Go a little bananas today

POLOKWANE –  Fun Facts:

• There are more than 500 varieties of banana in the world.
• Banana plants are the largest plants on earth without a woody stem. They are actually giant herbs of the same family as lilies, orchids and palms.
• During religious and important ceremonies such as weddings, banana flowers are tied around the head, for they believe this will bring good luck.
• The banana plant reaches its full height of 15 to 30 feet in about one year. The trunk of a banana plant is made of sheaths of overlapping leaves, tightly wrapped around each other like celery stalks.

• A cluster of bananas is called a hand and consists of 10 to 20 bananas, which are known as fingers.
• The word ‘banan’ is Arabic for finger.
• Bananas are one of the few fruits that ripen best off the plant. If left on the plant, the fruit splits open and the pulp has a “cottony” texture and flavor. Even in tropical growing areas, bananas for domestic consumption are cut green and stored in moist shady places to ripen slowly.
• The phrase ‘going bananas’ was first recorded in the Oxford English Dictionary, and is linked to the fruit’s ‘comic’ connections with monkeys.
• Actually a type of berry, individual bananas are called “fingers” that grow in bunches called “hands.”
• Bananas are slightly radioactive.

Health tips:

• During a marathon you might see runners eating pieces of bananas. The reason for this is that it consist mainly of sugars like glucose, fructose and sucrose, as well as fiber and therefore are ideal for an immediate source of energy.
• It is said that it reduce depression as it contain tryptophan, an amino acid that can be converted to serotonin, leading to improved mood.
• Bananas are relatively high in iron, which helps the body’s hemoglobin function which helps with anemia.
• Due to their content in fiber, they help restore a normal bowel function. They also contain pectin, a soluble fiber (hydro-colloid) that can help normalize movement through the digestive tract.
• 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.

https://twitter.com/healthwise_ng/status/851481912652824577

• Bananas are extremely high in potassium (about 4673mg), yet very low in sodium
• Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood-sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
• Bananas is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicle cases. It also helps reduce acidity and reduces irritation.

https://twitter.com/healthwise_ng/status/851478856255123456

• Bananas are high in potassium, which helps normalize the heartbeat and regulate the body’s water balance.
• Helps Fight PMS Symptoms. Bananas contain nutrients that turn into melatonin once consumed. Melatonin is known to be a natural sleep aid. Bananas also contain vitamin B6, which a number of studies have found effective in controlling PMS symptoms. The main role vitamin B6 plays on PMS is regulating mood. Potassium can help relax your muscles and prevent cramps.

Sources:

www.thejamiat.co.za

www.monkeyland.co.za

www.essentials.co.za