Banana pulp

Banana fruit consists of two parts: peel and pulp. Peel, which is the main by-product of banana, is about 40% of total weight of the fruit.

Banana pulp, which is the edible part of the fruit, has an abundant amount of nutrients. Banana pulp contains various ingredients in different concentrations such as 72% moisture, 2.9% total fiber, 1.4% protein, 1.28% ash and other compounds like 14.4% sucrose, 8.5% vitamin C and 2.4% glucose.

Pro-vitamin commonly known as vitamin A is abundant in dessert banana although only a few cultivars with orange or yellow colored pulp are known to have higher quantities of carotenoids. High in potassium, Vitamin C and B6 bananas are helpful for both hair and skin. The potassium in fruit nourishes dry skin as well as dry hair.

Phenolics, carotenoids, flavonoids, biogenic amines, phytosterols, and other phytochemicals can be found in banana pulp and peel. Due to the presence of these compounds, bananas have a higher antioxidant capacity than some berries, herbs and vegetables.

The banana pulp may be utilized in a variety of functional food products:
*Banana flour
*Banana bread
*Banana chips
*Banana muffin
*Banana wine
*Extruded products

Banana flour is popularly used to relieve diarrhea and to prevent digestive diseases as it contains fiber which can prevent constipation. In addition, banana flour can be used in cooking foods such as snacks. Banana flour are good source of fiber. The green and ripe banana pulps flour possessed the highest value of protein and vitamin C.
Banana pulp

Dietary fiber in banana fruit

The use of unripe banana to prepare flour might be advantageous because the fruits with damage on the peel or those that fall as a result of cyclones and hurricane can be used for this purpose.

One of the important components of unripe banana flour is dietary fiber, 10.0-14.5% (dry basis) in Musa paradisiaca.

Total dietary fiber in banana flour for diverse Brazilian varieties and cultivars ranged between 6.3% and 15.5%.

Bakery products with banana flour have a low glycemic index and could be used as a dietary aid for people with low caloric requirements.

One small (six inch) banana or a half cup of sliced banana has 2.6 g dietary fiber.

Fiber from green, unripe bananas dramatically reduces the ‘bad’ (LDL) cholesterol and increases production of ‘good’ (HDL) cholesterol by up to 30%. Fiber rich diets have been linked to lower risk of coronary heart disease.
Dietary fiber in banana fruit

Banana blossom

Banana blossom is highly nutritious edible flower. The blossom constitutes several parts such as bract, bell, tepals and stigma. It is a rich in nutrients and antioxidants with several health benefits. To increase the shelf life of the banana blossoms, they are usually dehydrated.

In southern Indian states many people consume this blossom as a curry consumed with rice and wheat bread. In Malaysia, banana flower is cooked to serve in preparing different types of cuisines. Apart from its food uses, banana flowers are also believed to possess some medicinal properties.

In Thailand, banana blossom is usually considered as vegetable, also has potential to be regarded as a functional food due to its high nutrient content (excellent source of fiber, good source of protein, vitamin A, C and E, minerals like phosphorus, potassium bleeding, facilitates lactation, helps in overcoming diabetes, helpful in weight loss and good for gastrointestinal health).

Research found that banana blossom contains abundant dietary fiber (5.74g/100g) which helps to maintain human body health, to reduce the cholesterol level and protect our body from obesity.

Researcher also demonstrated that banana flowers are good source of antioxidants includes phenolic and flavonoids and antioxidants help to enhance the human resistant in various diseases. Analysis showed that stigma of flowers is richest source of polyphenol, flavanoid and anthocyanins. The bract, fused tepals, stigma and bell possess potent free radicals scavenging activities and have varying degrees of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) formation inhibitory potentials. Furthermore, the bract and bell were observed to posses intestinal α-glucosidase inhibitory activities and fused tepals contain pancreatic lipase inhibitory potentials.

In China banana flower is traditionally used for certain illness such as heart pain, diarrhea, asthma and stomach cramps.
Banana blossom

Soil suitable for growing banana

Banana growth slows below 16 °C and stops at 10 °C. Temperatures below -2 °C may kill plants to ground level. However, new growth usually sprouts from the underground rhizome with the return of warm weather.

Bananas do best on flat (slope 0–1 %), well-drained, deep soils high in organic matter with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0. Low pH soil makes banana more susceptible to Panama disease. Avoid soil that is sandy, salty, nutritionally deficient and ill-drained soil.

Nutritionally deficient soil can be improved by incorporating organic matter to the soil before planting the bananas and then mulch them thickly.

Clay loams are preferred with no heavy clay or rock shelves within 50 cm of the surface. Sandy soils are less suitable as they dry out rapidly, lose nutrients quickly, fail to provide adequate root anchorage in windy weather, have low nutrient retaining ability and are susceptible to serious erosion. Bananas do not tolerate waterlogging because its roots will rot.

Once the plantation is established, the soil should be managed to provide the best environment for the plant roots. This will involve the application of fertilizers and soil additives aimed at improving the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil to benefit crop growth.
Soil suitable for growing banana