7 Ways to Heal with Bananas — The Evidence

The banana has a secret second life. It has been observed slyly practicing medicine without a license, and indeed, seems readily equipped with the following nutritional “super powers”….

There is much more than meets the eye with the banana. A household favorite, a lost-leader at the grocery store, a metaphor for psychiatric problems, a mainstay of comic slap stick, the banana has woven itself deeply into human affairs, on both gut and mental levels. And this relationship is at least 10,000 years old, as far as conscious human cultivation of the species goes.

But, many do not realize that the banana is more than just an exceptionally starch-rich fruit, but has a complex biochemistry, with unique pharmacologically active properties which scientists have characterized.

Bananas actually contain the catecholamines dopamine[i] and norepinephrine,[ii] the very same adrenal hormones released in the human body when it undergoes the typical “fight-or-flight” response. It is believed that the banana plant uses the biosynthetic pathway for catecholamines when under the stress of attack to fight off infectious pathogens such as in crown rot disease.[iii]Some varieties excrete a form of serotonin in their sap, [iv] and there is even mention in the biomedical literature of the discovery of the NSAID drug naproxen (trade name Aleve) within the banana cultivar Musa acuminate.

Sound crazy? Well, that’s to be expected from a fruit we commonly associate with a state of unbridled madness.

But the banana has a secret second life. It has been observed slyly practicing medicine without a license, and indeed, seems readily equipped with the following nutritional “super powers”….

Green Banana Is Anti-Diarrhea

Before a banana is ripened, while it is in its green state, it contains starches which are resistant to digestion, but have been studied in combination with pectin to significantly reduce intestinal permeability and fluid loss in those suffering with bouts of diarrhea.[v][vi]  Even when used without pectin, green banana has been found to hasten recovery of acute and prolonged childhood diarrhea when managed at home in rural Bangladesh.[vii]

Banana Is Anti-Ulcer Activity

Banana powder has been studied to prevent ulcer formation induced by a variety of drugs, including aspirin, indomethacin, phenylbutazone, prednisolone, cysteamine, and histamine. Researchers have found that banana powder treatment not only strengthens mucosal resistance against ulcerogens but also promotes healing by inducing cellular proliferation.[viii] One of the anti-ulcer compounds identified within unripe banana is the flavonoid known as leucocyanidin, and which is particularly effective against aspirin-induced erosion.[ix]

Banana Peel Suppresses Prostate Gland Growth

Banana peel has been found to suppress testosterone-induced prostate gland enlargement.[x]

Banana Stem Extract suppresses Oxalate Kidney Stones

A water extract of banana stem extract has been found to suppress the formation of oxalate-associated kidney stones in the animal model, leading researchers to conclude that it “may be a useful agent in the treatment of patients with hyperoxaluric urolithiasis.”[xi]

Banana Consumption Protects the Skin Against UV-Light Damage

UV-B light induced skin damage may be prevented or reduced through the consumption of bananas, with a protective effect against loss of skin elasticity.[xii]

Banana Has Anti-Diabetic Properties  

Banana flower extract has been studied in a type 1 diabetic model,[xiii] and has been found to have both antioxidant and blood sugar lowering effects. Banana root extracts have been discovered to contain blood sugar lowering properties comparable in efficacy to the drug glibenclamide (trade name Glyburide).[xiv] Also, unripe banana contain starches resistant to hydrolysis and therefore beneficial to diabetics.[xv]

Banana Contains a Variety of Anti-Infective Compounds

Banana contains compounds with demonstrable anti-MRSA activity,[xvi] anti-HIV replicative activity,[xvii] [xviii] and following metabolic transformation by fungi, anti-leishmanicidal activity.[xix] The leaves of the plant are used in many centers in India during the care of patients with toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and other extensive blistering disorders which can result in deadly sepsis in the absence of treatment.[xx]

Closing Remarks

Whatever you do, don’t slip up and buy non-organic bananas. Like other foods that are grown in massive monocultures, without crop rotation, they are a pesticide-intensive crop. And this concern extends beyond simply what agrochemicals you are exposing your body to. In conventional farming, the planet gets carpet-bombed as well with these nasty toxicants, and since we all live on the same Earth, eventually those pesticides make it back up the food chain to you, whether you choose to eat organic or not.

