Fred and Mary Holmes' Web Site

I am going to have to confess that Mary does do more than sit in her swinging chair and work Sudoku puzzles. In fact she did most of the research on the banana and we are finally getting some use out of the $35.00 book “A Guide to Tropical Plants of Costa Rica.” where she extracted most of her information.

We have a lot of bananas surrounding our house and because we have several varieties there is a bunch getting ripe very couple of weeks. We eat a lot of bananas and have learned that we can attract a wide variety of feathered friends by putting some on our feeder.

Until Mary started her quest, I didn’t know much about bananas except that you have to pick them when they are fully plumped out but still green. They often are pretty high on the stalk so it is necessary to cut down the stalk first. It requires two people, one to cut down the stalk and another to catch the hank (that is the term for a bunch of bananas) so the bananas won’t get damaged. The hank is very heavy, about 50 pounds and the sap from the cut is extremely sticky so it is a good idea to wear a pair of gloves. You will get to eat more if you hang the hank near the house as they ripen so the greedy little birds don’t get them all. A healthy mature stalk can produce up to 100 bananas on a hank but typically 50 or so is the norm depending a lot on the variety. Some varieties are very large while some are small, just a little bigger than your thumb. They refer to those as baby bananas, but they really fully grown, just a different variety.

According to Mary, the first bit of amazing information is that the banana is not a tree at all but a giant herb with an underground stem that sends up multiple shoots. Each shoot produces one hank of bananas and then dies back.  The trunk is made of rolled up overlapping leaf-stem sheaths that kind of unroll as they grow. The fruits develop without pollination or seeds and more banana plants are grown by digging up the roots or corms and planting them. Each year more shoots come up from the root. They seem to grow just about anywhere with little care and only need plenty of rain and sunshine. They can’t take a freeze so a tropical climate is necessary.

Most of the bananas are eaten raw when they are ripe, but some varieties (banano negro) and the closely related plantain (platano) are picked less than ripe and cooked, boiled or fried, making a starchy food similar to potatoes or squash.

            Humans and livestock have been known to eat the stalk, roots, make beer (chica) from the fruit, and use the leaves as food wrappers or to thatch their houses. Some species even make good paper pulp. Vinegar, flour and medicinal purposes also are claimed by the banana.

I mentioned birds, but bats, insects and many other animals love the banana. The fastest way to train a horse is with bananas. They will be at your door every morning after two feedings of bananas.

We eat many ripe bananas and I have had the plantains caramelized in a delicious dessert, but I must say I am not a big fan of the starchy banano negro.

Here is some more information about the amazing banana:

Containing three natural sugars, sucrose, fructose and glucose, combined with fiber, the banana gives an instant, sustained and a substantial boost of energy. Just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it an important addition to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey among people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in  potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure and help prevent strokes

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with
a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking & Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to
 kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

Want a quick shine on our shoes?? Take the
INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe. Polish with
dry cloth.

Thanks to Mary for her research and to Krysia Peterson who compiled the list of medicinal uses for the banana.