Although we are all used to calling bananas fruit, from a botanical point of view, they belong to berries. Another unexpected fact about these fruits: researcher Dan Koppel suggests that the same forbidden fruit from the Garden of Eden, which Eve offered Adam to Adam, was not an apple, but a banana. And this is not the only interesting facts about these yellow exotics.
Where did the bananas come from
The first bananas, as scientists believe, originated about 10 thousand years ago. And if so, then they claim to be called the world’s first fruits that have survived to this day. The first banana trees are known to have grown in New Guinea, the Philippines and Indonesia. Over time, traders brought these plants to India, Africa, Polynesia. The first written memories of this berry were found among Buddhists and date back to about 600 BC. e. And when in 327 BC. e. the army of Alexander the great invaded India, the first thing they found was the banana valleys. This is how the Western world learned about these yellow exotics. And by 200 BC. e. bananas reached China, where they “settled” the southern regions of the country. However, the fruits were not very popular here and until the twentieth century were considered strange and alien fruits.
Modern bananas, which can be bought on the market throughout the year, are very different from their wild progenitors, which had a lot of hard seeds and not very tasty pulp. Bananas as we know them appeared around 650 BC. e. in Africa, as a result of the crossing of two wild varieties – this is how seedless and larger fruits were formed. Today, bananas are grown in at least 110 countries around the world and are among the most sought after fruits. Only Americans eat significantly more bananas each year than apples and oranges combined. ..
What does the name mean
Historians suggest that bananas got their name, so to speak, with the light hand of Arab traders. In those distant times in Southeast Asia, banana fruits were very small by modern standards – no more than the finger of an adult.
Hence the strange name – “banana”, which translated from Arabic means “fingertip” farmer-online.com.
According to another theory, the authorship of this name belongs to one of the peoples who inhabited West Africa.
General characteristics
Bananas are exotic elliptical fruits with a creamy pulp covered with a dense, inedible rind. A banana tree can grow from 3 to 6 m in height. Fruits are formed in groups of 50-150 pieces, which are combined into clusters of 10-25 pieces.
Today biologists know many varieties of bananas, but the most popular is the Cavendish. It is this variety that most often appears on our shelves. And he got his strange name in honor of the Englishman William Spencer Cavendish, who actually brought this variety from the Mascarene Islands around 1826 and began to actively grow fruit in greenhouses farmer-online.com.
In addition, all currently known edible banana varieties are divided into two groups: dessert and vegetable (plantains) ..… The first variety can vary in taste, color and size. They come with red, pink, purple and even black skin. Vegetable varieties are prized for their high concentration of beta-carotene.
Benefit for health
Bananas are good for both adults and toddlers. And all thanks to the rich mineral and vitamin composition.
The cardiovascular system
The first reason bananas are good for the cardiovascular system is because they are rich in potassium. This mineral is responsible for the normalization of blood pressure and the proper functioning of the heart. The effectiveness of this theory was confirmed by American scientists. For eight years, they followed more than 43 men who had diets containing potassium, magnesium, and several other nutrients. It turned out that almost all participants in the experiment had a reduced risk of developing a stroke, and their blood pressure also stabilized. ...
The second reason bananas are good food for the cardiovascular system is their high concentration of sterols. In structure, these substances resemble cholesterol and are able to block the absorption of this fat-like substance from food by the body. As a result, we can say that bananas prevent the development of atherosclerosis.
The third reason is that bananas are a great source of fiber. One medium fruit contains approximately 3 grams of fiber, of which 1 gram is soluble dietary fiber. And they, as scientific experience shows, reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. ..
Digestive system
Bananas are amazing fruits in terms of carbohydrate and sugar content. Despite the fact that these yellow exotics are quite sweet, they belong to the foods with a low glycemic index.
