Ancient foods are good for you

About an hour's drive from the Austrian capital of Vienna lies the picturesque village of Schiltern. It is here that ARCHE NOAH, or Noah's Ark, decided to plant a garden where visitors can admire and taste heirloom crops. Started in 1990, the association wants to preserve crop diversity and redevelop old varieties by encouraging people to grow and eat them.

Due to globalization and the industrialization of agriculture during the last century, the diversity of cultivated plants has plummeted. ARCHE NOAH estimates that we've already lost more than 75 percent of what once grew. These strikingly bright beets called Erfurt longs are the descendants of some of the earliest beets that were white and which have been farmed since the 8th century B.C.

ARCHE NOAH estimates that out of the 4,800 known crop species worldwide, about 100 varieties make up 90 percent of all harvested food. With this in mind the group collects varieties of plants from all over the world in its mission to preserve biodiversity — they already have more 620 different types of tomatoes and here are a few examples.

One of the biggest threats to crop diversity is the growing influence of seed monopolies and continuing genetic engineering. The Russian cucumber first appeared in Europe at the end of the 19th century. It develops a dark brown, corky and cracked skin when fully ripe. The plant is robust, holds up well in the cold and its fruit thrives in temperate climates without a greenhouse.

Making consumers yearn for more plant biodiversity is also a goal of ARCHE NOAH — and one easily done in the foundation's kitchen where sumptuous meals are prepared. This colorful example shows some of the possibilities that the heirloom garden offers and may encourage some people to renew their relationship with plants and think more about what lands on their plates.

For centuries food was very local and crops spread slowly. The sugar root was known in ancient times and was a popular root vegetable during the Renaissance. But in Central Europe, higher-yielding vegetables such as potatoes replaced it by around the 16th century. The sweet, white roots grow in clusters and are a delight for food connoisseurs.

Since small-scale farming is on the decline, the group not only wants to preserve old and rare varieties of fruits and vegetables, but also hopes to improve and develop them further. Take these Bernstein red beets: Here the aim was to preserve the "traditional" look while working on the sweet, balanced taste and the form.

This type of sorrel originally comes from the mountains of Europe and Southwest Asia. Since Roman times it has been cultivated as "Herba romana." The leafy plant is full of vitamin C and ideal for seasoning. Having a bigger basket of fruits and vegetables to choose from can be a way to guard against new diseases or climate change, believes ARCHE NOAH.