Thursday, September 18, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
25 Facts About Bananas
Here are 25 facts about one of the world's most popular fruits:
The banana "tree" is not really a tree, but a giant herb. The banana is the fruit of this herb.
The cluster of bananas sold in supermarkets is a "hand" of bananas, while the individual bananas on the hand are called fingers.
The strings that go up and down the length of bananas are called Phloem Bundles. They help distribute nutrients to every part of the growing bananas.
The yellow bananas that are most often sold in supermarkets are sometimes called "dessert bananas" because they are soft and sweet.
Plantains are a type of banana that are not as sweet and are usually cooked. While not as commonly eaten in North America, plantains are a dietary staple in many tropical regions.
It is believed by many experts that bananas were the first fruit cultivated by humans.
Alexander the Great first came across bananas in India in 327 B.C.
Bananas were introduced to the United States at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Celebration, where they were sold wrapped in foil for 10 cents each.
Worldwide, bananas are the fourth largest fruit crop.
The average American consumes 28 pounds of bananas per year.
The banana peel is edible, though perhaps not very palatable unless cooked.
About 50 percent of people who are allergic to latex are often also allergic to bananas.
India is the #1 banana producer in the world.
The most popular banana cultivar in the world is the Cavendish. This is the banana most often seen in U.S. and European markets.
Before Cavendish, Gros Michel was the main banana cultivar exported on a mass, commercial scale. In the mid-20th century, Gros Michel was ravaged by Panama disease and is no longer sold commercially.
Panama disease, or Fusarium wilt, is a fungus that attacks banana plants. It was reported in Australia in the 19th century.
It is believed that the Cavendish, like the Gros Michel, will be devastated by Panama disease within 20 years and will no longer be able to be produced commercially. This would be a difficult blow to the banana industry.
Scientists are trying to develop a hybrid, disease-resistant banana.
Chiquita was initially called the United Fruit Company. In the 20th century, they played a controversial role in the politics of Central America, where they had vast holdings. The company earned the nickname of "The Octopus" in the region because they had their hands in so many political pots.
The CIA-sponsored 1954 coup that overthrew the democratically-elected Guatemalan government headed by Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán is believed to be a direct result of influence by the United Fruit Company, which had an antagonistic relationship with the Arbenz government.
In Uganda, bananas are such a big part of the diet that the same word, matooke, is used for both "food" and "banana."
The pejorative term "banana republic" was coined by American writer O. Henry. He used it in reference to Honduras, but the term became widely used in reference to any Latin American, Caribbean, or African country that was politically unstable, relied heavily on basic agriculture, and was not technologically advanced.
The banana split was invented in 1904 by 23-year-old David Evans Strickler, an employee at the Tassel Pharmacy soda fountain in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
The song "Yes, We Have No Bananas" was released in 1923 and became a huge hit. It refers to the banana shortage at the time.
In 2001, Britain recorded 300 incidents of injuries related to bananas. The majority of these involved people slipping on banana peels.
The banana "tree" is not really a tree, but a giant herb. The banana is the fruit of this herb.
The cluster of bananas sold in supermarkets is a "hand" of bananas, while the individual bananas on the hand are called fingers.
The strings that go up and down the length of bananas are called Phloem Bundles. They help distribute nutrients to every part of the growing bananas.
The yellow bananas that are most often sold in supermarkets are sometimes called "dessert bananas" because they are soft and sweet.
Plantains are a type of banana that are not as sweet and are usually cooked. While not as commonly eaten in North America, plantains are a dietary staple in many tropical regions.
It is believed by many experts that bananas were the first fruit cultivated by humans.
Alexander the Great first came across bananas in India in 327 B.C.
Bananas were introduced to the United States at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Celebration, where they were sold wrapped in foil for 10 cents each.
Worldwide, bananas are the fourth largest fruit crop.
The average American consumes 28 pounds of bananas per year.
The banana peel is edible, though perhaps not very palatable unless cooked.
About 50 percent of people who are allergic to latex are often also allergic to bananas.
India is the #1 banana producer in the world.
The most popular banana cultivar in the world is the Cavendish. This is the banana most often seen in U.S. and European markets.
Before Cavendish, Gros Michel was the main banana cultivar exported on a mass, commercial scale. In the mid-20th century, Gros Michel was ravaged by Panama disease and is no longer sold commercially.
Panama disease, or Fusarium wilt, is a fungus that attacks banana plants. It was reported in Australia in the 19th century.
It is believed that the Cavendish, like the Gros Michel, will be devastated by Panama disease within 20 years and will no longer be able to be produced commercially. This would be a difficult blow to the banana industry.
