Facts About Bananas

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!!
This is interesting. After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.



Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest
ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at wor k leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

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Sir David Attenborough: Galapagos Islands need tourism to survive

Marine iguanas are unique to the Galapagos Photo: STUART CONWAY


By Sir David Attenborough

Sir David Attenborough explains why tourists are a "necessary evil" on the remote islands.

I first visited the Galapagos Islands in1978, filming Life on Earth, and in fact last returned on my 80th birthday. I think what knocks everyone for six when they first arrive and step off the boat is the realisation that there are albatross and pelicans just… sitting there.

It is perfectly clear to them that they own the place and that you ought to step past them, not they get out of your way. They have this extraordinary indifference to human beings and leave you with this notion that you are visiting an area the animals clearly still consider to be theirs.

I really understood what Darwin must have seen in 1835. There are giant tortoises in different parts of the world, but what are visibly and obviously unique in the Galapagos are the marine iguanas. There's nothing remotely like them elsewhere. When you first see them they are dramatic to a degree; there are these huge herds of them sitting on the black rocks. It's easy to see why Darwin called them 'the imps of darkness'. It is most fascinating to see the marine iguanas swimming. If you're a swimmer, you come round on the coast having been watching trigger fish, sea lions and so on and there at the bottom is this lizard – a lizard! – 20 feet down, holding on to the rocks with especially long claws, grazing green seaweed. Extraordinary.



The Galapagos Islands lie on one of those great lines of weakness below the oceans of the world, the edges of tectonic plates where molten rocks from deep in the crust come to the surface and form volcanoes. You get volcanoes of different ages there, just as in Hawaii, and many of them remain active. On one of those islands Darwin could see this great expanse of black lava, this most extraordinary place.

He wrote in his journals: 'It reminds me very much of Wolverhampton.' He really did. Remember, his visit was at the time of the Industrial Revolution.

The variation in the islands lay behind Darwin's discovery that different circumstances produce different animals and different adaptations. So the marine iguanas don't occur everywhere – they have only colonised certain areas of the Galapagos. They had to feed on something and so on those islands that were new in geological terms and had very little vegetation on them – that were just bleak fields of black lava – the only vegetation they could find was seaweed.

The Galapagos are the classic example of the spark that lit the fuse, the one that natural selection. The evidence that is so transparently and dramatically and obviously clear in the Galapagos, you can also see in the Seychelles, you can see in Hawaii; you can see it wherever there is a group of small islands. Nonetheless, the Galapagos planted the seed that flowered, and so we revere them.

Partly because the Galapagos Islands are so remote, human beings didn't get there until the 16th century. Hawaii is just as varied if not more varied biologically, both botanically and zoologically, because it's bigger. However, the Polynesians have been there for many centuries so have wiped out an awful lot of stuff, as indeed they have in New Zealand.

The point about the Galapagos is that no-one had been to them previously and western European seafarers didn't know about them until late in their existence because they are stuck away in the middle of nowhere. Therefore they maintained their ecological isolation until a comparatively recent period.

The arrival of goats, which were deliberately put on the islands in order to provide meat for the seafarers, and the inadvertent arrival of rats, have both had a radical effect on the environment, on seabirds and upon the ecosystem. Recently the authorities on the Galapagos have taken steps to eradicate the goats from some of the islands, which is controversial; not for people interested in the biological world but, if you're a settler on certain islands, you'd think, 'Hell's teeth, I could sail across to another island, knock off a few goats and I'd have enough meat to last me and my family.' So it's not a popular move with some of the settlers but it's a brave thing to have been done and the authorities on the Galapagos deserve every support that we can give them.

The Galapagos consist of a dozen big islands and many smaller ones and so when tourists arrive, their groups can be divided up into manageable packets, sometimes of 150, sometimes of half a dozen. They tend to sleep on boats, so the groups' locations can be tracked and their schedules worked out to keep them separated. This is to the advantage of the tourists, in that when they go out in the morning they have the impression that they are the only ones there. It's very cleverly done. There are people working to do this, but others who are saying, 'Why don't you have twice as many tourists and that way we could get more money?' That will always seem to be the temptation, to push so far that you destroy the golden goose that lays the eggs. Tourism is a mixed blessing for the Galapagos but the fact is, if there was not tourism to the islands and the local people did not get any income from it, there would be nothing left there now. It would all be gone. It is the lesson of conservation around the world that unless the people who live in such places, whose land they feel belongs to them, are on the side of conservation, you're doomed. So tourism, if it's evil, is a necessary evil and one that in this instance can be controlled.

