iFarm Produce

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is a temperate annual or biennial plant of the daisy family Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable. In many countries, it is typically eaten cold, raw, in salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, tacos, and in many other dishes. In some places, including China, lettuce is typically eaten cooked and use of the stem is as important as use of the leaf. Both the English name and the Latin name of the genus are ultimately derived from lac, the Latin word for "milk", referring to the plant's milky juice. Mild in flavour, it has been described over the centuries as a cooling counterbalance to other ingredients in a salad.

Lettuce is a fat free, low calorie food and is good for a well balanced diet. It is a valuable source of vitamin A and folic acid. Lactucarium (or "Lettuce Opium") is a mild opiate-like substance that is contained in all types of lettuce. Both the Romans and Egyptians took advantage of this property eating lettuce at the end of a meal to induce sleep.

Nutrition Information for Iceberg Lettuce:

The following nutrition information is for one serving of iceberg lettuce. That would be about one cup of chopped or shredded iceberg lettuce, or 55 grams. This general information is for raw iceberg lettuce.

Macronutrients:

Micronutrients:

Phytonutrients:

Abbreviations:

Broccoli is a member of the cabbage family, and is closely related to cauliflower. Its cultivation originated in Italy. Broccolo, its Italian name, means "cabbage sprout." Because of its different components, broccoli provides a range of tastes and textures, from soft and flowery (the floret) to fibrous and crunchy (the stem and stalk).

Broccoli juice contains high levels of Vitamin C, Vitamin B, fiber, zinc, folic acid, magnesium, iron and beta-carotene (an important antioxidant). It is a potent immune system booster which can help to counteract diseases such as cancer, stomach ulcers and infection.

iFarm grows Broccoli in their farm in Ooty, India.

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is a bright green biennial herb, often used as spice. Parsley is the world's most popular herb. It derives its name from the Greek word meaning "rock celery" (parsley is a relative to celery). It is a biennial plant that will return to the garden year after year once it is established.

It is common in Middle Eastern, European, and American cooking. Parsley is used for its leaf in much the same way as coriander (which is also known as Chinese parsley or cilantro), although parsley has a milder flavor.

In Central and Eastern Europe and in West Asia, many dishes are served with fresh green chopped parsley sprinkled on top. Green parsley is often used as a garnish. The fresh flavor of the green parsley goes extremely well with potato dishes (french fries, boiled buttered potatoes or mashed potato), with rice dishes (risotto or pilaf), with fish, fried chicken, lamb or goose, steaks, meat or vegetable stews.

A sprig of parsley can provide much more than a decoration on your plate. Parsley contains two types of unusual components that provide unique health benefits. The first type is volatile oil components-including myristicin, limonene, eugenol, and alpha-thujene. The second type is flavonoids-including apiin, apigenin, crisoeriol, and luteolin.

There are two common varieties of Parsley, the curly leaf and the flat leaf. iFarm grows the curly leaf variety in their farms in Ooty, India.

The zucchini (pronounced /zu: 'ki:ni/ in North American and Australian English) or courgette (in New Zealand, South African, and British English or French) is a small summer squash. Along with some other squashes, it belongs to the species Cucurbita pepo. Zucchini can be yellow, green or light green, and generally have a similar shape to a ridged cucumber, though a few cultivars are available that produce round or bottle-shaped fruit.

In a culinary context, zucchini is treated as a vegetable, which means it is usually cooked and presented as a savory dish or accompaniment. Botanically, however, the zucchini is an immature fruit, being the swollen ovary of the female zucchini flower.

This vegetable is primarily grown in its green variety, in the Ooty, India farms.

The Brussels (or brussels) sprout (Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group) of the Brassicaceae family, is a Cultivar group of wild cabbage cultivated for its small (typically 2.5-4 cm (0.98-1.6 in) diameter) leafy green buds, which resemble miniature cabbages.

It's no surprise that Brussel sprouts look like perfect miniature versions of cabbage since they are closely related, both belong to the Brassica family of vegetables. Brussels sprouts are available year round; however, they are at their best from autumn through early spring when they are at the peak of their growing season.

Brussels sprouts grow in bunches of 20 to 40 on the stem of a plant that grows from two to three feet tall.

The most common method of preparing Brussel sprouts for cooking begins with removal of the buds from the stalk. Any surplus stem is cut away, and the surface leaves that are loosened by this cutting are peeled and discarded. Cooking methods include boiling, steaming and roasting. To ensure even cooking throughout, buds of a similar size are usually chosen. Some cooks will cut a cross in center of the stem to aid the penetration.

Whatever cooking method is employed, overcooking is avoided. Overcooking releases the glucosinolate sinigrin, which has a sulfurous odor. The odor is the reason many people profess to dislike Brussel sprouts, if they've only tried them overcooked with the accompanying sulfuric taste and smell. Generally 6-7 minutes boiled or steamed is enough to cook them thoroughly, without overcooking and releasing the sinigrin.

Cancer Protection from Special Sulfur-Containing Phytonutrients

Plant phytonutrients found in Brussels sprouts enhance the activity of the body's natural defense systems to protect against disease, including cancer. Scientists have found that sulforaphane, one of the powerful glucosinolate phytonutrients found in Brussels sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables, boosts the body's detoxification enzymes, potentially by altering gene expression, thus helping to clear potentially carcinogenic substances more quickly.

iFarm grows this vegetable exclusively in their farm in Ooty, India.

Capsicum (or pepper in the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland) is a genus of plants from the nightshade family (Solanaceae) native to the Americas, where it was cultivated for thousands of years by the people of the tropical Americas, and is now cultivated worldwide. Some of the members of Capsicum are used as spices, vegetables, and medicines. The fruit of Capsicum plants have a variety of names depending on place and type. They are commonly called chilli pepper, red or green pepper, or sweet pepper in Britain, and typically just capsicum in Australian and Indian English. The large mild form is called bell pepper in the U.S. and Canada. They are called paprika in some other countries (although paprika can also refer to the powdered spice made from various capsicum fruit).

Capsicum is rich in Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and Zinc, two nutrients which are vital for a strong and healthy immune system. It is also high in vitamins, A, C, rutin (a bioflavonoid), beta carotene, iron, calcium and potassium. Capsicum also contains magnesium, phosphorus, sulphur, B-complex vitamins, sodium and selenium.

The nutritional breakdown of Capsicum is as follows:

iFarm grows Green, Red and Yellow varieties in their farms across India.