Banana Delight

Posted by: Banana Site  :  Category: Banana Recipes

Ingredients

4 bananas
3 tablespoons cream
3 tablespoons milk
1 cup brown sugar
Knob of butter

Whipped cream for topping
Chopped nuts

Method

1. Place sugar, cream, milk and butter in a pan.
2. Boil for 2 minutes.
3. Cool the mixture.
4. Slice the bananas into a dish.
5. Pour the mixture over the bananas.
6. Top with whipped cream and chopped nuts.
7. Chill in refrigerator.

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Learn How To Detox Your Body To Protect Your Longevity

Posted by: Banana Site  :  Category: Banana Diet

Just after my daughter, our second child was born I was very low and rundown and feeling tired all the time and quite lifeless. I’d seen my doctor several times, and every time I was told the same thing – you’re fine it must be stress.

A friend of mine, who also happened to be a physiotherapist, advised me that I was in need of a natural detox, and put some effort into learning how to detox and see how toxins accumulate in my body and impact my wellbeing and energy levels. It sounded like a good idea, so took it upon myself to learn as much about the process as possible, and get to grips with what is really involved and why the natural health industry recommend doing a detox and in particular the 7 day detox diet so strongly.

Something else she recommended I try was a detox foot patch. I now treat myself to a foot massage at least once a week, but as a suitable alternative, the detox patches can do just as good a job – although your don’t get the relaxing foot massage at the same time

Here’s what I learnt to detox your body.

Drink water or herbal teas

Drinking plenty of fluid is absolutely vital while you are following a detox diet as it will help your body flush out all the toxins. It also helps to prevent constipation, helps your internal organs function more efficiently, and helps reduce the signs of aging by plumping up your skin. Your goal should be to drink about 8 glasses (or 2 liters) of water each day, but increase that when the weather is hot.

As a rule of thumb, aim to drink an extra half liter of water for every hour you exercise. Tap water which has been filtered to remove the chlorine and impurities is the best option. Keep your water at room temperature as it’s more refreshing that way. If the thought of drinking that much water is overbearing, try herbal teas as well – preferably loose leaf rather than tea bags. Green tea, horsetail, camomile and roibosch (or redbush) are especially great in a detox as their additional properties assist in the detox process. Roibosch and green tea is especially healthy as it is a rich source of natural antioxidants.

How To Fit It All In

Although drinking 8 big glasses of water a day seems hard, here’s a few tips that will help. Start your first glass of water with a little root ginger or some fresh lemon juice as soon as you get up – this is great for kick-starting your metabolism and bowel – then aim to drink little and often throughout the day.

Aim to have a glass whenever you eat, a glass between meals, another during the evening and one more glass when you’re getting ready for bed. Remember, some of these glasses can actually be herbal teas or freshly squeezed juices.

Try To Eat Food Which Is As Fresh As Possible

Try buying farm fresh food and eating most of your fruit and vegetables raw, for example as snacks, crudites, salads, and juices. Raw fruits and veg are still full of all their natural enzymes, vitamins and minerals. Once food has been kept too long, or when it is heated and cooked, it loses a lot of its nutritional value.

Try to buy your fruits and veg locally, ideally from farm shops and local markets. Food from other countries is generally harvested before it is ripe (so it will be short of it’s full vitamin and mineral supply) and a lot of nutrition is lost during the journey to the stores.

Is Organic Better

When detoxing, there’s no need to go completely organic, because organic is usually much more expensive, but if you can manage one or two organic foods that would be great.

It’s not a major problem if you can’t get hold of any organic produce. It’s more important that you eat plentiful amounts of fresh foods regardless of them being organic or not, than skimp on quantities. Nonetheless, there’s a lot of health benefits to eating organic food on a healthy detox diet.

Organic foods are produced without the use of artificial pesticides and fertilizers, so they contain the lowest possible amounts of artificial, potentially toxic chemicals (such as nitrates). Although it’s a controversial area, there is evidence that the cumulative impact of pesticide residues overtime may cause health problems in the future.