Still hungering for more information?

Learn more about the health benefits of banana, which include of 65 potential therapeutic applications, on the GreenMedInfo Banana database.

---

References

• [i] K Kanazawa, H Sakakibara. High content of dopamine, a strong antioxidant, in Cavendish banana. J Agric Food Chem. 2000 Mar ;48(3):844-8. PMID: 10725161

• [ii] J M FOY, J R PARRATT. A note on the presence of noradrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine in plantain (Musa sapientum, var. paradisiaca). J Pharm Pharmacol. 1960 Jun ;12:360-4. PMID: 13824274

• [iii] L Lassois, C De Clerck, P Frettinger, L De Lapeyre De Bellaire, P Lepoivre, M Haïssam Jijakli. Catecholamine biosynthesis pathway potentially involved in banana defense mechanisms to crown rot disease. Commun Agric Appl Biol Sci. 2011 ;76(4):591-601. PMID: 22702179

• [iv] Pongsagon Pothavorn, Kasipong Kitdamrongsont, Sasivimon Swangpol, Siripope Wongniam, Kanokporn Atawongsa, Jisnuson Savasti, Jamorn Somana. Sap phytochemical compositions of some bananas in Thailand. J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Aug 11 ;58(15):8782-7. PMID: 20681667

• [x] Kiichiro Akamine, Tomoyuki Koyama, Kazunaga Yazawa . Banana peel extract suppressed prostate gland enlargement in testosterone-treated mice. Dermatol Surg. 2005 Jul;31(7 Pt 2):855-60; discussion 860. PMID: 19734683

• [xi] P K Poonguzhali, H Chegu. The influence of banana stem extract on urinary risk factors for stones in normal and hyperoxaluric rats. Br J Urol. 1994 Jul ;74(1):23-5. PMID: 8044524

• [xii] Jarupa Viyoch, Khuanrudee Mahingsa, Kornkanok Ingkaninan. Effects of Thai Musa species on prevention of UVB-induced skin damage in mice. Food Chem Toxicol. 2012 Sep 8 ;50(12):4292-4301. Epub 2012 Sep 8. PMID: 22986089

• [xiii] S P Dhanabal, M Sureshkumar, M Ramanathan, B Suresh. Hypoglycemic effect of ethanolic extract of Musa sapientum on alloxan induced diabetes mellitus in rats and its relation with antioxidant potential. J Nutr. 2010 Aug;140(8):1462-8. Epub 2010 Jun 16. PMID: 16260406

• [xiv] E O Adewoye, V O Taiwo, F A Olayioye. Anti-oxidant and anti-hyperglycemic activities of musa sapientum root extracts in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. J Med Chem. 2010 Oct 28;53(20):7365-76. PMID: 20175413

• [xv] J Thakorlal, C O Perera, B Smith, L Englberger, A Lorens . Resistant starch in Micronesian banana cultivars offers health benefits. Pac Health Dialog. 2010 Apr;16(1):49-59. PMID: 20968236

• [xvi] Qian Zhang, Wenyi Kang. [Active compounds from rhizomes of Musa basjoo]. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2010 Sep;35(18):2424-7. PMID: 21141492

• [xvii] Allen H K Cheung, Jack H Wong, T B Ng. Musa acuminata (Del Monte banana) lectin is a fructose-binding lectin with cytokine-inducing activity. Phytomedicine. 2009 Jun;16(6-7):594-600. Epub 2009 Feb 4. PMID: 19195858

• [xviii] Michael D Swanson, Harry C Winter, Irwin J Goldstein, David M Markovitz. A lectin isolated from bananas is a potent inhibitor of HIV replication. J Biol Chem. 2010 Mar 19;285(12):8646-55. Epub 2010 Jan 15. PMID: 20080975

• [xix] Juan Román Luque-Ortega, Silvia Martínez, José María Saugar, Laura R Izquierdo, Teresa Abad, Javier G Luis, José Piñero, Basilio Valladares, Luis Rivas. Fungus-elicited metabolites from plants as an enriched source for new leishmanicidal agents: antifungal phenyl-phenalenone phytoalexins from the banana plant (Musa acuminata) target mitochondria of Leishmania donovani promastigotes. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2004 May;48(5):1534-40. PMID: 15105102

• [xx] C R Srinivas, V Shanmuga Sundaram, B Appala Raju, S Karthick Prabhu, M Thirumurthy, A C Bhaskar. Achieving asepsis of banana leaves for the management of toxic epidermal necrolysis. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2006 May-Jun;72(3):201-2. PMID: 16766833

© October 3, 2017 GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.

