruit whose starch becomes sweeter and more aromatic as it ripens.
Food form: Bananas, raw
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Grain & staple
Barley
Hordeum vulgare
A chewy cereal grain used in soups, pilafs, porridges, malt, and breads.
Food form: Barley, pearled, raw
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Herb
Basil
Ocimum basilicum
A fragrant tender herb that brings peppery sweetness and clove-like aroma to fresh dishes.
Food form: Basil, fresh
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Legume
Black Beans
Phaseolus vulgaris
A dark-skinned common bean that cooks into a creamy interior while holding a savory, earthy flavor.
Food form: Beans, black, mature seeds, raw
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Fruit
Blackberry
Rubus spp. and hybrids
A juicy aggregate berry balancing deep sweetness, wine-like aroma, and bright acidity.
Food form: Blackberries, raw
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Fruit
Blueberry
Vaccinium spp.
A small berry with a sweet-tart interior and a natural pale waxy bloom on its skin.
Food form: Blueberries, raw
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Vegetable
Bok Choy
Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis
A crisp-stemmed Asian cabbage with tender green leaves and a clean mustard-family sweetness.
Food form: Cabbage, chinese (pak-choi), raw
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Fruit & staple
Breadfruit
Artocarpus altilis
A large tropical fruit cooked as a starchy staple when mature and green, or used sweeter when soft-ripe.
Food form: Breadfruit, raw
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Sweetener
Brown Sugar
Manufactured sucrose product
Sugar crystals combined with molasses for moisture, caramel flavor, and characteristic baking performance.
Food form: Sugars, brown
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Vegetable
Brussels Sprouts
Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group
Compact leaf buds that become sweet and nutty when browned quickly instead of boiled into softness.
Food form: Brussels sprouts, raw
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Tree nut
Butternuts
Juglans cinerea
The elongated, hard-shelled nut of the North American butternut tree—not butternut squash.
Food form: Nuts, butternuts, dried
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Vegetable
Cabbage
Brassica oleracea Capitata Group
A dense head of layered leaves that can be crisp and peppery raw or sweet and tender when cooked.
Food form: Cabbage, raw
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