Organic foods undergo minimal processing. The end result being that organic foods are free from artificial additives and hydrogenated fats. And you may notice that organic foods also taste better and have much deeper flavors.

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How Bad Do You Want Copycat Recipes?

Posted by: Banana Site  :  Category: Banana Recipes

There’s nothing better than eating out at your favorite restaurant! Eating out a few times a week at restaurants can be very costly though, especially when you are feeding a family As good as it is to eat out as frequently as your budget allows, there is nothing like being able to cook at home for yourself and still get the enjoyment of those restaurant quality meals. Problem is, you need copy cat recipes to be able to do that!

A definite way to impress your family and friends is to cook Copycat Famous Recipes Restaurants at home. Everyone can enjoy their favorite dishes at suppertime and at parties and all it costs you are for the ingredients. There are different places on the web that offer copycat restaurant recipes. Generally they are put into downloadable ebooks and may have a range of recipes from various sources and restaurant chains. The big hang up is that ebooks can not be updated and are often times outdated or incomplete. Popular copycat restaurant recipes from well known chains in America that you should expect to get are: Applebee’s, Chili’s, McDonalds, KFC, Boston Market, Hard Rock Café, Joe’s Crab Shack, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse and many more.

Many people are offering what are called Kopy Kat Recipes, which are reverse engineered recipes with tons of research from contributing authors and chefs. This allows recipes of previously secret dishes to be engineered and recreated for you to use. Some common copycat restaurant recipes are really very close in taste to the original restaurant recipes. So close actually, that you would swear you’re eating the real dish!

So what does this all mean? It’s Simple friends, if you can get the copy cat recipes you want, you can easily prepare these dishes at home that taste as good as your favorite restaurant dishes.

Not only can you impress family and friends when you cook copycat restaurant recipes…you can save a lot of money. When you are basically eating out 3 times a week with a family at these popular restaurants, you are spending a ton of money every year. Making restaurant copycat recipes from home will save you a lot of moola after a while.

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Are Bananas Good For You?

Posted by: R Dobbie  :  Category: Banana Nutrition
Are Bananas Healthy?

Are Bananas Healthy?

The banana really is one amazing fruit. Where else do you find a natural package of vitamins and minerals, packed together to taste so good, and sealed in its own peel?

Convenient, tasty, healthy and so clean and easy to prepare – just peel and eat.

Then we have the skin with its own attributes, and so good for the garden – they even tell me you can use them to shine your shoes!

The banana has been called “the fruit of the wise”. With all the minerals and vitamins in them that our bodies need, it only makes sense to make them a regular part of our diet.

If you have had the privilege of raising children – here is a food they all seem to eat. Whoppee!

Whether you are young, old, big or small, bananas make a tasty and healthy part of our daily food.

Bananas and Health

One of the key benefits of banana being included in our diet certainly involves the banana nutrients. There are other benefits to add to those though. Look at how convenient the banana is.

We often take fruit with us to events – the banana lasts the distance much better than most other fruit. It is extremely easy to eat, no matter where you are.

The banana tastes great. They are also an affordable fruit. As our economic times get tougher, a factor to bear in mind.

banana nutritional Information

The nutritional value of a banana isn’t as recognized as I first thought. In fact, there are a number of myths about concerning the banana so lets get to the facts.

Some peole think that the banana causes constipation. Bananas are actually high in fiber and at the same time as making them good for your cardiovascular health, fiber actually also helps avoid constipation. And, fiber also keeps your intestines healthy.

It is a diarrhea sufferer’s ally. A soothing substance that may stop the diarrhea and replace what you’ve lost, without causing constipation. It helps replace electrolytes, the very tiny electrical charges needed to power the body and maintain fluid balance.