Create your own review

Average rating:  

 0 reviews

"Ole Miss Goes Bananas": Dear Parents, How's This For A $40K A Year Education?

What new college campus PC outrage could top ESPN"s decision to remove an Asian announcer named Robert Lee from calling a UVA game? One might reasonably think, impossible! But campus snowflakes have done it again, and this time it"s a single discarded banana peel which sent a college fraternity event hosting campus "leaders" into meltdown and general panic.

As one prominent columnist put it, "Ole Miss Goes Bananas" - we truly wish this was merely an over the top parody featured in The Onion, but unfortunately the triggered victims" tears are all to real. The Daily Mississippian broke the story this week, which quickly went viral:

This weekend, leaders from Ole Miss Greek life convened upon Camp Hopewell in Lafayette County for a three-day retreat designed to build leaders and bring campus closer together. The retreat was cut short Saturday night, however, after three black students found a banana peel in a tree in front of one of the camp’s cabins.

The students shared what they found with National Pan-Hellenic Council leaders, sparking a day’s worth of camp-wide conversation surrounding symbolism, intended or not. In the midst of the open and sometimes heated discussion, senior accounting major Ryan Swanson said he put the banana peel in the tree when he could not find a trashcan nearby.

The offending fruit peel in question. 

That"s right, a random discarded fruit peel ultimately led to the cancellation of an entire weekend event "designed to build leaders" which instead ended in "tears and frustration" as organizers “didn’t feel safe”. And then of course came the inevitable university action plans, flurry of letters exchanged, and sensitivity meetings. Bleary-eyed and shaken students had to text friends and family to come pick them up early (sounds like Kindergarten carpool pick-up time). The Daily Mississippian continues:

Alexa Lee Arndt, interim director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, said she was one of the only university staff members acting in an administrative capacity at the weekend retreat. Monday afternoon, she sent a letter to all campus chapter presidents, council officers and chapter advisers, confirming the incident and outlining the university’s plans.

“To be clear, many members of our community were hurt, frightened, and upset by what occurred at IMPACT … Because of the underlying reality many students of color endure on a daily basis, the conversation manifested into a larger conversation about race relations today at the University of Mississippi,” Arndt wrote in the letter acquired by The DM.

...Katrina Caldwell, vice chancellor for diversity and community engagement, said her office was asked to put a plan together to handle the weekend’s incident on campus.

As the story went national by the end of week, and with the original Daily Mississippian report garnering 100,000 views, one event organizer accused the media of racism, writing that she “understood the potential pitfalls of allowing white journalists to write our story.” Perhaps this is the one good thing about this story: columnists generally laughed at the ordeal, and some national media headlines which attempted to frame the story objectively still came off sounding like parodies - all of which naturally led to further triggering at Ole Miss. Take for instance The Washington Times story, titled University of Mississippi event cut short over discarded banana peel. Nothing really more needs to be said beyond this succinct (and elegantly absurd) headline, yet the effected students persist in their demands to be taken seriously. 

Makala McNeil, the student who blamed "white journalists" for wrongly framing the story, subsequently wrote an editorial which provided emotional play-by-play recounting the moment the discarded banana peel was noticed:

As we approached the cabin, she abruptly stopped. Her eyes widened. Her jaw dropped. She frantically pointed at a tree, exclaiming, “Look! Look! In the tree!” It was a banana, dangling from a limb.

My heart dropped instantly. I began to scan the area around us to see if we were in any immediate harm. Once we realized we were alone, questions started flying: “Was this here this morning?” “There’s no coincidence that this happened right after we just got done talking about race, right?”

But McNeil goes on to acknowledge the central question at the heart of the entire non-event while still defending her right to be triggered: could it really be that a student merely threw out a banana peel after innocently consuming the banana? She writes:

Regardless whether last weekend’s incident was an honest mistake or a malicious threat, our response as black Greeks at the University of Mississippi was valid and authentic, especially given the present state of race relations in our country and at our university.

