Going Crazy for Bananas

Eat bananas B A N A N A S is lyrics in a song sung by Gwen Stefani. Have you had your fill today of this fruit that is high in Potassium?

Bananas have been around for a very long time and differ from a "plantain". Plantain's are more starchy and less sweet, are eaten cooked rather than raw like a banana and the skin on a plantain is thicker and comes in a variety of colors such as green, black or yellow.

The old saying "money doesn't grow on trees" also applies to bananas. Bananas don't grow on trees either; they come from the largest herbaceous flowering plant. The banana plant grows all above ground from a structure usually called a corm. This plant grows very tall up to 25' and has a very thick stalk that could be mistaken for a trunk. The new fake leaves or Pseudostem can grow to be 9' long.

When the plant is mature, it stops producing new leaves and begins to form a flower spike or inflorescence. 'A stem develops which grows up inside the Pseudostem, carrying the immature inflorescence until eventually it emerges at the top.'1 Each banana plant produces a single inflorescence that is also known as the banana heart. This plant stem or Pseudostem dies off and usually produces offshoots from the base so that the process of producing more bananas repeats itself.

Lemon And Its Heath Benefits

For many centuries, lemons have been used for their antiseptic properties. In 1593, a 17th century English sailor and explorer by the name of Admiral Sir Richard Hawkins encouraged drinking orange and lemon juice as a way of averting scurvy. And this did not come as a surprise!
Lemons are heavy laden with nutrients that are beneficial to health. They are a wonderful natural medication for improved digestion and for busting fatigue.

Lemon and asthma
The vitamin C contained in the lemon juice plays a big part in fighting respiratory problems. First of all, it builds up the body's immune system and then it acts as an anti-oxidant by fighting the destructive oxidants which are produced by the lungs in the form of allergens during asthmatic attacks. Taking lemon juice frequently will help to fight asthma.
Lemons are said to be very helpful in instances where there is inadequate supply of oxygen - like during mountain climbing. Edmund Hillary, who was the first person to reach the peak of Mt. Everest's, attributed his success to the use of lemons.

Restoring the pH equilibrium
Maintenance of a mildly positive alkaline state in the body is critically important in order to combat cancer and other health complications. While lemons are acidic in nature, they are among the most alkaline fruits which help to restore the human body to the required pH alkaline state (about 7.4).

Detoxification
Taking a glass of a mixture of fresh lemon juice and water in the morning is a wonderful liver detoxifier; it purifies the digestive system and the kidneys. Additionally, it helps the body purge itself of poisons thereby providing you with a general detox.

Benefits of Garcinia Cambogia

Garcinia cambogia is recommended highly in weight loss. It offers an excellent plan that can help to block carbs and fat from entering the liver. The benefits of garcinia have been tried and tested on a number of people drawn from around the world. Pure garcinia contains hydroxycitric acid (HCA), an odorless, completely nontoxic and tasteless substance. According to studies, its diet can help with the loss of 25 pounds within 3 months. The benefits of this food include:

· Suppress appetite
The diet is recommended highly for weight loss. It helps a great deal in suppressing appetites naturally and in turn reducing fat. To achieve maximum results, it is advisable to consider combining this weight loss plan with regular workouts, including a balanced diet. The product is effective because it helps to cleanse the colon in addition to strengthening the immune system.

Facts About the Garcinia Cambogia Extract

Garcinia cambogia is a tiny round-shaped tropical fruit that looks like a pumpkin. This Asian fruit is extraordinary because it offers a powerful hydroxycitric extract (HCA) derived from the fruit's rind to facilitate weight loss in the most effective and shortest period. According to research findings, volunteers who participated in the test showed impressive results. The people shed as much as 25% of their weight without avoiding their regular diet or exercising. Therefore, this product has revolutionized weight loss, making it easy.

Benefits of garcinia
Many weight loss supplements in the market seek to make tall claims but in vain. Therefore, if you are looking for a weight loss supplement that has been tried and tested you can try the garcinia. Garcinia cambogia extract is an effective appetite suppressant that plays an important role in raising the levels of serotonin in the body. This makes a person to get good sleep, limit overeating naturally and feel re-energized and good.
Its diet supplements help to control the accumulation of body fats. In addition, it helps to quickly burn fats, making the person to feel active and energetic. It is a product that is highly recommended because it does not interfere with the creation of energy, nutrient metabolism of the body and biochemical activities. In addition, it helps to inhibit the synthesis of lipid. The extract works in many ways and provides many health benefits. The product has been used by many obese people, who have for many years been seeking to lose weight, to finally achieve their desired results.

Parmigiano Reggiano in the Kitchen

Italy's Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan Cheese) is the world's most-loved hard cheese. If you're looking for the true made in Italy tradition at the table, you've found it. The entire production of Parmigiano PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) is totally Italian - from collecting the milk to the aging of the cheese. Parmigiano is 100% genuine: it contains no GMOs or other chemically modified substances. Just milk, rennet, salt and a completely natural aging process. In Italy, Parmesan Cheese is a celebrity at the table and in the kitchen. You can sliver it or slice it into petals. You can eat it just as it is, as a simple snack, or you can use it as an ingredient in many delicious dishes.

Appetizers and aperitifs
As you may already know, there are many types of Parmesan. The minimal aging period is 12 months, but it's easy to find different varieties on the market, from 20 months to 36 months - and even older. For your appetizers, we recommend a young Parmigiano, aged from 18-22 months. Slice it into slivers and serve it with a cocktail or - even better - with a dry white wine. For a more refined pairing, choose the 22 month aged Parmesan, the best choice to accompany flute of champagne.
For a tasty Summer appetizer, try Parmigiano with fresh fruit: it's always delicious with strawberries. Otherwise, you can choose pears, apples or white grapes. And why not nuts? Parmesan aged from 20 to 22 months is excellent with prunes, figs, walnuts and hazelnuts.

10 Surprising 100 Calorie Snacks for Dieting Between Meals

When it comes to dieting one of the main issues and headaches is finding out how many calories a product has.

Often they're written in the ingredients chart that can be minuscule to read and even then confusing when labeled per serving.

Below however you will find 10 different snacks which all hover around the 100 calorie mark, giving you a few ideas of what you can eat if you're trying to minimize your daily calorie intake which for women is approximately 1400 and 2000 for men.

Indian Food 101

Just as India is an eclectic and diverse country, so is its food. India supports a massive population with many linguistic and cultural nuances, and you can see this variety in the many different foods that make up Indian cuisine. And while there are many distinctions between regional tastes in India, there is a commonality: spices. Most Indian dishes feature a unique and interesting spice blend that delivers a rich flavour and aroma.

Food for Indian people is a very serious matter. Preparing delicious meals is elevated to an art, and family recipes are passed from generation to generation. Like in many parts of the world, meal times serve as an opportunity for the family to get together and bond. An Indian dinner would include several courses from basic rice and bread to entrée like dishes that may include meat and vegetables, and finally dessert. One of the most impressive aspects of Indian food is that it caters to every diet including vegetarians, vegans, and meat lovers.

Some religious beliefs guide meal choices for the people. There is a sizeable Buddhist population that would be strictly meat free, and Hindus avoid beef as cows are considered holy. There is also a large contingent of Islamic Indians who would not eat pork. As such, the food you would eat throughout the country will vary significantly on the region you are visiting.