Bananas are a topic we might not expect to discuss, yet the Thai banana is one of the closest fruits to the Thai people. It serves as a supplementary food that Thai children have consumed for ages without needing to purchase it.

 

Raw Bananas - Contain tannins, which help inhibit the growth of bacteria, protecting the intestinal walls from pathogens and spicy foods like chili, thus aiding in the treatment of diarrhea.

 

Raw bananas can be used as medicine by slicing them thinly and drying them at a temperature of 50 degrees Celsius. It is crucial not to use higher heat, as the medicinal properties for treating stomach ailments will be lost. Once dried, grind them into powder and take one teaspoon three times a day before meals, optionally mixed with honey.

 

Raw bananas have both preventive and therapeutic effects against stomach ailments, while modern medications that reduce stomach acid only serve a preventive role without healing. Thus, bananas are the cheapest and easiest remedy for stomach issues.

 

Half-Ripe Bananas  - These have a partially green peel and are both a medicine and a highly beneficial food for those suffering from diarrhea. They not only help alleviate diarrhea but also lubricate the intestines and increase fiber for easier bowel movements. Half-ripe bananas are also rich in potassium, which is often lost during diarrhea. Consuming them helps replenish potassium levels, as significant loss can lead to irregular heartbeats, especially in the elderly, potentially resulting in heart failure. Furthermore, half-ripe bananas contain high levels of serotonin, which stimulates the stomach lining to produce more mucus, aiding in coating stomach ulcers, although they do not reduce stomach acid secretion.

 

Ripe Bananas  - Have properties opposite to those of raw bananas, acting as a laxative for constipation due to their high pectin content, which increases fiber in the intestines. Overripe bananas have a stronger laxative effect due to increased pectin. The laxative effect of ripe Thai bananas is not very strong; one needs to consume 5-6 bananas daily to see results. The resulting stool is yellow and odorless. When eating ripe bananas, they should be chewed thoroughly, as bananas contain 20-25% starch. This makes them a suitable supplementary food for young children. Since infants have limited starch-digesting enzymes, thoroughly chewing the banana before swallowing aids digestion. If eaten without proper chewing, it can cause bloating, especially in young children. It is advisable to introduce ripe bananas to infants around 3 months old, starting with small amounts of mashed banana (without the peel, as it can cause constipation). For children over one year old, one banana per day is sufficient.

 

Fully Ripe Bananas  - Fully ripe bananas produce a substance called TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor), which can combat abnormal cells. The riper the banana, the more black spots appear on the peel, indicating higher immune resistance. In experiments conducted by a Japanese professor at the University of Tokyo, bananas were compared with other fruits like grapes, apples, watermelons, pineapples, pears, and persimmons, and bananas showed the best results in increasing white blood cells and enhancing the body's immunity, as well as producing anti-cancer TNF.

 

Recommendations  - It is advised to consume 1-2 bananas daily to boost immunity against various diseases such as colds and influenza. Bananas with yellow skin and numerous black spots can increase white blood cell counts up to eight times more than green bananas.

 

Additionally, it has been found that  banana roots can relieve urinary issues, the stems can stop bleeding and treat hernias, the leaves can heal dog bite wounds and stop bleeding, and the sap from the leaves can also stop bleeding and heal wounds.

 

Thank you for the information from www.thaihealth.or.th