Apparently eating bananas can now only be classified as an "honest mistake" or "malicious threat". Senior Ryan Swanson confessed to having discarded the peel after the "triggered" students asked who did it in a group session before the event was canceled. Swanson said he simply didn"t see a trashcan and flung the peel into the tree. He issued a lengthy apology. But we do sincerely hope for his sake the snowflake mob at Ole Miss doesn"t now try to ruin his life. 

Rod Dreher, writing at The American Conservative magazine, summarized the whole episode best:

"So let me get this straight. Three black students freaked out because they saw a banana peel in a tree while at a mixed-race fraternity-sorority retreat. The entire retreat ground to a halt so everybody could sit around and emote about the banana peel. A frat boy confessed that he had tossed the peel into the tree because he couldn’t find a trash can — then he promptly abased himself for having committed an offense against racial correctness. The freakout got even freakier, with some black students saying they didn’t feel “safe”. Because of a banana peel. Then the entire retreat was cancelled, and now it’s going to be a campus-wide Thing at Ole Miss. Over a banana peel a frat boy threw into a tree because he couldn’t find a trash can."

And more from Dreher: "This idiot country is losing its damn mind. Our universities are training students to be total neurotics. If you are an actual adult who wails and gnashes her teeth at the sight of a banana peel, you ought to question whether you are mature enough for college. And if you are an actual adult who lacks the spine to tell students who freak out over banana peels to grow up, you ought to question whether you might be Stuart Smalley."

And what next?

It now seems mass triggering events are a weekly phenomenon on college campuses. Will even "the case of the discarded banana peel" be matched for its absurdity? No doubt, more will come as campus education and culture continues its tailspin into the abyss of social justice warrior mass meltdown panic and accompanying absurdism. Dear parents, how"s this for a $40K a year education?

Weird Tricks That Extend The Shelf Life Of Bananas

Image source: Pixabay.com

There’s a reason so many of us have loose bananas floating around our freezers: We’re hoarders. (Just kidding!)

Bananas, of course, ripen quickly and once they’re past their prime, all we can do is compost them or freeze them for baking, smoothies or ice cream. But what if there were a way to slow down the ripening process so that they keep longer? Well, there is! There are two ways, actually.

Refrigerate

If you’ve ever tossed a banana into the fridge, then you know that the peel turns black much more quickly than if you leave the fruit at room temperature. But, interestingly, the fruit itself stays fresh longer. Cooks Illustrated reports an experiment they performed on refrigerated vs unrefrigerated bananas. By disregarding the blackened peels, and doing daily taste tests, they found bananas stayed fresh for 5 days longer in the fridge than at room temperature.

Goofy Gadget Can Recharge Your Laptop — And Jump-Start Your Car!

Refrigeration causes two things to happen. First, it makes the cell walls of the peel break down more quickly, which causes the peel discoloration. But it also slows the production of ethylene gas, which bananas produce and release naturally, and which causes the fruit itself to ripen. By slowing the production of ethylene, you also slow the ripening process.

Wrap the Stems

If you don’t want to deal with the blackened peels of refrigerated bananas, another way to extend their “best before” date is to wrap their stems in plastic wrap. Wrapping the stems prevents ethylene from escaping so that it’s not transmitted to the rest of the fruit; as a result, the bananas ripen more slowly. Indeed, with plastic-wrapped stems, bananas should stay at optimal ripeness for an additional 3-5 days.

Wrapping the stems when the bananas are still in a bunch is not terribly effective. It’s better to separate the bananas and wrap each stem individually.

Of course, there’s something to be said about warm banana bread, fresh from the oven, and smothered in butter. If a banana or two gets overripe, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, right?

What are your tips for extending the life of bananas? Share them in the section below:

How To Grow Bananas — No Matter Where Your Live

Image source: RGBstock.com

Bananas are a colorful, well-loved, widely enjoyed snack. They also are known for being a tropical food. If you’ve ever wished that you could grow your own bananas but are concerned that the climate where you live is just a bit too cold, then you’ll be happy to know that it is possible to grow this delicious treat even in areas where the weather is a bit cooler than you might consider ideal.

