Exotic Goodness - The Banana

Nothing beats a banana as a wholesome snack. This tasty is not only good for you its' just downright delicious. It's the best ingredient in any dessert dish,rating number one both in flavor and nutrition.


Bananas originated in Malaysia and then traveled to India. it was on the subcontinent that Alexander had his first taste of the fruit in 327 BCE. Bananas were even mentioned in the writings of the Pali Buddhists six centuries before the birth of Christ. This ancient fruit then was transplanted to the island of Madagascar where it then was introduced to the African continent. It was the Arabs who did mass trading in bananas and gave them their name banan meaning "finger " in Arabic. A> from they moved to the Iberian Peninsula and also the Canary Islands. Portuguese missionaries later brought them to the Caribbean where they soon grew in abundance. American had to wait until 1876 to get their first taste of the fruit. They were sold, foil wrapped at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. The banana doesn;t come froma tree but from a large herb of the Musacae family.

Nowadays everyone has bananas as part of their diet. The fruit is rich in potassium with a large one having 150 mg of it. They also are loaded with Vitamin A , thiamine and folic acid. One banana is only 150 calories.Remember to buy yellow ones and store on your table or kitchen counter. DON'T store them in the fridge . They won;t ripen there and you'll wind up with a mess.You can use the leftover peels as mulch for your garden.

As for recipes my favorite is the ice cream less banana split. (which was created during the 1920s!) It's just a sliced up banana, covered in chocolate syrup and topped with Cool Whip. This a great , relatively low calorie snack when you're craving the other but can't have it. Banana bread is another favorite because it combines the fruit with sugar and vanilla (it's a no brainer that my favorite all natural lotion by Pure & Basic is their banana and wild vanilla scent. It smells just like freshly baked banana bread!!!!)You can also chunk up bananas and grill them for a minute or two and then serve with vanilla ice cream and brown sugar.

Bananas are a great and nutritious treat. Their sweet, mellow flavor is just the thing for anyone craving a sweet snack. Their nutritional value is just right for adults and kids .