Nine-foot-long banana bundle

A nine-foot-long bundle (buwig) of bananas which was measured by San Fernando City agriculturist Eduvijes Flores is examined by other agriculturists on Wednesday, July 10. The banana tree was planted by Lolita Abaigar and Virginia Miranda of Brgy. Catbagen in the capital La Union. Vic Alhambra Jr.

Source: http://www.gmanetwork.com

Banana peels as a substitute for petroleum based plastic

Sunday, 7 July 2013

Elif Bilgin has come up with an unusual idea - using banana peels as a substitute for petroleum based plastic.

Image Source: sorion.tumblr.com

The 16 year old student from Istanbul has spent the past two years perfecting the process to make a bioplastic from discarded banana peels. She hopes that, in time, the method can be utilised to produce plastics for electric cable insulation.

On Thursday, her efforts paid off when Scientific American named her the winner of its $50,000 Science in Action prize, a stepping stone to the Google Science Fair for young inventors in California this September.

In her research, Bilgin — who says, "science is my calling" — determined that if starch and cellulose from such food waste as mango skins can be used to make bioplastics, then banana peels ought to do the trick, too.

"For me, this means that my project actually has a potential to be a solution to the increasing pollution problem caused by petroleum-based plastic," said Bilgin, who counts Nobel laureate Marie Curie among her heroes.

"It also means that I have started the process of changing the world, which makes me feel like a winner already," she said.
Source: rawstory.com

Go bananas with banana nutrition facts

Banana saw its origin in Malaysia. The fruit is believed to be conceived for the first time in the country. It made its way to the Indian subcontinent with the help of numerous visitors. It took several years to become popular all across the world. Today, banana stands as one of the most loved fruits. Its sweet flavor is considered to be one of the best flavors offered by any fruit. In many countries, leaves of banana are used in the making of plates. Bananas are easy to peel as well. They are immensely fleshy in the inside. This makes it easily consumable. Apart from its delectable taste, there are numerous health benefits of bananas too, which have been listed here as banana nutrition facts.

The deliciously sweet fruit is loved by people of all age groups. Bananas act as a perfect smoothie material too. They blend in with other fruits easily and enhance their flavor. If bananas are prepared without addition of another fruit, the prepared beverage is known as a banana smoothie or a banana-shake. This is generally prepared by adding milk or yoghurt with the mixture. Numerous banana dishes are also widely popular amongst the masses. Banana splits are loved by children. Banana is also used in the preparation of pies and cakes. So, why do people consume bananas and go bananas at the sight of bananas? The answer to that is, naturally, its delectable taste. However, there are several banana nutrition facts too that bears testimony to their popularity.

Banana nutrition facts expound the presence of several essential elements and constituents in the fruit. Banana retains Vitamin C which helps in defending the body against diseases like scurvy. It also helps in improving the immune system of the body thereby helping the body to develop resistance against infectious agents. The vitamin is also essential for the synthesis of connective tissues. It also assists in the absorption of iron, thereby helping in the formation of blood. Banana also contains potassium which helps in speeding up the process of protein synthesis. Potassium is also beneficial in muscle-building. Potassium assists in the stimulation of nerve impulses, which are necessary for muscle contraction. Hypertension and stroke could also be eschewed, with the aid of potassium in bananas. Bananas also do not retain sodium hence could be easily included in one’s diet to mitigate the effect of high blood pressure.

Some of the banana nutrition facts explain, how bananas impart a boost in the energy level of a person. No wonder players and athletes prefer munching a piece of banana to improve their performance. Bananas contain sugars like fructose, sucrose and glucose which are available naturally. It also contains fiber. It retains Vitamin B6, which is also known as pyridoxine. It helps in the synthesis of antibodies, thereby improving the immune system. Pyridoxine also helps in the formation of red blood cells. One of the

banana nutrition facts elucidates how bananas contain extremely digestible carbohydrates. A banana also assists in carrying out various metabolic activities in the body.

