“We associate health with food, instead of agriculture, that’s why we get it wrong,” said Anna Lartey, director of the UNFAO. If there’s a single sentence that sums up the ideas in this book, it’s this. Agriculture is about growing what is suitable for the region and then eating it in the right season. It also means that there are versatile and varied ways to consume that food, not just by humans but by other living beings in that region, which results in less waste and makes it more sustainable. Because such food is local, it’s more traditional and traditional, means that it will have varied therapeutic applications.

Among the nuts, the humble kaju has always had a bad rep. Almonds and walnuts are great for the heart; however, the kaju apparently causes cholesterol and is fattening. The kaju, though, is not really the type of fruit to get worked up over small misunderstandings. Rich in vitamin B6 and folate, this nut is forgiving and simply wants to inform you that, since you have a liver, you are the one producing the cholesterol. After all, it is only a plant, not some animal or dreadful human that it can produce cholesterol....