Journalism Article - Peeling The Secret Identity Of Banana

[this post is dedicated for the journalism article assignment]

"All hail banana!"

Bananas are consumed annually in the world more than wheat, rice, and corn. But despite being one of the most popular fruit consumed worldwide, it does not make banana to be the most well known fruit for its benefits. Not like an apple, where every health concerns people seems to know and aware of its benefits.

"Think you know banana? Well, think again.."

I used to consumes banana out of its delicious taste -- Just imagine those soft and creamy sweet creature that goes well with your scoop of ice cream or just simply grate some cheddar on top and sprinkle some chocolate rice or just scatter some almond slice and cube of butter on top then bake/grill for a short while, what an instant ultimate Caribbean-style dessert of the day!

In real, beside knowing the fact that banana taste yummy and good for constipation as it carry a whole lot of fiber, I knew almost nothing else about this fruit -- Or at least not until my accidental encounter with this Southeast Asia originated fruit's little secret.

"Never underestimate the power of banana."

A banana plant is surprisingly not a tree but a type of herb where the fruit itself is a berry! and about 75% of the weight of a banana is water. Catchy enough, the scientific name of banana (musa sapientum) means 'fruit of the wise men'.

The Gros Michel banana was once a popular variety of banana before its crops were destroyed by Panama disease in the 1950's. Today, the most popular type of banana which sold in stores is the Cavendish banana, in which it is said to be immune to Panama disease -- Well.. *finger-crossed*.

Fresh banana is a very rich source of potassium. Thus, it is said to be naturally radioactive because of the Potassium, but don’t freak out just yet because the level of the radiation is not high enough to cause harm for the body. Otherwise, the Potassium itself is actually a very useful component to cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Surprisingly enough, a research done to 200 students at Twickenham school by serving them bananas during breakfast, break and lunch is found to helped them through their exams as this potassium-packed fruit are successfully boosted their brain power. Furthermore, fresh banana also provide adequate levels of minerals which are good for bone strengthening, antioxidant enzyme and for the production of red blood cells (say hi to natural remedy of anemia!)

Having a gloomy mood? On PMS? Feeling strees? No worry, eat some banana and it will eventually cheer you up! -- Banana is known to be the only fruit that are found to have Amino Acid, Tryptophan and Vitamin B6 which together will helps our body to produce natural anti-depression (known as serotonin). Moreover, consuming banana may lower the risk of getting cancer, heart attack and stroke. Not only that, it can also boost the body's energy despite being low in calories!

 

In addition to the benefits from the fruit itself, the banana's skin/peel is also having a great benefits which are not less interesting than the benefits of its fruit.

Many people find that by rubbing the inside of a banana skin/peel to the troubled area of our skin helps to heal the irritation. For instance, it can be used to calm an itchy mosquito bite as well as to reduce pain from scrape or burn, as it keep the wound from getting infected as well as to keep the swelling down. Likewise, the enzymes in the banana can help splinter to work its way out of the skin as well as heal the wound just by taping the banana peel over the splinter.

 

The effect of the potassium, magnesium, and manganese in the banana peel also helps to whiten teeth naturally by rubbing the inside of a banana peel on the teeth for about two minutes every night (result found to be seen in 2 weeks). In addition, rubbing a banana peel on the forehead helps to cure headache.

Ahead from the health benefit of the amazing banana, in some cultures (like for instance, Japan) they use the fiber in the banana plant to make fabric and sometimes even paper! Furthermore, the inside of the banana skin can also be use to polish silver and shoes! Phew!

"An apple A banana a day, keeps the doctor away."

Indeed, banana is a powerful fruit with many benefit. It contain natural remedy for many ills. When compared, banana is shockingly four times better than apple! Banana has twice the carbohydrate, other vitamins and minerals, three times the phosphorus and five times the vitamin A and iron. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods of all time. Also in terms of the skin, the banana's skin obviously have a bunch more benefits than the skin of apple. No more waste, from fruit to skin, take it all!

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Sharing is caring..