Source: Mango Nutrition Fact

All About Banana

Banana is called 'the fruit of wise'. It contains vitamins and minerals that are essential for the body. Let us explore the various banana nutrition and others facts in this article.
Banana is a perennial herbaceous plant that develops from the underground rhizome. It flourishes well under tropical moisture-rich, humid low-lying farmlands. In fact, the whole plant is a false stem (pseudostem), consisting of broad leaves along with their petioles overlapping around each other in a circular fashion standing up to 2 to 6 meters tall from the ground surface depending upon the cultivar types. At maturity, the rhizome gives rise to flower (inflorescence) that is carried up on a long smooth un-branched stem through the centre of the pseudo-stem emerging out at the top in the centre of the leaf cluster. The flower subsequently develops to hanging bunch consisting of 3 to 20 hands (tiers), each with at least 5-10 fingers (fruits) in each hand (tier). Banana plant or plantain bears hanging clusters of fruits as a bunch. Fruits are arranged in tiers, with 6-20 fruits in each tier.
High vitamin and mineral content Low-fat dieters also love bananas as they contain virtually no fat. Bananas do have a gram or two of protein, but where a banana really shines nutritiously is in its vitamin content. A banana is high in the following: Vitamin C: 17 percent of recommended daily value in one banana Vitamin B6 (22 percent; good for the nervous system) Folate (6 percent; good for cell repair) Bananas are also high in the mineral manganese (good for bone health), supplying 16 percent of the recommended daily value. Are you susceptible to cramping? Magnesium can help prevent cramps and bananas contain 8 percent recommended daily value.			Some Banana Nutrition Facts The banana is perhaps the oldest recorded fruit in the world as well as the most consumed. But some dieters avoid bananas like a slippery peel. Are bananas unhealthy? Or have some carb-phobic dieters gone bananas? Here are some banana nutrition facts... Vitamin C which is found in bananas, helps the body to defend and heal against infections. This vitamin also proves valuable in the synthesis of the connective tissue, absorption of iron and the formation of blood. Not only are bananas rich in vitamin C, they also contain potassium. Potassium is a mineral that helps in the building of muscles and protein synthesis. This is done as potassium stimulates nerve impulses for muscle contraction. A diet rich in potassium is said to reduce the risk of hypertension and stroke. As bananas are free from sodium and very rich in potassium, they can be included in the diet to reduce the risk of high blood pressure. Bananas contain three natural sugars, sucrose, fructose and glucose, along with fiber. A banana thus gives an instant and substantial boost of energy. A banana contains vitamin B6, which helps in the synthesis of antibodies in the immune system, apart from red blood cell formation, protein metabolism and functioning of the central nervous system. No other fruit contains more digestible carbohydrates than bananas. This is advantageous, because the body burns off calories from carbohydrate more easily and quickly than calories from fat or protein.
There are several cultivars of banana grown with different size (4”-9”inch), color (yellow to brown), weight (70-150g) and taste. Structurally, fruit has a protective outer skin and delicious, sweet and tart, creamy-white color edible flesh inside. Plantains are other cultivar types, more often used as cooking bananas. They are closely related to the familiar fruit banana or dessert banana. Plantains are used as a staple diet in Thailand, Laos, and other Southeast Asian as well as in many parts of tropical African and Caribbean regions.				Amazing Facts
				The word banana is derived from the Arab word 'banan', which means finger. Bananas are harvested green because they keep ripening even after they are picked. Unlike most other fruits that grow on trees, bananas grow on plants. An average American is said to consume more than 28 pounds of bananas every year. Brisbane holds the world record for the longest banana split, which measured 4.6 miles or 7.3 kilometers. 3 medium bananas would weigh about a pound. Despite the fact that bananas love a tropical climate, they are grown in Iceland too, by heating the soil with geysers.
				Important Note: Copyright to Agriculture Information Bank, without permission reproduce by any means is Strongly Prohibited.
Health benefits of banana fruit
§  Banana fruit is one of the high calorie tropical fruits. 100 g of fruit provides 90 calories. Besides, it contains good amounts of health benefiting anti-oxidants, minerals, and vitamins. §  Banana pulp is composed of soft, easily digestible flesh with simple sugars like fructose and sucrose that when eaten replenishes energy and revitalizes the body instantly; thus, for these qualities, bananas are being used by athletes to get instant energy and as supplement food in the treatment plan for underweight children. §  The fruit contains a good amount of soluble dietary fiber (7% of DRA per 100 g) that helps normal bowel movements; thereby reducing constipation problems. §  It contains health promoting flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, zea-xanthin, ß and α-carotenes in small amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes. §  It is also a very good source of vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine), provides about 28% of daily-recommended allowance. Pyridoxine is an important B-complex vitamin that has a beneficial role for the treatment of neuritis, and anemia. Further, it helps decrease homocystine (one of the causative factors in coronary artery disease (CHD) and stroke episodes) levels within the body. §  The fruit is an also moderate source of vitamin-C (about 8.7 mg per 100g). Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals. §  Fresh bananas provide adequate levels of minerals like copper, magnesium, and manganese. Magnesium is essential for bone strengthening and has a cardiac-protective role as well.  Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells. §  Fresh banana is a very rich source of potassium. 100 g fruit provides 358 mg potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure, countering bad effects of sodium.
Medicinal Importance	Banana fruits are sometimes known to cause skin and systemic allergic reactions. In "oral allergy syndrome" which causes itching and swelling around the mouth or throat within hours after ingestion and is related to birch tree and other pollen allergies. The other type of reaction is related to latex allergies and causes urticaria and potentially serious gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Banana fruit nutrition facts