The first thing that you will need to do is determine which variety of banana you are going to grow. There are many plants which are marketed as “cold hardy” bananas, such as the basjoo. It is important to keep in mind, however, that while these make a beautiful addition to your landscape, many of these are considered ornamental.

For edible bananas, you might want to consider something that is a bit more tropical, but small enough to move indoors when the weather turns frigid – such as the dwarf canvendish. In some cases, you may have to pick the fruit early and let it ripen indoors, but it is possible to get edible fruit.

How to Plant

Bananas like a lot of sun. They do best with at least 12 hours of sunlight a day. They need well-draining soil. Normal potting soil or yard dirt is too heavy for most banana plants so you need to take care when choosing soil. The soil must be light and deep. Some people plant bananas in raised beds to assist with the draining. If you use a container to grow you bananas, make sure they have plenty of drainage. Bananas don’t take well to flooding.

When you choose an outdoor planting site, you’ll need to find one that is protected from wind and the cold weather, if possible. Pick a warm location on the south or southeast side of the house. Place the plant upright and plant four to six inches deep. Make sure to cover the roots well. At least half of the base should be covered in soil. It is recommended that you fertilize the banana plant lightly each time you water as bananas are considered heavy feeders. Only fertilize the plants when you see growth and water when the soil is dry to a depth of one-half inch.

The Best Source For Heirloom Herb Seeds Is Right Here!

Take precautions to protect the banana plants as the weather grows colder. Bananas can’t handle below freezing temperatures on their exposed stems. The main stem and root stock are important to maintain so the plant will come back the next season. The bulb-like root structure at the base is called a corm. This is what you must protect so you can grow your own bananas.

How To Keep Your Banana Plants Through the Winter

The severity of your typical winter weather will determine the amount of protection that your plants will need.

For areas with milder winters:

• Gather thick mulch around the root of the “tree.” This will prevent the corm from freezing. You can cut up banana leaves to mix in the mulch, as well as grass-trimmings, wood chips, shredded paper and leaves. Do not use peat moss as it will keep the soil too wet and will ruin the corm. For wet winters, put the mulch in plastic bags and put them over the corms. The mulch will still insulate but not be wet.


• Keeping the banana stem from freezing is the next important thing to accomplish. As long as the summer growth – the green stem – stays green and unfrozen, it will continue to survive and grow. The summer growth includes the fully-formed flower with a bud inside. Keeping that alive will give you a jump on the next growing season since the plant doesn’t have to start all over again in the spring. It also gives you a head start on producing fruit by next winter. Bananas take 15 months to two years to grow fruit.

For areas with moderate winters:

• If you are in an area that has intermittent cold winters with a few freezes, you can make covers for your banana plants. Tomato frames, or cages, can be used and covered with plastic sheeting. They work well for those cold nights and may be taken off when not needed. It’s not a good idea to wrap the banana stem. If wrapped, the wrap can freeze where it touches the stem. In warm weather, the wrap touching the stem can allow the plant to overheat and die as a result.

For areas with cold to harsh winters:

• For those good, solid winters with a steady freeze, use burlap or blankets to wrap around the stem (for winters where the ground will freeze solid and temperatures remain low, this is needed.) Next cover the wrap with plastic to protect the plant from wetness. Plastic bags work well. A plastic pot, with garbage bags on top to keep water off, and string wound around it, will keep everything intact when the winter winds blow. If you have bags of fall leaves, you can place them against the stems. Patio cushions work well as insulation, too.


• For the harshest winters, where the ground is frozen deep, digging up the corm and storing it inside where it is dry is the best solution. Digging it up won’t be difficult because bananas have a root system that is very shallow. Simply dig up the whole corm and stem, dust off any loose soil and store the plant either laying down or against a wall. It needs to be kept under 60 degrees Fahrenheit and dry. Support the plant with stakes when you replant it outside in the spring. Remember to use wide strips of cloth, and not string. String is too rough.

By following these tips and hints, you will be able to enjoy your banana plants, care for them over the winter, and be able to have a taste of the tropics even in cooler climates.

Have you grown bananas? Do you have any tips? Share them in the section below:

Learn Everything You Need To Know When Growing Herbs. Read More Here.