Food served in banana leaves have a special aroma and enhanced flavour. We want to know the benefits of eating on banana leaves. They are used for cooking, wrapping, and food-serving in a wide range of cuisines in tropical and subtropical areas. What started as a tradition down in South India thousands of years ago is now also proving to be a healthy trend. Now you might be wondering that we are not going to eat the banana leaf. 01 /8 The story of logic India has a tradition of serving food on banana leaves. *Banana seed mucilage is given in cases of diarrhea. Instead of wasting water in cleaning your utensils, eating on banana leaves (if they are easily available) is not just convenient, but also saves your time and energy in doing the dishes. A 1991 study conducted by Abiliza E. Kimambo and H. M. H. Muya of the Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania determined that the banana leaves, fruit peelings and the core of the stem provide sufficient nutritional value to be a highly valuable food for dairy cows and cattle. You have been successfully subscribed to the Food Newsletter, You have been successfully unsubscribed from the Food Newsletter, India has a tradition of serving food on banana leaves. This is why you must eat on a banana leaf ndtv food why indians traditionally eat food on banana leaf instead of plates guruprasad s portal 7 reasons why you must always eat on banana leaves the times of india this is why you must eat on a banana leaf ndtv food. There is a proper way to eat with your hands; every Filipino knows it. *The leaf is the most sacred and would find its usage in all Vedic rituals. 2) Banana leaves are Eco-friendlier than options In fact, the Onam Sadhya looks so enticing partly because it is served on these appetizing leaves. So, when the food is put on the leaves, the wax melts and provides a better taste. Steaming or cooking food in banana leaf also adds a sweet flavor and imparts astringency to the food. The leaves have a wide range of applications because they are large, flexible, waterproof and decorative. This also helps in digestion. Popular restaurant chains like “Kamat Hotels” have also retained this banana leaf tradition, and hence, are a favorite haunt, especially for the orthodox families. What a healthy escape from the mound of dishes in the sink! Being larger than the leaves of most plants, banana leaf can be cut in different sizes and can be placed on the platter of any size. In the cuisines of Asia, Africa and South America, banana leaves serve as wrappers to keep rice, meat or fish and other foods moist during cooking. From time immemorial people of South, use banana leaf to serve and pack food. In several south Indian states, it is traditional to serve food on banana leaves. (Image courtesy: Shutterstock), These leaves have a waxy exterior and hence they are easy to clean as dust does not stick to them. Banana is served along, it serves as a compliment to the puddings and solidifies the dessert (To make it stay on the leaf). (Image courtesy: Shutterstock), The healthiest and unhealthiest ways to cook eggs. | For reprint rights: Times syndication service, Copyright 2020 Bennett coleman and co. ltd.All rights reserved.The Times of India. The tree provides a canopy in many tropical climates. Though you cannot eat the banana leaf, eating the food on it adds that extra traditional flavour to your cuisine. Eating the food served on the leaves can also build a healthy bacterial flora in the gut. Everybody sits together on the floor and eats with their hands. (Image courtesy: Shutterstock). Eating on banana leaves is a custom that dates back thousands of years, however its benefits are still relevant today. After putting the leaf, salt, sour and chilly is served first. Banana leaves have a wax-like coating that prevents dirt and dust from sticking on the surface of leaves. Eating on banana leaves is an age old Indian tradition, however its benefits are relevant even today. Editor's pick on the best recipes, articles and videos. In South India, there is this wonderful tradition of serving food to guests on these leaves on special occasions and festivals. Also, it saves you from the dangerous chemicals that can be found on thermocol or plastic plates. This tea stall in Gwalior has chai for every mood, Korean man gets emotional as wife serves him the last dish by his mom, made a decade ago. Whatever functions or gathering it may be, food is served in the wide banana leaves. Eating food on a banana leaf is a custom that dates back to thousands of years. The ancient tradition of serving food on a freshly cut Banana leaf has its roots in India. Eating on banana leaves is healthy in every way. These leaves are considered sacred and pure and are also used in offering prasad to the deities. Earlier, banana leaves were commonly used to eat food instead of plates. India is a land of various traditions and cultural values. The wax like coating on these leaves not just adds taste to the dishes, but also makes it easy to clean the leaves and as it prevents dirt and dust from sticking. They should also be preferred by you in the restaurants as they are definitely cleaner than the utensils you are served food in. Benefits Of Eating On A Banana Leaf February 23, 2017 July 29, 2020 Swati Pokhriyal It’s been in our culture to eat healthy and in a scientific way, whether its the spices which are used for preparing food or the way of eating it, everything is unique. That's when men lived along with Nature. Do you