Scientists are trying to develop a hybrid, disease-resistant banana.
Chiquita was initially called the United Fruit Company. In the 20th century, they played a controversial role in the politics of Central America, where they had vast holdings. The company earned the nickname of "The Octopus" in the region because they had their hands in so many political pots.
The CIA-sponsored 1954 coup that overthrew the democratically-elected Guatemalan government headed by Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán is believed to be a direct result of influence by the United Fruit Company, which had an antagonistic relationship with the Arbenz government.
In Uganda, bananas are such a big part of the diet that the same word, matooke, is used for both "food" and "banana."
The pejorative term "banana republic" was coined by American writer O. Henry. He used it in reference to Honduras, but the term became widely used in reference to any Latin American, Caribbean, or African country that was politically unstable, relied heavily on basic agriculture, and was not technologically advanced.
The banana split was invented in 1904 by 23-year-old David Evans Strickler, an employee at the Tassel Pharmacy soda fountain in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
The song "Yes, We Have No Bananas" was released in 1923 and became a huge hit. It refers to the banana shortage at the time.
In 2001, Britain recorded 300 incidents of injuries related to bananas. The majority of these involved people slipping on banana peels.
10 High Potassium Foods
While bananas are known for their high potassium content (one medium banana has 422 mg), there are many other foods that are a great source of this important nutrient. Here are ten:
AvocadosOne avocado has 975 mg of potassium.
CantaloupeOne cup of cubed cantaloupe has 427 mg.
TomatoesOne cup of chopped or sliced tomatoes has 427 mg.
Crimini mushroomsOne cup of whole Crimini mushrooms has 390 mg.
Swiss chardTwo Swiss chard leaves have 364 mg.
SpinachTwo cups of raw spinach has 335 mg.
BroccoliOne cup of raw, chopped broccoli has 287 mg.
CeleryOne cup of chopped celery has 263 mg.
Romaine lettuceTwo cups of shredded Romaine has 232 mg.
Collard GreensOne cup of cooked collard greens has 220 mg.
AvocadosOne avocado has 975 mg of potassium.
CantaloupeOne cup of cubed cantaloupe has 427 mg.
TomatoesOne cup of chopped or sliced tomatoes has 427 mg.
Crimini mushroomsOne cup of whole Crimini mushrooms has 390 mg.
Swiss chardTwo Swiss chard leaves have 364 mg.
SpinachTwo cups of raw spinach has 335 mg.
BroccoliOne cup of raw, chopped broccoli has 287 mg.
CeleryOne cup of chopped celery has 263 mg.
Romaine lettuceTwo cups of shredded Romaine has 232 mg.
Collard GreensOne cup of cooked collard greens has 220 mg.
20 Facts About Apples
average person eats 65 apples per year.
Apples float because 25% of their volume is air.
The largest apple ever picked weighed three pounds, two ounces.
One medium apple contains about 80 calories.
The word apple comes from the Old English aeppel.
The Celtic word for apple is abhall.
Quercetin is found only in the apple skin. The skin also contains more antioxidants and fiber than the flesh.
China produces more apples than any other country.
Washington, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and California are the top 5 apple-producing states in the U.S. In all, 36 states produce apples commercially.
The apple is the official state fruit of Washington, New York, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.
There are more than 7500 varieties of apples grown in the world. About 2500 varieties are grown in the United States.
Red Delicious is the most popular and most-produced apple in the United States. Golden Delicious is the second most popular.
The only apple native to North America is the crabapple.
Half the United States apple crop is turned into apple products like applesauce and apple juice.
Apple trees don't bear their first fruit until they are four or five years old.
Archaeologists have evidence of people eating apples as far back as 6500 B.C.
The more apples a person eats, the lower his or her risk of developing lung cancer.
Johnny Appleseed was the nickname for John Chapman, a kind and generous American pioneer born in 1774 who planted apple seeds in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.
Contrary to popular belief, there is no mention of an apple as the forbidden fruit in the Bible. It is referred to as "fruit from the Tree of Knowledge" with no specification as to which kind of fruit. It was Hugo Van Der Goes who first implicated the apple as the forbidden fruit in his 1470 A.D. painting, The Fall of Man. After that, it became popular to depict the apple as the forbidden fruit.
The Adam's apple is so-called because of a popular idea that it was created when the forbidden fruit got stuck in Adam's throat when he swallowed it.
Apples float because 25% of their volume is air.
The largest apple ever picked weighed three pounds, two ounces.
One medium apple contains about 80 calories.
The word apple comes from the Old English aeppel.
The Celtic word for apple is abhall.
Quercetin is found only in the apple skin. The skin also contains more antioxidants and fiber than the flesh.
