By UMAR NSUBUGA
A banana is more than just a fruit that you eat at lunch. Sharon Naluwende, a nutritionist at Mulago hospital says a banana has several health benefits.
Keeping in good health must always be a priority. One sure way of ensuring this is by eating fruits. One of the commonest and cheapest fruits is the banana. To enjoy it, prepare a banana in different ways.
All bananas ripen in the long run and become sweet, but they are not prepared in the same way. There are in two types of these fruits, the sweet bananas and the plantains that contain a lot of starch.
Dr Hassan Mayanja a physician says bananas also stimulate haemoglobin production in the blood because of their iron content. They are, therefore, a good choice for people suffering from anaemia.
“Everybody gets heartburn once in a while. We are usually advised to take water to clear it, but this does not help much as the problem originates in the stomach rather than the throat”, Mayanja says.
Bananas have the same effect as an antacid and will relieve stomach discomfort in no time. This fruit is available all year round, so you can enjoy it any time.
However, if you need to transport it, you simply have to refrigerate it to slow the ripening process. Bananas ripen quickly in hot weather. So when buying, it is safe to buy a few green fingers to be eaten on others days.
According to Naluwende bananas can be peeled and eaten when ripe, you could have them in a fruit salad, with breakfast cereal or even in a milkshake. The starchier bananas (gonja) can be roasted or fried in oil to make banana fritters. This type of banana can also be used to make the now common banana crisps sold in many supermarkets.
Plantains include the matooke which is a staple food in many parts of uganda and a common meal at many tables. When it ripens, like all bananas, it becomes sweet and can still be steamed and eaten. Even your six-month old baby will enjoy a sweet banana.
Tips
-If you are feeling low on energy, two bananas will fuel you up
-If you have a hangover, a banana will make you feel better.
-A banana will keep that morning headache ay bay.
-Bananas ease constipation. It is high in fibre, which assists in bowel movements.
-A banana will keep hurt burn at bay.