know about these 5 side effects of cumin seeds? Especially people of South India use Banana leaves in a higher ratio than the north. Here's What The Ancient Practice Of Sprinkling Water Around Food Meant! Food on Banana Leaves: Different traditions are prevalent in every region of India. This Is Why You Must Eat On A Banana Leaf, India has a long-standing tradition of serving food on banana leaves, These thick leaves are big enough to serve a multi-course meal, Food when served on banana leaves gets enriched with several nutrients, Slurp Alert! It is a common practice primarily in South India to eat food on Banana leaves. See more ideas about Boodle fight, Food, Filipino recipes. These three awakens the digestive acids to digest the food that you are going to eat further. Just tie a piece of banana leaf over the sprain or burn. Try cooking a few recipes like idli in banana leaf. *young leaves – placed as plaster on burns and other skin afflictions. (Image courtesy: Shutterstock), Eating in a banana leaf saves you from licking the chemical residue of your washing powder or gel that lurks in unnoticed on your plate. Provides Great Flavor. Serving on banana leaves is simple, the leaf only has to be cut in half and rinsed once in the water. Adds to the taste. They efficiently embraced the benefits of nature as a 'Way of Life'. The food will be served on a banana leaf. Deeksha Sarin  |  Updated: December 28, 2017 14:54 IST. A piping hot cup of adrak wali chai can make her day bright and shiny! Sign up to get daily ideas on meals, Wondering what to cook today? Banana leaf: Banana leaf enhance the taste of food. ... Keeping food on a banana leaf and using your hands to eat it was a norm and considered perfectly hygienic. While plastic and thermocol plates add to the mound of landfills as they are non-bio degradable and take many years to break down. Eating sustenance on a banana leaf is viewed as healthy. From this tradition, our health has many benefits. There are lots of benefits for this. Imparts Great Flavour. (Image courtesy: Shutterstock), Being larger than the leaves of most plants, banana leaf can be cut in different sizes and can be placed on platter of any size. In South India, there is this wonderful tradition of serving food to guests on these leaves on special occasions and festivals. Sometimes the serving bowls will have serving spoons, and other times your hands will be the only utensils. A typical South Indian feast is, for the most part, served on a banana leaf. In India, serving food or meal on banana leaf is a longstanding unique tradition, especially in the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. Serving food on banana leaf is a tradition in several south Indian states. These leaves are considered sacred and pure and are also used in offering prasad to the deities. After that ginger curry and lemon pickle is served. Banana leaf is from nature and by using banana leaf you are limiting the use of plastic or other substances that are not good for the environment. Copyright 2020 Bennett coleman & co. ltd. All rights reserved | The Times of India. Banana leaves were used to offer food to Hindu deities, especially during festivals. Even though you are not eating a banana leaf you can still get a significant amount of similar benefit just by eating your hot tasty food in a banana leaf. There are surplus benefits in eating on the banana leaf. Banana leaves grow up to nine feet in length. People believe that eating that prasad cures the diseases and controls the wrongdoing. Why Eat Food On A Banana Leaf? Banana leaves are often used as serving trays in many Asian and Muslim societies. The Banana Leaf Apolo has been serving its food on a banana leaf … Beautiful decorations for pooja can be done with a banana leaf. The banana leaf is the leaf of the banana plant, which may produce up to 40 leaves in a growing cycle. It works like magic. One reason is that the heat from food served directly on a leaf will release the leaf's natural antioxidants, which then combine with the food itself for added health benefits. When hot food is served on the banana leaf, we get the polyphenols from leaf in our food. By serving hot food on these, this wax melts and enhances the taste of food. There is a kind of wax coating on banana leaves that have a distinctive flavour. The waxy coating on banana leaves gives the food a distinct but a subtle flavor. 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These anti-oxidants are said to prevent cancer and a number of lifestyle diseases. About Deeksha SarinAn eccentric foodie and a die-hard falooda lover, Deeksha loves riding scooty in search of good street food! Huge amounts of food are put in the middle of the table. While eating the leaves of edible banana plants may not be harmful, the fiber in these leaves makes them difficult for humans to chew and digest. This custom is still common in south India households where the whole family enjoys a meal together, often sitting on floor and eating with hands rather than using cutlery. Logic behind Indian tradition of eating with hands. Healthy Banana leaves are packed with plant-based compounds called polyphenols such as epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, which is also found in green tea. The leaves are a symbol of fertility and prosperity in the Hindu religion. The lower parts tradition unique to India, especially in South India every Filipino knows it looks enticing... 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