Bananas contain potassium, riboflavin, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, vitamin’s A,B and C, thiamin, niacin, copper, pantothenic acid and zinc.

A banana is cholesterol free.

The plantain banana when cooked, rates at a slightly higher level on the nutritional scale for vitamins and minerals than fruit bananas. They are both similar in their protein and fibre content.

The way a banana is prepared is extremely important to the nutrient value. Cooking and drying can diminish nutrient value.

Calories in bananas

People often ask – how many calories are in a banana?

That largely depends on the size of the banana. A raw, fresh, medium sized banana is around the 100 calories mark (weight for weight, about the same as cottage cheese).
A larger banana may have up around 135 calories.

There are other things to consider with bananas though. Bananas derive nearly 92% of their calories from carbohydrates, around 4% of their calories from protein, and 4% from fats.

A banana is filling and is ideal for children’s morning break or an after school energy boost.

Carbs in Bananas

If you are on a low carbohydrate diet in an effort to burn fat, you need to consider the carbohydrates in addition to how many calories are in a banana.

The body burns off calories from carbs more easily and quickly than calories from fat or protein. Bananas are an excellent food for weight loss.

Bananas can help children to learn better at school. The fuel your brain uses is glucose, just like your muscles. The glucose in your body comes directly from carbohydrate foods like bananas. The glucose in blood is used whenever you think or learn something new.

Bananas contain three natural sugars, fructose, sucrose and glucose along with fiber. This provides an instant and substantial boost in energy.

No other fruit contains more digestible carbohydrates than bananas.

Bananas are a quick and easy source of carbohydrates which is needed to provide energy for muscles and the brain.

What are the best food choices before sport? Food that is high in carbs. Carbohydrates top up the natural fuel used by muscles in sport. The banana is the favourite fruit of many active people. They are easy to eat, rich in carbohydates and help you to perform in your sport.

Potassium in Bananas

Bananas are high in potassium. From a muscle building perspective, your nerves need potassium to tell out muscles what to do. This is important to the weight trainer to build muscle. A diet rich in potassium is also said to reduce the risk of hypertension and stroke.

Bananas are also relatively free from sodium so they can be included in a diet to reduce the risk of high blood pressure.

It is believed that potassium may help to counteract the increased urinary calcium loss which is caused by the high salt diet typical of our western civilisation.

Bananas contain pectin and malic acid. They are refreshing when eaten raw.

The vitamin B6 in bananas helps in teh synthesis of antibodies in the immune system apart from red blood formation, protein metabolism and functioning of the central nervous system.

Actually bananas are the best fruit source of vitamin B6.

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Banana Nutrition

Posted by: Banana Site  :  Category: Banana Nutrition

The banana has been called “the fruit of the wise”. The more you learn about the banana, the more this makes sense. It contains minerals and vitamins that are essential for a healthy body.

A banana tastes good yet they are surprisingly healthy.

Bananas are an ideal fruit for the whole family. It is easy to eat, easy to take somewhere, easy to peel and loved by children, athletes, grandparents, workers, anyone looking for a nutritious snack.

banana nutrition Facts

One fallacy associated with bananas is around the topic of constipation. They are actually high in fibre which, as well as making them good for your cardiovascular health, also helps avoid constipation.

Bananas are a great source of vitamins and minerals. They contain potassium, Vitamin A, riboflavin, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, Vitamin C, a full range of B vitamins including Vitamin B6, thiamin, niacin, copper, pantothenic acid and zinc.

The plantain banana, when cooked, rates slightly higher on the nutritional scale of minerals and vitamins but similar to the fruit banana in protein and fibre content.

Bananas also have nutritional value for eyesight. Banana is given to premature babies and has been proven to aide malnourished children.

Banana Calories

Most of a banana is just water, although 35% percent of it is actually sugars. They are responsible for more than 50% of the calories in a banana.

Bananas contain more digestible carbohydrates than any other fruit. The body burns off calories from carbohydrates more easily and quickly than calories from fat or protein.