Go for banana fruit, nature's own energy-rich food that comes in a safety envelope! Fresh, delicious bananas are available year around and in fact, one of the cheapest fruits. Botanically, the fruit belongs to the family of Musaceae.Commercially, it is one of the widely cultivated crops in the tropical and subtropical zones.
Scientific name: Musa acuminata colla.

Banana is a perennial herbaceous plant that develops from the underground rhizome. It flourishes well under tropical moisture-rich, humid low-lying farmlands.
In fact, the whole plant is a false stem (pseudostem), consisting of broad leaves along with their petioles overlapping around each other in a circular fashion standing up to 2 to 6 meters tall from the ground surface depending upon the cultivar types. At maturity, the rhizome gives rise to flower (inflorescence) that is carried up on a long smooth un-branched stem through the centre of the pseudo-stem emerging out at the top in the centre of the leaf cluster. The flower subsequently develops to hanging bunch consisting of 3 to 20 hands (tiers), each with at least 5-10 fingers (fruits) in each hand (tier). Banana plant or plantain bears hanging clusters of fruits as a bunch. Fruits are arranged in tiers, with 6-20 fruits in each tier.

Health benefits of banana fruit

• Banana fruit is one of the high calorie tropical fruits. 100 g of fruit provides 90 calories. Besides, it contains good amounts of health benefiting anti-oxidants, minerals, and vitamins.
• Banana pulp is composed of soft, easily digestible flesh with simple sugars like fructose and sucrose that when eaten replenishes energy and revitalizes the body instantly; thus, for these qualities, bananas are being used by athletes to get instant energy and as supplement food in the treatment plan for underweight children.
• The fruit contains a good amount of soluble dietary fiber (7% of DRA per 100 g) that helps normal bowel movements; thereby reducing constipation problems.
• It contains health promoting flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants such aslutein, zea-xanthin, ß and α-carotenes in small amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes.
• It is also a very good source of vitamin-B6(pyridoxine), provides about 28% of daily-recommended allowance. Pyridoxine is an important B-complex vitamin that has a beneficial role for the treatment of neuritis, and anemia. Further, it helps decrease homocystine (one of the causative factors in coronary artery disease (CHD) and stroke episodes) levels within the body.
• The fruit is an also moderate source of vitamin-C (about 8.7 mg per 100g). Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals.
• Fresh bananas provide adequate levels of minerals like copper, magnesium, and manganese. Magnesium is essential for bone strengthening and has a cardiac-protective role as well. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells.
• Fresh banana is a very rich source of potassium. 100 g fruit provides 358 mg potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure, countering bad effects of sodium.