As mentioned earlier, one medium banana contains approximately 3 grams of dietary fiber. They are necessary for the regulation of the digestive process, as well as for the breakdown of carbohydrates into simple sugars. In addition, fruits contain pectin, a unique and more complex type of fiber. Some of the pectins are water-soluble. In the process of ripening bananas, the number of water-soluble pectins increases, which, in fact, is one of the reasons why more mature fruits are very soft. As the concentration of water-soluble pectins increases, so does the proportion of fructose (compared to other sugars). The essence of such a proportional relationship between fructose and pectins explains the secret of easy digestion of this fruit.
Another important component of bananas – fructooligosaccharides – a unique type of fructose, which, as a rule, is not broken down by enzymes, but only in the lower part of the intestine under the influence of beneficial bacteria, which helps maintain the balance of the latter. 
The results of the study showed: if you consume two bananas daily for several months, then the number of beneficial bifidobacteria increases. 1… As a result, the incidence of gastrointestinal problems is reduced.
Benefits for athletes
The unique combination of vitamins, minerals and low glycemic carbohydrates makes bananas a favorite fruit for athletes. Eaten before training, they increase physical endurance. A study in cyclists showed that a banana (half a fruit for every 15 minutes of driving) keeps energy stores in the same level. ..… Additionally, athletes consume this fruit as a remedy for muscle cramps. Studies have shown that eating 1–2 bananas an hour before exercise helps maintain blood potassium levels after exercise, and a lack of this mineral causes muscle pain ...
The nutritional value
These yellow fruits are a good source of vitamin B6, ascorbic acid, manganese, potassium, copper, biotin, fiber.
Nutritional value at 100 g ..
Caloric content 96 kcal Proteins 1,5 g Fats 0 g Carbohydrates 5 g Vitamin B21 1 mg Vitamin B0,04 2 mg Vitamin B0,05 3 mg Vitamin B0,9 5 mg Vitamin B0,25 6 mg Biotin 0,38 μg Folic acid 4 μg Vitamin C 10 mg Vitamin A 10 μg Vitamin E 20 mg Vitamin K 0,4 μg Boron 0,5 μg Calcium 372 mg Chlorine 8 mg Chromium 47 μg Copper 0,17 μg Iodine 78 μg Iron 0,05 mg Magnesium 0,6 mg Manganese 42 mg Phosphorus 0,27 mg Potassium 28 mg Selenium 348 μg Sodium 1 mg Zinc 31 mg
Who are useful bananas?
The chemical composition of these fruits determines their beneficial properties. In particular, you can outline a circle of people who especially need bananas. These are individuals who have been diagnosed with one of the following conditions ..:
high blood pressure;- asthma;
- oncology (bananas prevent the development of leukemia in children, as well as the occurrence of colorectal cancer);
- cardiovascular diseases;
- diabetes mellitus (green bananas increase insulin sensitivity);
- diarrhea and other digestive disorders;
- distraction and memory impairment;
- obesity.
high blood pressure;In addition, bananas are beneficial in preventing kidney cancer, protecting the eyes from macular degeneration, and strengthening bones by improving calcium absorption. These fruits are good for children as they increase the ability to learn. ..… The high content of antioxidants in yellow exotics helps protect against free radicals. Many pregnant women are saved from early toxicosis with the help of bananas. These same fruits can help bring down the temperature during a fever.
Fruits are also useful for people who quit smoking, as they provide the necessary B vitamins, potassium and magnesium, which accelerate the process of purification and recovery of the body.
Other benefits
Banana peel will help relieve itching at the site of the insect bite, which needs to be wiped over the damaged area. This part of the fruit will help get rid of the warts. To do this, you need to glue a piece of peel to the growth. And if you rub leather shoes or a bag with banana peel, and then polish with a soft cloth, then the thing will shine like new ...
Possible hazardous properties
Fruits eaten in moderation do not cause any significant side effects. However, an overuse of exotic fruits (more than five bananas a day) can cause headaches and drowsiness. This is especially true for overripe bananas. In rare cases, they can provoke hyperkalemia – an increased concentration of potassium in the blood. Too frequent consumption of sweet fruits does not have the best effect on the teeth – it leads to the destruction of the enamel.
