When
I think of banana trees I think of the pictures I've seen with 'bunches' of
them hanging ready to pick. Well, there
is a little more to it than that. This
may be a bit long but I feel it's well worth reading. After doing my research I actually went out and bought more bananas.
First
a little history.
The
banana as we know it today is a specifically-grown species of the wild
banana. Now get this. The plant originated from seed bearing
relatives in the Pacific and the South-East of Asia. The wild banana was not edible but it was
discovered that if you crossed two inedible wild species, you could grow a
sterile plant that actually bore bananas as we know them today. Because of its sterility, once the new edible
fruit was discovered, it was spread using offshoots form the base of the
plant.
Another
interesting note is that the banana doesn't grow on a 'tree' but a giant herb
plant that is part of the same family as lilies and orchids.
Americans
consume 11 billion bananas annually. The
majority of the bananas being exported to the United States today are form
Latin America. Uganda is the leading
producer of bananas in the world. Plus,
bananas are also grown in Iceland due to the soil being heated by volcanic
steam vents.
Banana
consists mainly of sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose) and fiber, which
makes them ideal for an immediate and slightly prolonged source of energy. They also have health benefits such as:
1. They help reduce depression. Bananas contain tryptophan, an amino acid
that can be converted to serotonin leading to improved mood.
2. They are relative high in iron which helps
the body's hemoglobin function and prevent anemia.
3. They can help with both constipation and
diarrhea. Due to their fiber content,
they help restore a normal bowel function.
In addition, diarrhea usually depletes your body of important
electrolytes (of which the most important is potassium, contained in high
amounts in bananas). They also contain
pectin, a soluble fiber (hydrocolloid) that can help normalize movement through
the digestive tract.
4. Can you believe it can even help protect your
eyesight. Research published in the
Archives of Ophthalmology has proved that adults consuming at least 3 servings
of fruit per day have a reduced risk (by 36%) of developing age-related macular
degenerative, the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, compared to
persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.
5. Bananas are an exceptionally rich source of a
compound that nourishes probiotic (friendly) bacteria in the colon. These beneficial bacteria produce enzymes
that increase our digestive ability and protect us from unhealthy bacterial
infections. This increases our body's
ability to absorb calcium. In addition,
green bananas contain indigestible short chain fatty acids that are very
nutrient to the cells that make up the mucosa of the stomach. These cells, when healthy, absorb calcium
much more efficiently.
6. About 190,000 cases of kidney cancer are
diagnosed each year. Research published
in the International Journal of Cancer has shown that daily consumption of
whole fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, is highly protective to kidney
health. The results show that, over a
long timeframe (13.4 years) women eating more than 2.5 servings of fruits and
vegetables per day cut their risk of kidney cancer by 40%. Among the fruits, bananas were especially
protective. Women eating bananas 4 to 6
times a week halved their risk of developing the disease compared to those who
did not eat this fruit.
7. Bananas are extremely high in potassium
(about 4673 mg), yet very low in sodium (1 mg), thus having a perfect ratio of
preventing high blood pressure. So much
so, the US Food & Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry
to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood
pressure and stroke.
8. Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the
body so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
9. It has been found that snacking on bananas
between meals help to keep blood-sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
10. And when it comes to ulcers, the banana helps
reduce acidity and reduces irritation.
Bananas stimulate the cells on the internal stomach lining to produce a
thicker mucus (which protects against acid).
It contains protease inhibitors that help eliminate bacteria in the
stomach that have been pinpointed as a primary cause of ulcers.
So
now that we know how good the banana is for our body I'll give you a few tips
on purchasing. They can be found in just
about any stage of ripeness. You want to
look for plump undamaged fruit, but don't be too concerned about slight
bruises, the skin is tough enough to absorb most bumps. You can actually peel them, cut them into
halves and store them in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator where they will
keep at least 2 1/2 weeks. If stored
outside the refrigerator keep in mind that they will continue to ripen after
picking so store them at room temperature away from direct sunlight until they
reach your preferred color.
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