BANANA BALITA


I promised Isha that I should mention the word "Banana" in my next ten posts. Unfortunately, in writing my Tuesday Slinging Ink post, I totally forgot to do so. So to make up for that "banana slip up" I'm devoting one entire POST to bananas.

Here are some Banana-related trivia:
1) Alexander the Great supposedly discovered bananas in his conquest for India in 327 B.C.
2) Bananas are not grown from trees. Instead, banana trees are actually compacted, water-filled leaf stalks that can grow as high as 25 feet. They are the world's largest herb.
3) The earliest dessert recipe that has been found was that consisting of bananas, almonds and honey mushed into an interesting mixture.
4) There are more than 200 varieties of bananas in the world (which is strange considering it took Alexander the Great in his conquest for India to discover them!)
5) Bananas can act as a mild sleep enhancer. If you have trouble getting your kids to sleep, try having them eat a banana.
6) The longest Banana split ever made was 4.55 miles long.
7) To reach their destinations, bananas are carefully packed into “air-conditioned” refrigerated containers, transported by trucks and then loaded onto ships. Here in the comfortably cool environment, bananas make their voyage to their destination.
8) Hieroglyphs discovered in the Temple of Der-el-Bahri in Thebes, Egypt show several priests carrying bunches of bananas.
9) Banana clothing exists. The stalk of the banana plant can be processed to produce fibers that are then woven into a fabric that is similar to silk. People in China, the Soloman Islands and Malagasy wear “stylin” threads from this fabric. We Pinoys, of course, have our own too.
10) One variety of banana, the 'Ice Cream Banana', is BLUE. It turns yellow like other bananas when ripe, and has a taste like vanilla custard and a marshmallow texture.
11) ‘Red bananas’ are maroon to dark purple when ripe, and even the fruit inside can have a slight pinkish color.
12) The average banana contains .6 grams fat.
13) For PMS sufferers, Eat a banana. The vitamin B6 a banana contains helps regulate blood gluclose levels which can affect your mood.
14) Supposedly, if you have a wart, you can kill it by having a piece of banana skin on the wart (yellow side out) and have it fixed on with tape. I have no idea if it works.
15) Banana is the dietary food of choice against intestinal disorders because of its texture and smooth softness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in chronic cases. It can neutralize over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
16) Bananas can also help those hoping to give up smoking. The fruit actually helps in the body's recovery and nicotine withdrawal.
17) A banana supposedly can cure hangover if made into a milkshake. Best with honey, so it can also build up depleted blood sugar levels.
18) Bananas supposedly can also relieve heartburn, being a natural antacid.
19) The inside of banana skin can also relieve mosquito bites.
20) Snacking on bananas between meals helps avoid morning sickness.

*o yan, Isha.. I hope that makes up for the first post lacking the word Banana.