Description

Banana Blossom in Brine

What is Banana Blossom?

A familiar and much-loved banana grows as a cluster from the top of the banana ‘tree’ and is formed from a complex blossom. The blossom, covered in tightly packed deep purple colour bracts, is rather large and has a shape of a water droplet or a heart. Hence, the banana blossom is also known as the banana flower or banana heart in different areas of the planet. During the banana blossom growth, it opens up its thick purple waxy bracts, revealing circling double rows of smaller prolonged thin white or cream colour flowers. These are the actual flowers that turn into the well-known banana hand, or as commonly called a banana bunch, you buy in supermarkets and grocery shops. As the opening of new thick bracts progresses, at one point, the smaller flowers stop forming into banana fingers and just drop off the cluster. From that moment on, the banana blossom does not produce any more banana fruits and immediately can be harvested as an unusual but very nutritious vegetable.

When sourcing banana blossoms, Ranre Foods uses only the ones grown and harvested in Sri Lankan ecologically clean plantations. This, along with the strict standards of quality of the blossom itself, allows us to produce an end product that is genuinely nutritious and has a wonderful subtle, fresh taste. The blossoms are well-cleaned to remove any dirt and pathogens before they are covered in brine and sealed to save their freshness and nutrients. Rigorous quality control at all stages of production ensures the highest quality and food safety of the resulting product of Banana Blossom in Brine.

Banana blossom is generally regarded as a fish substitute for vegetarians and vegans in terms of its texture, which is meaty and soft, somewhat similar to artichokes. Although in the raw form, it has a starchy and bitter taste on its own, simple preserving in brine brings out its subtle fruity and nutty taste, making it a juicy and munchy snack you will definitely fall in love with.

The subtleness of its own flavour and ability to take on the flavour of whatever dish it is in turns the banana blossom into a versatile cooking ingredient. Try it raw as a snack or in various cold or hot salads. You may cook it in curries, soups, tacos, stir-fries, cutlets and sambals. Use it to substitute fish in fish cakes or fish burgers. Enjoy variety by combining it with your rice or noodle side dishes, and even supplementing your vegetable recipes. And if you are not a vegan or a vegetarian, you can also add it to your meat stews to get a pleasant filling and more texture or cook it with vegetables, meat, or fish stock to make a delicious soup. And when you will try out all the variations richly offered by various Asian cuisines, try creating your own recipes with Banana Blossom, switching it from a substitute to a complement to the star of your dish.

Is there any nutritional value in the Banana Blossom?

Compared to fish, Banana Blossom does not provide even near amounts of oils or protein. Nevertheless, it is rich in carbohydrates and dietary fibre. But its significant value is in macronutrients, several vitamins and antioxidants it carries. You can find such important minerals as potassium, phosphorous, iron, calcium, magnesium, copper, and even zinc in amounts that can strongly contribute to your well-being.

Banana Blossom also provides certain amounts of vitamins A, C, and E to the daily recommended nutrient intake.

Several antioxidants, including quercetin, catechin, phenols, saponins, and tannins, as well as amino acids, increase the nutritional value of the Banana Blossom and make it a regular must-have ‘vegetable’ in your diet.

And it is also soy-free, gluten-free, and has zero cholesterol or added sugar.

What are its benefits?

The combination of the above mentioned and other nutrients and elements provides Banana Blossom with very valuable benefits to your well-being. Many of these are already proven and confirmed by various medical studies. It is believed that active ingredients in the Banana Blossom have the ability to:

• Treat and cure infection, because of its anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties;
• Reduce the level of blood sugar by promoting glucose uptake;
• Maintain balanced insulin and glucose levels;
• Reduce diabetes symptoms such as polyuria, hyperglycaemia and body weight fluctuations;
• Improve symptoms associated with anaemia such as fatigue, tiredness, irregular heartbeat, pale skin, cold feet and hands;
• Raise the haemoglobin by assisting in red blood cell production;
• Help in PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome);
• Reducing excessive bleeding by increasing progesterone;
• Help in lowering high blood pressure;
• Reduce the risk of coronary heart disease;
• Lower risk for stroke;
• Maintain a healthy uterus;
• Help to fight against morning sickness;
• Regularise bowel functions and treat constipation;
• Improve lactation;
• Enhance the quality of the breast milk;
• Soothe digestive distress and prevent bloating;
• Help in weight loss by promoting feelings of fullness for longer periods;
• Assist in preventing cancer by counteracting free radical activity;
• Treat premature ageing by eliminating oxidative damage;
• Serve as a natural anti-depressant without side effects;
• Improve the mood;
• Lessen anxiety;
• Boost healthy digestion and absorption of food;
• Reduce irritable bowel syndrome (IBS);
• Relieve diarrhoea symptoms;
• Promote healthy functioning of the kidneys;
• Dissolve kidney stones and avert the risk of inflammation;
• Reduce the risk of urinary problems;
• Effectively neutralise the stomach acid secretions and offer respite from indigestion, ulcers and pain;
• Subdue growth of prostate cells and treat prostate enlargement;
• Improve hair thickness and texture by making hair follicles stronger and boosting hair growth;
• Alleviate joint discomfort, prevent and relieve symptoms of osteoporosis by increasing bone mineral density and reducing osteocalcin levels;
• Treat bronchitis;
• Lower the blood cholesterol;
• Prevent neural disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease;
• Support the immune system;
• Help to maintain healthy bones;
• Prevent frequent muscle cramps;
• Kill damaged cells;
• Protect the liver;
• Help relieve body pain.

Enjoying Banana Blossom to its fullest

Banana blossom naturally oxidises very quickly when it comes in contact with air. This causes it to turn black. Ranre Foods use brine to prevent this natural fermentation process and to safeguard the blossom from any other possible pathogens. The brine we use is made from just two ingredients: water and salt. Hence, we advise you not to use salt when cooking Banana Blossom until the last minute. This will allow you to control the taste and your salt intake without spoiling the enjoyment of a truly nutritional banana blossom.

Be mindful that Banana Blossom has a very subtle taste and aroma, and it soaks up whatever flavours you cook it with. Therefore, you can experiment with it in your cooking, introducing various other ingredients and spices with strong tastes and aromas. Just keep in mind to stress one of them in your dish to avoid the bluntness.

Banana Blossom is a safe product and hardly can ever cause an allergic reaction. However, with heavy pollution of the ecosystem and a damaged immune system, some people may have an allergy to bananas. If you know yourself to be allergic to the fruit, we recommend taking caution in consuming the banana blossom as well. Consult your healthcare practitioner in any case of doubt. Still, this is an extremely rare condition, in general with minor reactions.