We all know greens are healthy and full of nutrients. But our leafy friends have some fascinating ancient secrets that will pique your interest. Why not get to know the veggies you’re growing backyard or indoors? Even better, acquaint yourself with the hidden benefits of life’s most common vegetables.

Spinach

What You Know Now:

Half a cup of spinach is enough to count as one of your servings of veggies for the day. Also, if you eat enough Spinach, you start feeling strong like a certain sailor man.

Spinach’s Secret Past:

Spinach isn’t just for diet and muscles! If you’re tired of the chemical filled dyes and paints fuming up your latest art project, you might want to take an organic tip from the Medieval-era handbook. People in the 15th century used green pigment from Spinach to dye their paints green!

Dill

What You Know:

Trusty Dill is tried and true in the kitchen. It makes pickles a lot better, and it’s the perfect seasoning for Sunday salmon. Unlike some veggies, you get no waste.

Dill’s Secret Success:

It’s said, one of the best and oldest methods to soothe a sobbing baby is with a cup of Dill water.

Old wives tales say inhaling boiled Dill fumes is a terrific healer of hiccups. There’s really only one way to find out if it actually works!

Oregano

What You Know:

It’s hard to make really good Italian or Mediterranean food without the help of this guy! The fresh and dried versions pack a lot of flavour that packs a punch in sauces and on meat.

The Origin of Oregano’s Past:

The Ancient greeks believed oregano had all kinds of medicinal properties. Anointing yourself in oregano oil was said to make you dream of your future spouse! How’s that for a super power?

Aromatherapists today say oregano oil can be beneficial in preventing infections and colds. So maybe this little herb has a little more to offer than you thought!

Lettuce

What You Know:

The crunchy counterpart to any salad or sandwich, this is one of the kitchen staples you need to have fresh. Lettuce has a high water content (95%), so you can’t freeze or can it. The fresher you get it, the better!

Lettuce Tell You A Secret (get it?):

The Ancient Greeks sure loved their veggies! They thought lettuce induced sleep. Salads were served at the end of the meal in order to help guests go home relaxed, full and ready for bed.

You’re sure to learn a lot more about your veggies the more you grow them. Maybe you’ll find some hidden secrets of your own.

If you’re interested in learning more about growing your own living food at home, join our mailing list. We’re making it our TinyFarming mission to share as much as we can about the universe of plants we’ll be growing.