Popular Ingredients

Get to know unfamiliar ingredients—think ube, lactose-free cheese, irish better, grits, polenta, and more—and understand the difference between ones you may already know—half and half vs heavy cream, for one—with these guides to popular, familiar, and unexpected ingredients alike. Learn how and where to use these ingredients for tastier, more diverse meals.

Most Popular

What Is an Ube and Why Is It So Popular?
Everything you need to know about the purple veggie that's loved by so many.
What Is Irish Butter?
Everything you need to know about the distinct qualities of Irish butter
What Is Cornmeal, Anyway?
You're probably familiar with cornmeal as the key ingredient in cornbread. Here, we go beyond the basics to explain exactly what cornmeal is and how it differs from similarly named products.
What Is Polenta, Exactly?
Polenta is an easy-to-please Italian staple that can be transformed into sweet or savory dishes. Below, we explain what polenta is made of and how to cook it.
What Are Grits?
Below, we explain what they are, what they’re made of, and how people eat them.
I Tried Daily Harvest for a Month—Here's What Happened
It changed the way I eat when I'm in a hurry, plus more.
Advertisement

More Popular Ingredients

9 Cheeses You Can Eat Even If You're Lactose Intolerant
Not all dairy is created equal. 
Tamari vs. Soy Sauce: Everything You Need to Know About These Traditional Asian Sauces
What's the difference between these two salty sauces?
Every Reason to Love the Acai Berry (Beyond How Pretty It Looks in Photos)
26 of the Easiest-Ever Eggplant Recipes
9 Types of Apples Everyone Should Know
Is CBG the Next CBD? Here's What You Should Know
Can Beet Juice Really Boost Your Physical Fitness? We Asked an RD

We dug up the latest research (and spoke to a health expert) to determine whether beet juice is worthy of the hype.

All Popular Ingredients

5 Easy Ways to Cook With New Potatoes—Plus All the Healthy Reasons You Should Eat Them
10 Easy Leftover Chicken Recipes to Make When You're In a Rush
What Are Sumo Oranges? Meet the Tasty Citrus Fruit That's Having a Moment on TikTok
Got Leftover Bread? These 8 Recipes Make Days-Old Bread Taste Good as New
6 Nutritional Benefits of Beets You Probably Didn't Know
These Are the 10 Best Nut and Seed Butters For a Protein Boost
What Are Nightshade Vegetables—and Why Do They Get Such a Bad Rap?
14 Leftover Ham Recipes So Your Holiday Feast Doesn't Go to Waste
6 Powerhouse Health Benefits of Snacking on Pumpkin Seeds
Does Drinking Coffee Really Dehydrate You? We Asked Dietitians
Broccoli Is One of the Healthiest Greens You Can Eat—Here Are 5 Nutritious Benefits to Prove It
5 Reasons Why You Should Be Eating More Carrots, According to RDs 
What Makes Refined Carbohydrates So Unhealthy? RDs Explain Why They're Not the Most Nutritious Option
Are Reishi Mushrooms Worth the Hype? We Asked RDs for the Lowdown on This Buzzy Fungus
10 Vitamin K–Rich Foods That Support Healthy Bones, Blood, and More
5 Great Foods to Munch on for Energy That Lasts
9 Foods That Are High in Zinc, an Essential Mineral for Healthy Immunity, Metabolism, and More
These 12 Healthy Foods Are Exceptionally High in Vitamin B
5 Healthy Reasons to Sip Cinnamon Tea
5 All-Star Foods That Are High in Healthy Fats
4 Nutritious Reasons to Add Salmon to Your Weekly Meal Rotation
3 Key Macronutrients to Eat Every Day (and How They Differ From Micronutrients)
16 Delicious Ways to Use Up All Those Extra Eggs in Your Fridge
9 Ways to Use Chickpeas (That Don't Involve Hummus)
Drinking Coffee Has Some Super Benefits—Here Are 4 Health Perks of Your Morning Cup
Load More
Advertisement
© Copyright Real Simple. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.realsimple.com