by Kristina
Benefits of Bananas
May 23, 2011 in Health Information, Juicing Tips by Kristina
We all know them. We mostly all love them. Who can resist a banana in their smoothies, juices and meals? Bananas add great taste and are a constant guest in your local cereal bowl. But what is all the hype about bananas. Find out why they are so good for you…
Bananas are a good source of potassium. Potassium helps maintain normal blood pressure and heart function. It also promotes good bone health. Bananas can also be an effective antacid and protect from ulcers and ulcer damage.
Bananas first came to the Unites States in the 19th century. However, they are believed to have originated in Malaysia nearly 4,000 years ago. Bananas were hard to transport because they are so fragile. However, once refrigeration and faster transportation became available, so did bananas… worldwide! They are mostly grown in tropical and subtropical climates such as Costa Rica, Mexico, Ecuador and Brazil.
When picking bananas, make sure they are firm but not hard. It’s ok if they are green, they can ripen a little more at home. They should be bright in appearance and have no bruises or injuries. They will ripen at room temperature. However, do not place them in the refrigerator if they are not ripe. This will stop the process. If they are ripe, you can put them in the refrigerator to keep fresh for a few days. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months. Just peel them or cut them up and put some lemon juice on them.
Bananas are a very good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber and manganese. Although you can’t juice bananas, you can add fresh juice to a blender with a banana and some ice to make a great tasting smoothie! Try it at home.
Photo Credit: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Kristina is the writer of the Power Juicer Community. She is here to bring you helpful Power Juicer tips, health-related news, delicious new recipes and answer your questions.
One day in the kitchen, I was baking and burned a fingertip. I quickly wrapped the burned area with a banana peel that was handy. I only expected to soothe the burn a bit, but the results were amazing. The peel seemed much more effective than running water at stopping the pain. So I continued to hold the peel wrapped around the burn.
This was the level of burn that starts to form a sac of fluid. Over the next half hour, I checked periodically. I watched the burn disappear, and instead of a puffy sac of fluid, there remained a slightly-wrinkled spot where the burn had been. Also amazing was the lack of pain. The skin over the spot was slightly less sensitive, but I could rub my fingernail over it and feel only a bit of tenderness in the tissue below.
I reason that there are anti-oxidants in banana peel which protect the banana fruit from spoiling. I have heard that frenched canned green beans have healed burns when applied immediately. I imagine it is a similar property of the inside white material in a banana peel. I hope this information will help someone to suffer less someday.
I had never heard of this, so if it is common knowledge, I’m sorry for wasting your time. You have nothing to lose by trying it and I think you, too, will be delighted.
I have also applied a banana peel in this way to an abrasion and believe it helped that type of “burn” as well.