When you say banana, it’s always associated with monkeys for it is their basic food according to eye-witness statements and studies and stories told by old folks which co-starred a turtle. I remember reading an article in a certain health and wellness book telling its readers that bananas are reach in pectin which helps wounds to heal rapidly and lightens dark scars. Banana eaters also are those people who are avoided by mosquitoes according to their research.
Growing up in a humble town in the heart of Mindanao where farm and fields are almost everywhere, fruits including bananas are naturally common. In fact, you can buy a kilo of ‘tundan’ bananas at my mother’s mini fruit stand for only 10 Php and a kilo of this most sought-after ‘lakatan’ at 20 to 30 Php, prices vary during out of season harvesting. My eyes were accustomed of having bananas in our kitchen, may it be a bunch sitting in a corner or displayed on top of a table. Aside from having these ripe bananas up for grabs and just a peel away, we also have bananas made more suitable when boiled, when fried with caramelized sugar or when grilled over hot coals. The choices are endless when it comes to banana delicacies. This fruit can be seen on plates of all people in all levels. I mean, all of us eat bananas.
Banana is also advised by doctors to pregnant women since it can soothe the heat of their growing belly. It can cool down the temperature of one’s body making it stabilized and calm during warm weather conditions. I’d attest to that since I ate a lot of bananas when I was pregnant. Up to now, I’d run for some bananas to neutralize my taste when nausea strikes. I’ve heard a friend who said that when you got problems, when you are angry or in times of thought-panic, munch on a banana and you’ll soon forget your worries after a few moments. I laughed and later I tried the advice and indeed again I’d attest it’s true. Experience is a teacher after all.
Lucky me, even when I reached the most northern part of Luzon where my in-laws are happily residing, bananas are also a part of their daily commodities. My father in-law has a lot of banana plants providing different varieties of them to which I happily cook every now and then upon my visit. It then became a routine, he joyfully harvests his produce when I’m in their presence seeing that his daughter in-law is very fond of eating what he has in his ‘sari-sari plantation’.
Banana has become a part of my staple and I’m passing it on to my kids. My husband is even an avid eater of this fruit and I’d say we are pretty much happy of what we have when we bond with food.