Banana fruit nutrition facts

Go for banana fruit, nature's own energy-rich food that comes in a safety envelope! Fresh, delicious bananas are available year around and in fact, one of the cheapest fruits. Botanically, the fruit belongs to the family of Musaceae.Commercially, it is one of the widely cultivated crops in the tropical and subtropical zones.
Scientific name: Musa acuminata colla.

Banana is a perennial herbaceous plant that develops from the underground rhizome. It flourishes well under tropical moisture-rich, humid low-lying farmlands.
In fact, the whole plant is a false stem (pseudostem), consisting of broad leaves along with their petioles overlapping around each other in a circular fashion standing up to 2 to 6 meters tall from the ground surface depending upon the cultivar types. At maturity, the rhizome gives rise to flower (inflorescence) that is carried up on a long smooth un-branched stem through the centre of the pseudo-stem emerging out at the top in the centre of the leaf cluster. The flower subsequently develops to hanging bunch consisting of 3 to 20 hands (tiers), each with at least 5-10 fingers (fruits) in each hand (tier). Banana plant or plantain bears hanging clusters of fruits as a bunch. Fruits are arranged in tiers, with 6-20 fruits in each tier.

Health benefits of banana fruit

• Banana fruit is one of the high calorie tropical fruits. 100 g of fruit provides 90 calories. Besides, it contains good amounts of health benefiting anti-oxidants, minerals, and vitamins.
• Banana pulp is composed of soft, easily digestible flesh with simple sugars like fructose and sucrose that when eaten replenishes energy and revitalizes the body instantly; thus, for these qualities, bananas are being used by athletes to get instant energy and as supplement food in the treatment plan for underweight children.
• The fruit contains a good amount of soluble dietary fiber (7% of DRA per 100 g) that helps normal bowel movements; thereby reducing constipation problems.
• It contains health promoting flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants such aslutein, zea-xanthin, ß and α-carotenes in small amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes.
• It is also a very good source of vitamin-B6(pyridoxine), provides about 28% of daily-recommended allowance. Pyridoxine is an important B-complex vitamin that has a beneficial role for the treatment of neuritis, and anemia. Further, it helps decrease homocystine (one of the causative factors in coronary artery disease (CHD) and stroke episodes) levels within the body.
• The fruit is an also moderate source of vitamin-C (about 8.7 mg per 100g). Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals.
• Fresh bananas provide adequate levels of minerals like copper, magnesium, and manganese. Magnesium is essential for bone strengthening and has a cardiac-protective role as well. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells.
• Fresh banana is a very rich source of potassium. 100 g fruit provides 358 mg potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure, countering bad effects of sodium.

 

Europe: Banana trade has changed

The banana market in Europe is changing. The trade has become much more structured, with supermarkets having more influence than ever before. And these supermarkets have changed their strategy, looking to import the goods themselves. Currently, importers agree on quantities with their business partners. This also applies to the big banana multinationals like Chiquita, Dole and Del Monte. The whole banana trade is more strictly registered, suppliers getting more and more the role of service providers. The same goes for cultivation: more structured and more regulated.

Globalisation is taking effect. Western Europe, with the exception of traditional ACP banana countries like France, UK and Spain, has become a major import market and Central America a major export area. The trade has disappeared. The selling prices are fixed. There is no room for the cowboys of yesteryear. The Fair Trade prices are sound and producers no longer put up with unreasonable prices.

In Eastern Europe more and more bananas are sold under a private label, causing the major brands to slowly disappear. Russia took control of her own import. As a direct result, companies like Sunways, JFC and Sorus went under. Living large has spelled doom for these importers.

Export from Ecuador has decreased markedly. The country is still plagued by the Black Sigatoka disease. In addition, minimum export prices have been established, which are strictly controlled by the government, so there is much less tampering going on in the sector.