The term phytonutrients is  a broad name for a wide variety of compounds produced by plants. Theyâre found in fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, and other plants. Each phytonutrient comes from a variety of different plant sources and has different proposed effects on, and benefits for, the body. Some researchers estimate there are up to 4,000 phytonutrients! Scientists have identified thousands of them, although only a small fraction of phytonutrients have been studied closely.
The Moche civilization (also known as the Mochica) flourished along the northern coast and valleys of ancient Peru, in particular, in the Chicama and Trujillo Valleys, between 1 CE and 800 CE.
Some of these peoples were probably descended from the Hohokam of earlier times. The Mojave grew melons, pumpkin and maize, and built large houses with grass roofs covered by mud. Around 3,000 Yuma lived in the Southwest in the late 1600s. The Yuma were productive farmers in spite of the hot climate.