This edited article is reproduced from the WebMD website which Longevity International recommends for readers who enjoy stimulating ideas for good health and energy).
https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-clean-living
Bananas have been described as the first “superfood”
They’re packed with fibre to make you feel full and vitamins that do your body good. Americans go bananas for them. They eat more than 27 pounds a year* – about 90 bananas. That’s more than oranges and apples combined. *Kiwis eat more than any other country at about 18 kilos per person per year (Source Newshub) One large banana is about 8- to 9-inches long and equal to one serving of fruit. It has about 120 calories and 490 milligrams of potassium. That’s 19% of a woman’s daily potassium needs and 15% of a man’s. This nutrient can remove sodium from your body and relax blood vessel walls, which helps manage blood pressure. The golden fruit is also a good source of vitamin B6, which is essential for your immune system, nervous system, and brain.
Bananas put the B in the easy-to-digest BRAT diet. Doctors often recommend eating bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast when you’re fighting diarrhoea or a tummy ache. Bananas kick-start mucus production in your gut. This helps protect the stomach lining from the acid that may be triggering the heartburn, nausea, or whatever else may be causing the upset.
Bananas are a breakfast superstar. Their natural sweetness can help cut the tartness in yoghurt or pep up a bowl of hot porridge. Some love to slice them over their cereal. Bananas add just the right creamy texture to a smoothie. And, this portable, handheld fruit on its own makes a great breakfast on the go.
“Bananaspeak”
You may say you’re going to pick up “a bunch of bananas” at the store. But, that’s not exactly right. A single banana is called a finger. These fingers grow together in a group called a hand. Many hands grow together to form a bunch or stalk. A bunch may include as many as 20 hands, far more than you buy at once in the produce section.
The banana plant is actually a giant herb. The yellow fruit it produces is a berry. You may think they are all curved. But, some bananas are long and straight. Others take the shape of a ball. You’ll find many bananas in Ecuador — the leading grower in the word. The Philippines comes in second. Hawaii is the only U.S. state that grows these yellow berries commercially.