Bananas can cause one type of food allergy called latex-fruit syndrome. This disease is the result of the immune system’s reaction to the proteins found in natural rubber and some of the substances that make up bananas. By the way, this type of allergy can also be caused by kiwi, papaya, tomatoes, potatoes and avocados.
How to choose and store
Since commercially grown bananas are often plucked unripe, it is not surprising that you can see fruits with a greenish tint in stores. For this reason, you should choose fruits based on when you plan to consume them. Unripe fruits will take a few more days to fully ripen. The more yellow the fruit, the shorter its shelf life. The right bananas should be firm, but not too firm. In any case, the color should be bright, the skin should be smooth, without damage. The size of the fruit does not affect its taste.
And although bananas at first glance seem to be very persistent, in fact they are fragile fruits that require special care during storage. Greenish fruits should ripen at room temperature. In addition, do not let them be influenced by low temperatures. Many people like to keep fruits in the refrigerator, but this is wrong. Bananas are quite thermophilic. And if the unripe fruit is sent to the refrigerator and then returned to room temperature, the ripening process will not resume. The only time it is justified to keep bananas in the refrigerator is to prevent overripe fruit from rotting. And although their skin will still turn black, the flesh will remain firm and edible.
Some people prefer to freeze bananas. In this case, it is important to cold treat only peeled fruits, wrapped in plastic wrap or chopped to a puree state. To prevent discoloration after defrosting, it is important to add a little lemon juice to the pulp before placing it in the freezer.
But you can speed up the ripening process of fruits if you put them in a paper bag or wrap them in newspaper. But at the same time it is necessary to “add” to the neighbor’s bananas – an apple or a tomato ..… By the way, ripe fruits are richer sources of antioxidants than unripe ones.
What to do with the skin
Banana peels are not customary to eat, but this does not mean that they are poisonous. On the contrary, it contains vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium, a lot of fiber and protein. However, at the same time, it is in the banana peel that all the pesticides used to treat the plant are collected. But if you are sure of the environmental friendliness of the fruit, it is customary to use banana peel to make jam. In addition, it can be fried, stewed or boiled.
Bananas in cosmetology
These fruits have many benefits that make them beneficial to the skin and hair. The flesh of bananas can replace a lot of expensive cosmetics. Here are some ways to use these exotics in cosmetology:
- With antibacterial properties, bananas help get rid of acne and blemishes on the face (a mask of banana, milk, a pinch of nutmeg, oatmeal is suitable).
- Applying banana puree to the face for 20 minutes will help restore radiance and a healthy pink color to the skin.
- By kneading the pulp and mixing it with granulated sugar, and then applying this mixture to your hands, you can get rid of the roughness and soften the skin on the palms. This scrub is also suitable for the face.
- A mask from a banana and yogurt will help prevent hair loss and return shine to them.
- Get rid of dandruff also help these yellow fruits. It is enough to mix 2 banana with 2 honey with spoons and rub this mixture into the scalp. This tool also helps to restore shine to dry and damaged hair.
Bananas are one of the most consumed fruits on the planet. Perhaps the whole world, this fruit is known as an extremely rich source of potassium. Although in fact it contains many other, equally useful components in high concentration.
Sources of
- ↑ PubMed. – Effect of banana consumption on faecal microbiota: a randomised, controlled trial.
- ↑ ResearchGate. – Bananas as an Energy Source during Exercise: A Metabolomics Approach.
- ↑ The World’s Healthiest Foods. – Bananas.
- ↑ My healthy diet. – Calorie content “Banana”. Chemical composition and nutritional value.
- ↑ Online magazine “Good-Tips.Pro”. – Banana is the muse of health: the benefits and harms of bananas.
- ↑ Vegan. – Bananas in questions and answers.
- ↑ Yandex Zen. – What is a banana peel useful for?
- ↑ wikiHow. – How to make bananas ripe.