A medium sized banana has around 100 calories and a large banana around 130 calories. Just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. The banana is rated the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes.

When we talk about the calorie levels above, these are fresh, raw bananas. When we cook, steam or dry the bananas that take out a lot of the vitamins and lower the nutritional value. For example, take banana that has been dried like banana chips and you will find that there are over five times the calories of the fresh banana.

As you can see, the way that the banana is prepared is extremely important to the nutrient value.

Carbs in Bananas

Potassium helps in the building of muscle and with protein synthesis. Potassium stimulates nerve impulses for muscle contraction.

The banana is rich in potassium and free from sodium so it can be included in a diet to reduce the risk of high blood pressure. A diet rich in potassium is said to reduce the risk of hypertension and stroke.

Bananas are popular with young people because they provide a quick and easy source of carbohydrate which is needed to provide energy for the brain and your muscles. The best food choices for sport are foods that are high in carbohydrates so you can see why bananas are so popular with sporting people.

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Banana Spider

Posted by: Banana Site  :  Category: Banana Spider

The chances are very high that you eat bananas that being the case you simply must read this it may save your life!

The banana spider is regularly referred to as the world’s deadliest spider. By having some knowledge it will help you to do the right thing should this creature cross your path. There are actually two spiders referred to as the ‘banana spider’.

The Golden Silk Spider (Nephila clavipes) are often thought of as banana spiders because of their yellow bodies. Their web is very strongly woven and looks like gold thread in the sunshine. The webs are about three feet wide. These spiders are all over the southern part of the United States, especially in Florida. It is rare for them to bite people. The female is around 3 inches long, yet the male is only 1/2 inch long.

The other spider known as the banana spider is a much more dangerous spider. They are the Phoneutria banana spider known as the Brazilian Wandering Spider. There are eight different species of the phoneutria of which two, the phoneutria nigriventer and phoneutria fera are recognised as being extremely dangerous.

The Brazilian Wandering Spider is found over large parts of South America and some parts of Central America. They are called ‘banana spider’ as they are frequently found on banana leaves.

These spiders have on occasion unintentionally appeared on banana boats heading for the United States. They hide in dark moist places and in banana boxes.

My mother recalls as a young child her mother removing a spider from a banana box that arrived at their store all the way down here in New Zealand. To this day she recalls the large size of the spider and how hairy it was. From her description it seems highly likely it was a Brazilian Wandering Spider.

In the Guinness Book of World Records they are listed as the planets most venomous animal. A banana spider is a spider to be extremely wary of
spider to be extremely wary of and one that may well terrify you if you have a fear of spiders.

The Brazilian Wandering Spider is extremely fast, extremely venomous and extremely aggressive. If you are bitten by one, you should get immediate emergency treatment as the venom may be life threatening.

The Phoneutria has a potent neurotoxin and is said to have one of the most excruciatingly painful spider bites due to its high concentration of serotonin. The antidote for the bite of one was discovered by Carlos Chagas from Brazil.

They have an aggressive defence posture, in which they raise their front legs straight up into the air and rock from side to side. The wandering spiders are called this because they wander the jungle floor at night rather than having a web or lair.

The Phoneutria is a ‘true spider’. True spiders all have a certain amount of venom. The Phoneutria has very strong venom. Their venom is toxic to the human nervous system, causing symptoms such as irregular heartbeat, salivation and prolonged, painful erections (priapism) in men. Scientists are investigating the phoneutria nigriventer venom as a possible treatment for erectile dysfunction.

The Phoneutria nigriventer is the species of banana spider most responsible for cases of venom intoxication in Brazil. It is commonly found in highly populated areas of south-eastern Brazil. The spiders are encountered in peoples homes hiding in poeples’ shoes, hats and other clothes.

