Food Facts & Information: Video Series

Bananas do not have seeds because they reproduce by planting the branch of a banana tree in the ground as opposed to planting seeds. Eat bananas as a source of vitamin B6, vitamin C and potassium. Learn more about bananas information from a cooking instructor in this free video on bananas.

Boiling water does not make distilled water; distilled water is made by boiling salt water and collecting the vapor that is produced. Use distilled water in irons and as coolant for car engines with advice from a cooking instructor in this free video on distilled water.

A pressure cooker transfers steam through food in an enclosed environment so that the internal temperature rises a lot faster and cooks the food more quickly than in a regular oven. Cook with a pressure cooker to make food quickly without loosing the vitamins and nutrients using tips from a cooking instructor in this free video on cooking.

Temperature can affect how quickly fruit ripens, with cold air causing fruit to release ethylene gas and make fruit ripen more quickly. Keep fruit out of the refrigerator or use a disc that absorbs ethylene gas to keep fruit from going bad with information from a cooking instructor in this free video on cooking.

Beef processing takes several months to go through FDA scientific tests, processing plants, packaging plants and then into supermarkets and restaurants. Learn about the quality control that occurs during beef processing with information from a cooking instructor in this free video on beef.

Black Forest ham is made in the Black Forest region of Germany by trimming the hind leg of a pig, rubbing the ham with seasoning, dry-curing the ham and then smoking the meat. Eat Black Forest ham as a main dish, in a sandwich or as a snack with tips from a cooking instructor in this free video on cooking.

To make bread, mix water, flour, yeast, eggs, sugar, salt and oil, let the dough rise and then separate the dough into loaves for baking. Place bread loaves into greased trays and bake them for about 25 minutes with tips from a cooking instructor in this free video on cooking.

Fry chicken for 15 to 20 minutes per side depending on the size and amount of chicken being cooked. Use a deep skillet with a mixture of oil and Crisco to make fried chicken with advice from a cooking instructor in this free video on cooking.

Pine nuts come from pine cones, which are heated to facilitate the removal of the pine cone and used in a variety of sweet and savory dishes. Find pine nuts in nut shops, health food stores and packaged for supermarkets with information from a cooking instructor in this free video on nuts.

Some foods that work as aphrodisiacs include oysters, pineapple, celery, pomegranate and strawberries, which all possess a hormone-stimulating effect. Cut and slice pineapples or strawberries with a kitchen gadget to produce an aphrodisiac effect with tips from a cooking instructor in this free video on aphrodisiacs.

There is no information about where popcorn was originally developed, but it is safe to assume that any area that grew corn probably had popcorn. Find out the history of popcorn in Mexico among the Aztecs with information from a cooking instructor in this free video on popcorn.

Saffron is a spice native to Asia, with 80 percent now being produced in countries like Iran, Spain, Greece and Morocco. Discover how many plants it takes to produce a pound of saffron and why it is so expensive with information from a cooking instructor in this free video on spice.

The elements that make up starch, or carbohydrates, include carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Identify foods high in starch, such as potatoes and bread, with insight from a cooking instructor in this free video on food.

Corned beef is beef that has been cured, or pickled, in salt water brine and is often well-seasoned. Eat corned beef on Easter Sunday and St. Patrick's Day to follow traditions with advice from a cooking instructor in this free video on cooking.

El Sancocho is a beef stew made in many Latin cultures with beef or chicken, vegetables, peppers and broth. Make El Sancocho in a traditional stew pot with potatoes, carrots, peppers and chunks of beef with instructions from a cooking instructor in this free video on cooking.

Food coloring is made with different ingredients depending on the color, with green food coloring being made of seaweed and orange being made from seeds. Check the labels of food coloring to find the exact ingredients using tips from a cooking instructor in this free video on food coloring.

Ginger root is used to aid in the remedy of many ailments, including motion sickness, athlete's foot, headaches, common colds and upset stomachs. Steep ginger root in tea or add it to stir-fry with advice from a cooking instructor in this free video on cooking.

Gum is made of confectioner sugar, corn starch, chewing gum base, corn syrup, natural peppermint flavor and natural fruit flavors. Find out how sugar-free gum is made with artificial sweeteners with information from a cooking instructor in this free video on chewing gum.

Armagnac and cognac differ in that cognac is brandy produced only in the town of Cognac in France, while Armagnac is a lighter form of brandy made in the Armagnac region of France. Discover how Armagnac is distilled once instead of twice, as cognac is, with information from a cooking instructor in this free video on liquor.

Hummus, made from garbanzo beans, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic, is a high-protein food with good nutritional value. Because of the high calories in hummus, it is important to watch the serving size using advice from a cooking instructor in this free video on cooking.

Turron is a sweet treat made from honey, egg whites and pine nuts, almonds or hazelnuts; it is often eaten around Christmas in Italy and Spain. Find out how turron has been around since the Roman age with information from a cooking instructor in this free video on cooking.

To determine when pears are ready to pick, give them a slight tug and if they snap off easily then they are ripe for the picking. Avoid tugging and twist pears off the branch, or waiting until they fall, with tips from a cooking instructor in this free video on fruit.

Arroz con pollo is traditionally eaten for lunchtime family celebrations and during the winter months because of the hearty nature of the chicken and rice mixture. Gather the ingredients for arroz con pollo, including rice, tomatoes, mixed vegetables, fresh herbs and saffron, with help from a cooking instructor in this free video on cooking.

Arroz con pollo, which means rice with chicken in Spanish, is a traditional dish common throughout Latin America, Spain, Cuba, Puerto Rica and Costa Rica. Eat arroz con pollo during winter months or for lunchtime celebrations with insight from a cooking instructor in this free video on cooking.

Pepper comes from the unripe berries of the pepper plant, or piper nigrum, which has been grown in Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia for centuries. Find out how the berries of the pepper plant are cooked briefly in hot water and then dried to make black pepper with insight from a cooking instructor in this free video on cooking.