Banana Nutrition

Bananas are native to the tropical region of Southeast Asia and Australia. Banana plants are of the family Musaceae and are cultivated mostly for their fruit, and sometimes for the production of fiber and as ornamental plants. Bananas are tall, upright, and fairly sturdy. They are often mistaken for trees, however they are not.

They grow in hanging clusters of about 20 fruit known as a bunch or banana stem. They are 2 specific varieties that are well known and they are the green banana and the plantain which is usually cooked first hand. They also come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple and red.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, giving the body a boost of energy. Bananas are also a valuable source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, and potassium. Vitamin B6, also referred to as B complex is a water-soluble vitamin. It helps the body to convert carbohydrates into glucose (sugar), which is "burned" to produce energy. They also help metabolize fats and protein and play an important role in maintaining muscle tone in the gastrointestinal tract and promoting the health of the nervous system, skin, hair, eyes, mouth, and liver.

The most widely known vitamin is vitamin c. Again, a water soluble vitamin that is essential for the production of bones and connective tissue. This vitamin also helps with the absorption of iron. It is also an antioxidant, meaning it bonds with free radicals in the body that may damage cells like cardiovascular disease, cancer and premature aging.

Potassium chloride (KCl) is a metal halide salt composed of potassium and chlorine. Potassium is a natural diuretic that helps your body excrete water and sodium, thus promoting healthy cardiovascular health and regulating water balance. It also plays a role in muscle growth and contractions, nerve cell function, and protein synthesis.

As you can see, bananas offer tremendous nutritional value and should be a part of your every day regime.

Eat them raw or cook up some delicious recipes and reap the benefits.

Bell entrando no camarote do Nana - Carnaval 2008 Sábado

Bell do Chiclete com Banana, entrando no camarote do Nana, para fazer um show particular, no Carnaval de Salvador 2008



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUxVosL5u4Q&hl=en

vlog #8: 'nana bread!

in which emily makes vegan banana bread. thanks to: www.youtube.com music from: www.freeplaymusic.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvwoQ3cp3lQ&hl=en

FORRÓ DO NANA # VIDEO 03 #

FORRO DO NANA REALIZADO NO DIA 21/05/08 NA PÇA DE EVENTOS DA ORLA EM ARACAJU COM CHICLETE COM BANANA, CAVALEIROS DO FORRÓ, FORRO MAIOR E BOATE CAIPIRA MSN: batanga79@hotmail.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uW84YiWHHY&hl=en

Chiclete com Banana - Bota pra ferver (Nana Fest Gyn)

Chiclete com banana fazendo uma homenagem aos 20 anos do Asa de Águia, cantando a música "bota pra ferver". ::: www.bsbfest.com.br :::



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVIkVZezwPA&hl=en

Fruit Smoothie Recipes Help Combat Childhood Obesity

Obesity, and especially childhood obesity, is receiving a great deal of attention from the media in recent years. It seems that at least once a week you are presented with a story about childhood obesity and the ever increasing overweight teen population.

Instead of our children outgrowing their baby fat they continue to gain weight which in turn increases the risks of chronic diseases such as Diabetes and, later in life, coronary heart disease. While there is no one single cause of obesity, some habits certainly do not help. Sedentary live styles, poor eating habits, terrible food choices and, certainly, genetics all play roles. And, while it is tempting to lay the lion's share of blame on a non-controllable factor like genetics, it is really only a minor player.

When the now aging baby boomers grew up in In the 1950s and 1960s school gym classes were 5 days a week, cafeteria food consisted of "mystery meat," vegetables, jell-o or fruit and a carton of milk. Vending machines were located in gas stations and never in schools. Everybody's mom was at home and after school everyone played outside until dinner time! Indeed many children were not allowed in the house until dinner unless the weather was bad. Obviously, those days are long past for reasons too numerous to go into here.

Fast forward to today and kids sit for hours in front of televisions and computers playing video games, visiting social networking sites, and watching the latest new You Tube video. All too often, these kid's after school time is unsupervised because both parents are working. So their food choices lean toward high calorie fast food. Unless the child participates in some type of structured exercise or sports program the only exercise comes from walking to the refrigerator.

Realistically, if we are at work while the kids are home, we cannot control their eating habits as much as we would like. But we can help them resist the temptation of high-calorie foods and, vending machine treats if we can find "finger-tip" solutions. By that I mean putting healthy and nutritious foods in the house and encouraging our children by example to replace the sodas, chips, candy, and fast food with meals that are just as tasty and satisfying and a lot healthier at the same time.

Anyone who has worried about their kid's diets at all knows that it is very important to eat balanced portions of meats, fruits and vegetables as the key to maintaining both a healthy weight and a healthy lifestyle. But we also know that saying something and doing it can be very difficult. Pursuing the goals of providing meals that mix "good for you" with "this tastes good" is frequently a daily challenge.

Even though this may seem like an insurmountable problem there are steps you can take to improve your children's diets that they will embrace right away. Start your family each day with a fruit smoothie recipe using either fresh or frozen fruit and milk or yogurt. Make enough to leave some in the refrigerator for a healthy smoothie after school snack. Fruit smoothie recipes, besides being very easy to make they are very high in protein, vitamins, and minerals. Smoothies can also be made with fruit juice recipes, just make sure the juice you use isn't high in sugar.

Try this trick to make the after school smoothie treats "special": Pick up some big brightly colored straws at the store and make it a habit to keep a couple of large drink glasses in the refrigerator to chill. When the kids get home from school, they simply pour the smoothie into the chilled glass and enjoy. Even the pickiest of eaters will be sure to give it a try!

Here is a basic fruit smoothie recipe to try tomorrow. Both sweet and fresh tasting, it is a healthy breakfast and a great after school treat:

Pineapple Banana Smoothie
- 1 banana
- 1 cup of milk (soy, 2% or evaporated)
- 1/cup of pineapple chunks
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 4-6 ice cubes

Blend the banana, milk, pineapple and honey along with 3 ice cubes to start. Mix until you have a smooth creamy drink adding more ice cubes or milk as needed. This is an easy recipe to double.

Uses For Banana Peels

Let me tell you, I am bananas for Bananas. I can't get enough! This soft, creamy, sweet fruit is so wonderful. They are easy to take on the go, store, and make a great raw snack. It is jam packed with tons of vitamin and mineral goodness. They are also widely available throughout most of the year. But, did you know that the peel also has many uses in medicine and personal care.

Next time you eat a banana, think twice about throwing out that peel! Below are some popular uses for banana peels.

Wart Remover: Rub the inside of the peel on warts and then tap it to the area with medical tape or gauze.

Mosquito Bites: Rub inside of the peel on mosquito bite. It should reduce any swelling or irritation caused by the mosquito bite.

Splinters: Tape a piece of banana peel over the splinter and tape down with medical tape or gauze. The enzymes in the banana peel will dissolve or work out the splinter.

Poison Ivy: Rub the area with the inside of the banana peel twice a day until the rash is gone.

Heal Acne/Face Mask: Rub the inside of the peel over affected area just before bed. In the morning, rinse with water. Or apply as a mask (mashed banana) and remove after 15-30 minutes by rinsing with water.

Leather, houseplants, and Sliver: The peels can be used to shine sliver or clean leather (shoes, chairs, etc) and houseplant leaves. Test a small area first. Rub the inside of the peel on the item and then wipe with a rag or soft cloth if needed.

Compost Pile: After all of the above, the high potassium and phosphorus content of bananas make them a great addition to any compost.