Description

Bananas are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre. They also provide us with a source of energy. They contain a lot of iron, which is extremely helpful to those suffering from anaemia, as it stimulates the growth of haemoglobin in the body. They contain a lot of potassium; this helps to alleviate high blood pressure and prevent bone loss by countering the damage done by a diet high in sodium/salt. Potassium is also excellent for relieving menstrual cramps and is also excellent for fluid retention, making bananas a sure winner for women who suffer with these symptoms. It also helps minimize the risk of kidney stones. Vitamin B6 also helps to balance blood-glucose levels, thereby alleviating mood swings often associated with PMS.                   Cavendish bananas were named after William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire. Though they were not the first known banana specimens in Europe, in around ***4 Cavendish received a shipment of bananas (from Mauritius) courtesy of the chaplain of Alton Towers (then the seat of the Earls of Shrewsbury). His head gardener and friend, Sir Joseph Paxton cultivated them in the greenhouses of Chatsworth House. The plants were botanically described by Paxton as Musa cavendishii, after the Duke.[2] For his work Paxton won a medal at the ***5's Royal,Cavendish bananas entered mass commercial production in ***3 but did not gain prominence until later when Panama disease attacked the dominant Gros Michel ("Big Mike") variety in the ***0s. Because they were successfully grown in the same soils as previously affected Gros Michel plants, many assumed the Cavendish cultivars were more resistant to Panama disease. Contrary to this notion, in mid****8, reports from Sumatra and Malaysia suggest that Panama disease is starting to attack Cavendish-like cultivars.