Chilean cuisine and ingredients vary regionally because of wide ecological and climatic diversity. All the regional cuisines are a combination of traditional native Chilean dishes and ingredients, European and other influences. Three distinct cuisines can be distinguished; the cuisine of the North, Central and South. Because of Chile’s long coast, seafood is a main ingredient in many dishes. Local crops have been used for thousands of years by native Indians before the Spanish arrived. These include maize (choclo), quinoa and potatoes, which have been cultivated since pre-Inca times in the high altitudes of the Andes. Although originating in Europe, olives from the north of Chile are widely used in many local dishes. Fruits such as lucuma, chirimoya and murtilla are among those widely used in desserts.