Of course, journalists and scientists have long pored over every conceivable aspect of the Galapagos. The interesting thing is that what is going on there relates to man's exploitation of the world and what we are proposing to do about it. We can screw up the Galapagos in the way that we can very easily screw up the whole planet. These islands are an example, a parable, for how we treat the natural world.

This article first appeared in Lonely Planet Magazine

Endangered plant bursts into life at Botanic Garden

Published Date: 19 February 2009
By GARETH EDWARDS

A JELLYFISH tree has burst into flower at the Botanics – to the surprise of staff who fear the rare plant may be on the verge of extinction.

The endangered plant – which takes its name from the shape its seeds make when rooting – has never been known to flower in Britain before.

It is also feared to be dying out in its native Seychelles, where no new seedlings have taken root for years.

The Capital's Botanic Garden has had its plant in its glasshouse for six years, during which time it has grown more than half a metre tall.

Staff at the Botanics have been taking extra care of it after other botanic gardens around the UK found their specimens died after three years.

Having kept it alive so long, the staff have been rewarded with their first sight of the small white and yellow flowers produced by the rare species.

They are now waiting hopefully to see if they can collect seeds from the plant to try to cultivate more of the trees.

Glasshouse supervisor Fiona Inches said: "We were all surprised when we saw the flowers. It seems to have done very well in the humid conditions of the glasshouse.

"The flowers are quite small, with creamy white petals and the thin yellow stamen which mark them out as male flowers.

"We are keeping a close watch for the bisexual flowers, which will hopefully allow us to get some seeds from which we can grow more of the trees."

The Jellyfish Tree, or Medusagyne oppositifolia, is only known to grow in the wild in one place in the world – the island of Mahe in the Seychelles.

It can grow up to ten metres tall in the wild. Until the 1970s it had been thought to be extinct, as no examples had been spotted for decades.

At the moment, it is estimated that there are only around 50 of the trees growing in the wild, but with no new seedlings spotted for several years there are concerns about the future of the plant.

The original seed was given to the Botanic Garden's Regius Keeper, Professor Stephen Blackmore, who is a trustee of the Seychelles Islands Foundation.

The jellyfish tree is expected to be in flower for around a month, and is on display in the glasshouse of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

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Nature's pride - By Maisy Koh

IT IS understandable why the French and British fought a lengthy war over the control of Seychelles back in the 18th century. The archipelago of 115 granite and coralline islands is home to some of the best beaches in the world, two Unesco World Heritage Sites and an amazing ecology of some of the rarest flora and fauna. If God had intended land and sea to coexist so distinctly and harmoniously, Seychelles would surely be on top of that list.

Stranded out in the Indian Ocean, north-east of Madagascar and thousands of miles away from traffic jams and ultra modern skyscrapers, Seychelles is carefree and still untainted by modernisation. Despite the slew of luxury hotels mushrooming across the islands, Seychelles has managed to retain its own wonderfully laidback way of life.

Independence from the British was established in 1976. A young nation with a population of a little over 80,000, Seychelles' economy relied mainly on tourism, which employs more than 30 per cent of the labour force. This looks set to increase despite the Seychelles government's efforts to diversify the economy after the catastrophic drop in tourist arrivals following September 11, 2001.

The list of luxury hotels leaving a footprint in Seychelles reads like the who's who of the hospitality industry. Resorts like North Island, Four Seasons, Maia Luxury Resort, Fregate, Banyan Tree, and Constance Lemuria have already been welcoming visitors, a large proportion of them Europeans. Newcomers like the Maldives-based Per Aquum group and Singapore-based Raffles Hotels & Resorts too have plans to hop on the bandwagon. The latter is slated to open in 2011 with 90 villas and 23 estate homes.