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Banana – Banane – Musa

Posted by: Banana Site  :  Category: Banana Plant

In brief, the banana is a large herbaceous plant cultivated in tropical and semi-tropical regions in great abundance. It is one of the most productive plants known.

People often talk of the fruit growing on banana trees as the plant resembles a tree in some ways. In actual fact, the main or upright stem is called a pseudostem, which literally means fake stem.

The fruit of the banana is nutritious and the staple food of the natives in man of the Pacific Islands as well as other countries.

The banana bears its fruit in compact, hanging clusters. The clusters are made up of up approximately 3-20 tiers. Each tier of fruit is called a hand and has up to 20 fruit. An individual fruit is known as a banana or finger.

The total of the hanging clusters is referred to as a bunch. They are known commercially as a stem. Their weight ranges from 30-50kg. An average fruit is 125gm.

There are two major kinds of banana: Fruit bananas, which are eaten raw or cooked and plantain bananas, which are cooked as vegetables.

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Banana and Orange Porridge (Serves 4)

Posted by: Banana Site  :  Category: Banana Recipes

If you are looking for a healthy breakfast that is an alternative to plain old rolled oats, then try this one. The bananas add a tropical flavour and lift the dish oh so filling too!

Preparation time: about 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 330ml Fresh orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
  • 1 banana, coarsely chopped
  • 125gm (4oz) rolled oats
  • 125ml skimmed milk
  • 1 orange, peeled and segmented

Method:

  1. Combine the orange juice, orange rind and banana in a saucepan.
  2. Bring to the boil.
  3. Reduce the heat to low.
  4. Stir in the rolled oats and cook the mixture for 1 minute, covered.
  5. Let the pan stand away from the heat for about a minute, until it has thickened.
  6. Spoon the mixture into four individual bowls.
  7. Add 2 tablespoons of milk to each bowl and garnish with segments of orange.
  8. Serve immediately.

Calories 195

Protein 6gm

Total fat 2gm

Sodium 17mg

Cholesterol 1mg

Saturated fat 0gm

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Rum Cream Bananas – Serves 4

Posted by: Banana Site  :  Category: Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

  • 250gm (8 oz) packaged cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
  • teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 egg, separated
  • 2 tablespoons cream
  • 1 tablespoon rum
  • 30gm (1 oz) butter
  • 8 bananas
  • 1/3 cup cream, extra
  • Extra cinnamon

Method:

  1. Beat cream cheese until soft and fluffy.
  2. Gradually add the brown sugar and cinnamon and beat well.
  3. Add lightly-beaten egg yolk and beat until combined.
  4. Stir in the rum and cream, mixing well.
  5. Beat the egg while until soft peaks are formed.
  6. Fold egg white into the cream cheese mixture gently.
  7. Peel the bananas and halve lengthwise.
  8. Melt butter in a pan.
  9. Add the bananas and gently saut over a low heat until they are golden and tender.
  10. Place alternate layers of bananas and cream cheese mixture in a small ovenproof dish.
  11. Finish with a layer of cream cheese mixture on the top.
  12. Spoon extra cream over and sprinkle with the extra cinnamon.
  13. Bake in a moderate over for 15-20 minutes.
  14. The bananas will be heated through and bubbly on top.


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Banana Recipes

Posted by: Banana Site  :  Category: Banana Recipes

Banana Site is a living growing site that will be providing you with Banana Recipes. Go Banana with us and test out some of these amazing recipes…

To come will be recipes for banana bread, banana cake, banana muffins, banana smoothies, banana split, banana fritters, banana flambe, banana cream pie, banana pudding and banana loaf with varieties of many of these as well. Maybe you are a chocoholic and have to have the chocolate fix in your muffins – we will keep you happy!

There will be more than just the banana recipes, also you will find tips on how to have success with these recipes. As we develop the site further recipes will include more and more banana pictures and some banana videos.

If you have a fantastic recipe or any advice on how we can improve the Banana Site please place a comment or email us at support@bananasite.com.

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