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All about Bananas
Banana Mad? Can't do without it? Read some interesting
facts
Bananas are actually VERY good for one's health.
So.......
Bit of History
The banana is mentioned for the first time in history in Buddhist texts 600
years BC. Alexander the Great discovers the taste of the banana in the
Indian valleys in 327 BC . The existence of banana plantations could be
found in China back in the year 200 AD. In 650 AD, Islamic conquerors
brought the banana back to Palestine. The Arabic merchants finally spread
the bananas all over Africa.
Only in 1502 the Portuguese start the first banana plantation in the
Caribbean and in central America.
Nutrional facts
The banana is a highly nourishing fruit, contains NO fat, and because if its
digestive properties, you can eat a banana at any time of the day. Someone
told me once to avoid eating a banana before going to bed, as they usually
release all the energy an hour or so later, while you will be fast asleep,
so, if you are watching your weight, obviously this isn't a good thing to do
- because the banana holds 23% of hydrocarbonate for 0,2% of fat. The
cholesterol level is 0,00%; but best of all, 100 grams of banana provides
you with the same low calories as 100 grams of yoghurt with fruit.
The banana is full of proteins , and the sugar provided gives a lot of
energy to those practising sports requiring endurance. Also bananas contain
magnesium, selenium, iron, a lot of vitamins, and is recommended for
salt-free diets because of its low contents in sodium chloridium.
How do they grow'em?
The banana plant is not a tree, but a giant plant of the same family as
lilies, orchids and palms.
There are about 400 varieties of bananas.
The rhizome is planted and gives a first shoot 3 or 4 weeks later. After 9
to 10 months a bud hangs on the plant. Few days after that, the bud turns
red and starts opening. Very soon after, the leafs who covered it fall down
and a couple of days later, the first banana hands can be seen.
Few more facts
The word banana is derived from the Arabic meaning 'finger'.
Each banana stem consists of 10 to 14 hands each of them carrying from 18 to
20 bananas.
The harvest starts when the banana is still green.
Bananas for domestic consumption are cut green.
They can stay green only for about 3 weeks after they are picked.
Carefully washed, cut into smaller bunches, called 'clusters', they are then
packed in carton boxes, and transported by refrigerated ships.
Bananas can be eaten green,
as a vegetable, but must be cooked.
Source: www.passionateaboutfood.net
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