China produces more apples than any other country.
Washington, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and California are the top 5 apple-producing states in the U.S. In all, 36 states produce apples commercially.
The apple is the official state fruit of Washington, New York, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.
There are more than 7500 varieties of apples grown in the world. About 2500 varieties are grown in the United States.
Red Delicious is the most popular and most-produced apple in the United States. Golden Delicious is the second most popular.
The only apple native to North America is the crabapple.
Half the United States apple crop is turned into apple products like applesauce and apple juice.
Apple trees don't bear their first fruit until they are four or five years old.
Archaeologists have evidence of people eating apples as far back as 6500 B.C.
The more apples a person eats, the lower his or her risk of developing lung cancer.
Johnny Appleseed was the nickname for John Chapman, a kind and generous American pioneer born in 1774 who planted apple seeds in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.
Contrary to popular belief, there is no mention of an apple as the forbidden fruit in the Bible. It is referred to as "fruit from the Tree of Knowledge" with no specification as to which kind of fruit. It was Hugo Van Der Goes who first implicated the apple as the forbidden fruit in his 1470 A.D. painting, The Fall of Man. After that, it became popular to depict the apple as the forbidden fruit.
The Adam's apple is so-called because of a popular idea that it was created when the forbidden fruit got stuck in Adam's throat when he swallowed it.
Oprah Goes on a 21 Day Vegan Cleanse
Oprah Winfrey has announced that she's going on a vegan cleanse, eliminating all animal products, alcohol, sugar, caffeine, and gluten from her diet for 21 days in an effort to become a more conscious eater.
She writes in her blog:
Wow, wow, wow! I never imagined meatless meals could be so satisfying. I had been focused on what I had to give up—sugar, gluten, alcohol, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese. "What's left?" I thought. Apparently a lot. I can honestly say every meal was a surprise and a delight, beginning with breakfast—strawberry rhubarb wheat-free crepes.
She was inspired by a rereading of the book "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle and is being coached through the whole thing by one of her spiritual gurus of the moment, Kathy Freston.
Oprah asks, "How can you say you're trying to spiritually evolve, without even a thought about what happens to the animals whose lives are sacrificed in the name of gluttony?"
Oprah has a lot of influence and I hope she will inspire people across the country to become "conscious eaters." So many people are "unconscious eaters," often putting no thought into what they eat. This is the kind of behavior that leads to obesity and other health problems.
Our packaged, plastic-wrapped food culture makes it easy for us to remain unconscious. It makes it easy not to care when all you're seeing is the end result of the long process that occurs in order for a cow to end up as a steak on your plate.
When we become conscious not only of the health effects of what we eat but also of where our food comes from and the impact our food choices have on other creatures and the planet, we are respecting not only our bodies but the entire balance of nature. When we take things for granted and don't look beyond the plate in front of us, we become ignorant slaves to convenience and appetite rather than full participants in the cycle of life.
Given the undeniable "Oprah effect" and the fact that millions of people take everything she says very seriously, one can only hope that her short 21-day experiment will inspire a lot of people to make real, lasting changes to the way they eat and think about food.
She writes in her blog:
Wow, wow, wow! I never imagined meatless meals could be so satisfying. I had been focused on what I had to give up—sugar, gluten, alcohol, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese. "What's left?" I thought. Apparently a lot. I can honestly say every meal was a surprise and a delight, beginning with breakfast—strawberry rhubarb wheat-free crepes.
She was inspired by a rereading of the book "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle and is being coached through the whole thing by one of her spiritual gurus of the moment, Kathy Freston.
Oprah asks, "How can you say you're trying to spiritually evolve, without even a thought about what happens to the animals whose lives are sacrificed in the name of gluttony?"
Oprah has a lot of influence and I hope she will inspire people across the country to become "conscious eaters." So many people are "unconscious eaters," often putting no thought into what they eat. This is the kind of behavior that leads to obesity and other health problems.
Our packaged, plastic-wrapped food culture makes it easy for us to remain unconscious. It makes it easy not to care when all you're seeing is the end result of the long process that occurs in order for a cow to end up as a steak on your plate.
When we become conscious not only of the health effects of what we eat but also of where our food comes from and the impact our food choices have on other creatures and the planet, we are respecting not only our bodies but the entire balance of nature. When we take things for granted and don't look beyond the plate in front of us, we become ignorant slaves to convenience and appetite rather than full participants in the cycle of life.
Given the undeniable "Oprah effect" and the fact that millions of people take everything she says very seriously, one can only hope that her short 21-day experiment will inspire a lot of people to make real, lasting changes to the way they eat and think about food.
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