This is not the end of the story. This is just the end of another pieces of stories. So brew your tea, bake your banana cookies, be back later and flip the page--

Enjoy the little treat,

Angelina, xx

Personal Essay - When Baking is Not Only All About the Cakes

[This post is dedicated for the personal essay assignment]

Bake out the anxiety to peacefulness.

That line have always be my main reason for choosing to bake at my mom's fully stocked kitchen rather than buying the ready goods from the market. I agree that buying the ready-to-eat products (like for instant the cakes and other similar things) would be more convenient sometimes but for me personally, when I'm not really in a good mood or when I'm on an uncertainty state of mind, I would rather chose to get my hands busy and my mind distracted to something I passionate about in order to cooling down rather than wringing my hand nervously and stressing my mind even more, and in my case is to bake.

Baking is my sweet escape. That is how I started to fell for baking. And perhaps, I have been sticking to this philosophy of mine ever since I bake my first cake few years back upon my nervousness of the upcoming national examination of my previous senior high school.

It was a really simple classic sponge cake — that very first cake which I bake back then throughout the whole period of my existence at that time, and so along with the so called “there is always a first time for everyone", tagged alongside a famous saying, "don't judge the book from it's cover". Therefore, despite the average looking appearance of the cake made by a first time baker, which might not looking as fancy as the one being displayed on the elegant glass racks in a cake store at the market but for as long as I remember, it taste way more better than the one that have been confectionery made.

It is still crystal clear in my mind, that very first tray that have touch my mind and determine my future career options, the freshly baked tray of sponge cake, hot from my mom's vintage oven with slightly swirling steam when cut rising into the air dancing with the bursting heavy trail of rich vanilla scent leaving a tattoo to my sense of smell. Bitten effortlessly just like eating the airy fluffy cotton candy, it melts to the tongue as I swallow, slip into addiction built as a craving. Plus the little hard-work (and of course the luck) and the proudness of new achievement, it turns to be everything that I ever wanted and needed for that very moment.

After all, baking by your own is obviously cheaper than the price of the same product sold in the market and apparently cheaper than a therapy! But it works just as effective for me that it is marvelously refresh my mind and restore my energy from the hectic stressful period. Even if it sounds like extremely complicated and looks like a heavy task for the first time baker, like come on, how is adding some more things to our mind to be sort out like figuring out how to mix the dough, to which consistency that the dough should be mixed, how long should it takes and so on could be a big help to restore our calmness and helping us to reviewing our problem from a better point of view? How is it even possible that adding new problem to an already existing problem could even help in this matter? What is baking soda?? Exactly. That's what I thought too that afternoon while sitting on the kitchen table flipping the recipe book out of fate.

But, from my personal experience without aiming to speak like a professional or else (believe me I know nothing about these stuff!), but for me, by doing baking -- in which is something that is totally new for me at that moment, it helps to distract my mind for a while from the main problem that I have already had. By successfully solving these problems (like figuring out about how to bake a cake) in which is likely to be a smaller portion of problem than our main concern (of course, except you burn the kitchen down during the process, nah!), surprisingly have helping my mind to relax. It felts like I have finally able to achieve something even during this kind of situation and it really is, feel so good to be recharge rather than if I do nothing, or when I just instantly buy my piece of cake from the store and come back home and still having a fogging mind. No, I think I really need that sweet distraction.

Talking about baking anyway, other advantage of baking by your own are: the texture, the taste (sweetness level for example) and the moisture of the cake can also be elastically adjusted to your taste buds desire and longing by playing with the scale of sugar and butter as well as the amount of flour used, and obviously healthier because you know what exactly the ingredients that you putted in, not like the one which have been made ready-to-eat in the store. Sometimes they might slightly taste a bit bitter in the throat like a medicine or just too sweet or too dry, tasteless or to moist. It just does not match each other like a puzzle piece. But of course "practice makes perfects" have to be always in mind when modifying a sensitive things like a recipe.

It might takes more efforts but obviously giving us more knowledge of learning something new and experience as well as opportunity to regaining our self-esteem, because I know I am. Besides, it is always feels good being productive!

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Have a good day everyone..

This is not the end of the story. This is just the end of another pieces of stories. So brew your tea, bake your cookies, be back later and flip the page--

Enjoy the little treat,

Angelina, xx