NUTRITION
Benefits of Banana .
Banana is amongst the most versatile and most widely eaten fruits in the world today. It is very good for health, is easily digestible and packs a lot of energy within itself, in the form of natural sugars. It is one of the most popular and refreshing snacks, especially those had after a workout. The reason is that it is quite filling, gets quickly released into the bloodstream, in the form of energy, and does not contain fats. The nutrients present in bananas help a person in fighting a number of ailments and keep him in good health.
Banana has been known to comprise of the following nutrients:
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Phosphorus
• Fibers
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B, especially Folate
• Some amount of Iron, Zinc and Folic Acid
• Calories (per 100 g) - 90 to 93
Health & Nutrition Benefits of Eating Bananas
• The fiber content present in banana helps in lowering cholesterol level in the body.
• Banana helps in soothing an upset stomach and is also beneficial for those suffering from diarrhoea.
• Bananas have been found to provide immediate relief to those having a hangover.
• Bananas is said to help in alleviation of problems associated with premenstrual symptoms.
• A milkshake of fresh bananas, non-fat frozen yogurt and honey is said to ease headache and hydrate the body.
• The vitamins and minerals present in a banana make it a good post-exercise snack.
• The potassium content in banana regulates blood chemistry (particularly Ph) and prevents it from becoming too acidic.
• The magnesium content of a banana helps a person in recovering from fatigue.
• Bananas have also been associated with brain stimulation.
Banana has been found to have positive effects in relation to the following ailments:
• Anemia
• Blood Pressure
• Bowel Problems
• Constipation
• Depression
• Heart Problems
• Morning Sickness
• Nervous Disorders
• Stress
• Ulcers
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WALNUT
The nutmeats provide a robust, distinctive, natural flavor and crunch as a food ingredient. Popular uses include ice cream, baking and confection. The nut’s strong nutritional profile leads to uses in other foods such as salads, fish, pork, chicken, vegetables and dishes. The black walnut kernel is high in unsaturated fat and protein and has no cholesterol.
Extracts of the outer soft part of the drupe are still used as a natural dye for handicrafts. The tannins present in walnuts act as a mordant aiding in the dyeing process; usable as a dark ink or wood stain.
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Coconut
Coconut meat contains less fat than many oilseeds and nuts such as almonds, it is noted for its high amount of medium-chain saturated fat. About 90% of the fat found in coconut meat is saturated, a proportion exceeding that of foods such as lard, butter, and tallow. There has been some debate as to whether or not the saturated fat in coconuts is less unhealthy than other forms of saturated fat (see coconut oil). Like most nut meats, coconut meat contains less sugar and more protein than popular fruits such as bananas, apples and oranges. It is relatively high in minerals such as iron, phosphorus and zinc.
Young coconuts used for coconut water are called tender coconuts: when the coconut is still green, the endosperm inside is thin and tender, and is often eaten as a snack, but the main reason to pick the fruit at this stage is to drink its water. The water of a tender coconut is liquid endosperm. It is sweet (mild) .
Culinary uses of the various parts of the palm include:
• The nut provides oil for cooking and making margarine.
• The white, fleshy part of the seed, the coconut meat, is edible and used fresh or dried in cooking.
• The cavity is filled with coconut water, which is sterile until opened. It also mixes easily with blood, so for these reasons it was used during World War II as an emergency transfusion liquid for patients who had lost a lot of blood.
• It contains sugar, fiber, proteins, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and provides an isotonic electrolyte balance, making it a highly nutritious food source. It is used as a refreshing drink throughout the humid tropics, and is also used in isotonic sports drinks. Mature fruits have significantly less liquid than young immature coconuts; barring spoilage.
• Coconut milk is made by processing grated coconut with hot water or milk, which extracts the oil and aromatic compounds. It should not be confused with coconut water, and has a fat content around 17%. When refrigerated and left to set, coconut cream will rise to the top and separate from the milk. The milk is used to produce virgin coconut oil by controlled heating and removing the oil fraction. Virgin coconut oil is found superior to the oil extracted can be used for cosmetic purposes.
• The leftover fiber from coconut milk production is used as livestock feed.
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Mango
Mango is generally sweet and accounts for approximately half of all tropical fruits produced worldwide. Mango is consumed both as ripe fruit and as raw fruit. The ripe mango is commonly eaten fresh. Mango is rich in a variety of phytochemicals and nutrients. The fruit pulp is high in prebiotic dietary fiber, vitamin C, polyphenols and provitamin A carotenoids.
Mango contains essential vitamins, antioxidants and dietary minerals. The unique mango contains a host of antioxidants, any of which may counteract free radicals in various disease processes. The mango triterpene, lupeol is an effective inhibitor in laboratory models of prostate and skin cancers.
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Cashew Apple
It is now widely grown in tropical climates for its cashew "nuts".
• The cashew nutshell liquid, a by-product of processing cashew, is mostly composed of anacardic acids. These acids have been used effectively against tooth abscesses due to their lethality to gram-positive bacteria. They are also active against a wide range of other gram-positive bacteria.
• Anacardic acid is also used in the chemical industry for the production of cardanol, which is used for resins, coatings, and frictional materials.
• The bark is scraped and soaked overnight or boiled as an antidiarrheal. Seeds are ground up into powders used for antivenom for snake bites. The nut oil is used topically as an antifungal and for healing cracked heels.
• The cashew nut is a popular snack, and its rich flavor means that it is often eaten on its own, lightly salted or sugared. Cashew nuts are sold covered in chocolate but this attracts higher price.
• In some communities, the pseudofruit is mashed and mixed with water and sugar and used to make a form of alcohol by fermentation.
Orange
Like all citrus fruits, the orange is acidic, with a pH level of around 2.5-3; depending on the age, size and variety of the fruit. Although this is not, on average, as strong as the lemon, it is still quite acidic on the pH scale – as acidic as household vinegar. and the flavours of oranges vary from sweet to sour. The fruit is commonly peeled and eaten fresh, or squeezed for its juice. It has a thick bitter rind that is usually discarded, but can be processed into animal feed by removing water, using pressure and heat. It is also used in certain recipes as flavouring or a garnish. It is used as a flavouring of food and drink and for its fragrance in perfume and aromatherapy. Sweet orange oil consists of about 90% d-Limonene, a solvent used in various household chemicals, such as to condition wooden furniture, and along with other citrus oils in grease removal and as a hand-cleansing agent. It is an efficient cleaning agent which is promoted as being environmentally friendly and preferable to petroleum distillates. In some cultures, orange leaves are boiled to make tea.
