Banana

Scientific Name: Musa

Bahasa Indonesia: Pisang

Batak: Pisang

Basic Information:  The banana tree is one of two or three genera in the family Musaceae, which includes bananas and plantains. Though they grow as high as trees, banana and plantain plants are not woody and their “stem” is made up of bases of the huge leaf stalks, therefore, they are technically giant herbs. The banana plant is the largest herbaceous flowering plant, most are around 5 meters, but some can grow up to 7 meters tall.The leaves of banana plants are composed to a stalk and a blade. The fruit develops from the banana heart, in a large hanging cluster, made up of tiers, with up to 20 fruit to a tier. The hanging cluster is known as a bunch, comprising 3-20 tiers and can weigh 30-50 kg. Banana plants are native to tropical Indomalaya and Australia, and are likely to have been first domesticated by Papua New Guinea.

Health Benefits:

  1. Moderates Blood Sugar Levels – the high levels of pectin (a type of fiber) and resistant starch moderate blood sugar levels after meals and reduce appetite by slowing the emptying of your stomach.
  2. Improves Digestive Health – the two main types of fiber in bananas help feed your friendly gut bacteria and safeguard against colon cancer.
  3. Aids in Weight Loss – bananas are relatively low in calories, yet full of fiber, very nutritious and filling.
  4. Supports Heart Health – high levels of potassium and magnesium, which are essential for heart health.
  5. Lowers Risk of Disease – there are several types of antioxidants found in bananas, which can reduce the risk of heart disease and degenerative illnesses.
  6. Help you feel Full – resistant starch is found in unripe bananas, which can reduce appetite and help keep you fuller longer.
  7. Improves Insulin Sensitivity – resistance starch found in unripe bananas may improve insulin sensitivity.
  8. Improves Kidney Health – potassium is essential for blood pressure control and healthy kidney function, so eating a banana several times a week may reduce your risk of kidney disease.
  9. Benefits Exercise – bananas provide excellent nutrition before, during and after endurance exercise and may help relieve muscle cramps caused by exercise.
  10. Easy to add to the Diet – bananas can be a great addition to many types of foods and can be a substitute for sugar. In addition, they rarely contain pesticides or pollutants due to their thick protective peel.
  11. Enhances Mood – bananas can act as a mood enhancer because of the amino acids, tryptophan and vitamin B6, which helps your body produce serotonin.

Fun Facts:

  • The world’s largest producers of the banana in 2017 were India and China, which together accounted for almost 40% of the total production
  • The bananas that we eat today are different from pre-1960s bananas, which were wiped out by “the panama disease”
  • Humans share about 50% of our DNA with bananas

 

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-benefits-of-bananas#section12

https://thatsitfruit.com/blog10-interesting-facts-about-bananas/