Escape from the city is the raison d'etre for visiting Seychelles. The natural landscape is stunning. Ancient granite boulders framing the legendary beaches, lush, exotic vegetation, an impressive array of endemic species and fascinating marine life - being in Seychelles is to be at one with nature.

Of course, Seychelles is home to some of the best beaches in the world, like Anse Lazio and Anse Georgette. Miles of pristine beaches and azure waters as far as the eye can see make Seychelles the perfect destination for beachcombers. Unlike the Maldives, with its incomparable talcum soft sand circling the tiny islands, you get long stretches of picturesque beaches in Seychelles. Watching the sun slowly slipping into the horizon, the waves gently lapping, soft sand under your skin, whether you're meditating or sipping a cocktail, the charm of Seychelles, cliched as it may sound, is simply magical.

Seychelles is also known as the 'Galapagos of the Indian Ocean'. The celebrated Coco-de-mer, also called the love fruit for its resemblance to the female pelvis is found only in Seychelles on the islands of Praslin and Curieuse.

On the second largest island, Praslin, is the Unesco World Heritage Site of Vallee de Mai, once believed to be the original Garden of Eden. Hiking through this primeval forest is a humbling experience. The trees are Jurassic in proportions! Vallee de Mai is one of the key highlights of Seychelles. With a good guide to help manoeuvre through the forest and enhance the appreciation of these giants with their in-depth knowledge of the botany, history and its legends, the hike is a very pleasant experience, although the thought of the Coco-de-mer nuts, which by the way weigh like a ton of bricks, strung high up on trees as tall as 10-storey buildings, may be a little unnerving.

The Aldabra Atoll is the other Unesco World Heritage Site. It is the world's largest raised coral atoll and is uninhabited, except for a group of researchers. It is home to more than 100,000 giant tortoises, some as large as a Volkswagen Beetle car.

Other fauna include green turtles, hawksbill turtles, hammerhead sharks and manta rays. The white throated rail, the only flightless bird in the Indian Ocean, is also found here on Aldabra. This treasure trove is fiercely protected. Permission from Seychelles Island Foundation, the caretakers of the Unesco World Heritage Sites, is required to visit Aldabra.

If all that nature is making you dizzy, you can make a trip to Victoria, the capital of Seychelles, which sits on Mahe, the largest island in the archipelago. It is also where the international airport is located. I had planned to spend a good half-day at Victoria. But sadly, my companion and I finished our exploration in less than three hours, lunch included. The town is compact. The few sights are easily covered on foot. Victoria is only recommended for those suffering from an acute overdose of nature.

Food lovers should also be warned to lower their expectations. A week in Seychelles (return flights from Singapore are on a weekly basis) will leave one longing for a hot bowl of instant kimchi ramen. Despite being surrounded by waters, seafood in Seychelles is surprisingly underwhelming. The most consistent and competent dish is the heart of palm salad. Service, like the island way of life, is slow and unhurried. Outside of the international luxury hotels, warm and friendly service is almost non-existent.

Despite the influx of international hotels, Seychelles remains unruffled by all the attention. The government maintains very strict environmental legislation on every project. This, in turn, ensures the long-term sustainability of the natural environment, which is the pride and lifeline of the country. Even the luxury hotels are built to blend seamlessly into the background.

There is no disputing Seychelles' natural beauty. The dramatic granite outcrops, sweeping vistas, sparkling Indian Ocean and gorgeous beaches are only the most obvious aspects of the Seychellois splendour. The archipelago hosts some of the largest bird sanctuaries in the world and is a top destination for bird-watchers. The surrounding waters are teeming with marine life with plenty of sites for diving, snorkelling and fishing. But depending on seasonality, the waters are not always safe for swimming, even for experienced swimmers.

What sets Seychelles apart is its natural heritage. It has so much more than picture postcard beaches. From the prehistoric forests and ancient boulders to the endemic species and vibrant marine ecology, Seychelles is a living museum of natural history. Here is a sanctuary where man is deferential to nature. Life is as nature intended, unapologetically pure, barefooted and relaxed.

btnews@sph.com.sg

This article was first published in The Business Times on Jan 31, 2009