#potassiuminbanana

[anjanarajguru]

Go Bananas With Some Fun Facts!

Bananas are believed to have originated in South-East Asia sometime between 10,000 to  5000 BC. Bananas grow in most tropical and subtropical regions. Though bananas originated in Asia, they are now grown in other parts of the world like Australia, South America, Latin America and Africa. Banana is now cultivated in more than 120 countries. India ranks number one in the list of banana producing countries in the world. The other major banana producing countries are Uganda, China and Philippines. More than 3 crore tonnes of bananas are grown every year and the Americans are the biggest consumers of this fruit with an average consumption of 26 pounds per year. Britain alone consumes 5 billion bananas a year!

More than a hundred billion bananas are consumed annually worldwide. Ugandans consume the maximum number with the daily average consumption being 3 per person!

Bananas are very healthy. They aid in digestion, help lower blood pressure and are even supposedly good for weight loss. 

They are regularly consumed by sportsmen as they provide almost instant energy and prevent muscle cramping. On an average, a banana contains 30 g of carbohydrates which makes it an ideal source of energy for sportsmen. Bananas are also high in magnesium and just one banana takes care of 16% of recommended daily intake of magnesium. Muscle cramps are a result of dehydration. There is 358 mg of potassium in 100 gms banana.The potassium in the banana helps the body retain fluid and process salt. Low levels of calcium and magnesium can also increase the likelihood of muscle cramps.   

There are a thousand different types of bananas in the world but most are unpalatable. The Goldfinger banana is one of the few which is palatable though it tastes more like an apple!

Banana grows on plants and not trees. It is the  largest herbaceous flowering plant and its "trunk" is actually a "false stem".

A single banana is called a finger and a cluster of bananas is called a "hand". 

A banana is actually a berry!

Banana - the feel good fruit. It is the only fruit which contains tryptophan, amino acids and Vitamin B6 which together help the body produce serotonin - the happy hormone.

Bananas are loaded with potassium and have almost zero fat and very less calories. Though a banana contains 14-15 grams of total sugar, they have a low glycemic index (GI). The sugar content is the highest in bananas which have brown spots.

According to FDA, bananas can help lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Bananas are high in fibre and one banana takes care of 10 % of your daily fibre requirement.

Bananas are naturally radioactive as they are very high in potassium; they contain Potassium- 40 which is a radioactive isotope of potassium.

Eating bananas becomes risky only if you eat too many. The USDA recommends that adults eat about  two bananas everyday.

One-fifth of all the bananas in the world is grown in India and most of it is consumed domestically. Have you consumed yours, one today?

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