AQUA VRIKSHA INDIAN BANANA LEAVES

The banana leaf is the leaf of the banana plant, which may produce up to 40 leaves in a growing cycle.The leaves have a wide range of applications because they are large, flexible, waterproof and decorative. They are used for cooking, wrapping, and food-serving in a wide range of cuisines in tropical and subtropical areas. They are used for decorative and symbolic purposes in numerous Hindu and Buddhist ceremonies. In traditional homebuilding in tropical areas, roofs and fences are made with dry banana-leaf thatch. Banana and palm leaves were historically the primary writing surfaces in many nations of South and Southeast Asia.

Besides adding flavour, the leaves keep juices in and protect food from burning, much as foil does.In Tamil Nadu (India) leaves are fully dried and used as packing material for foodstuffs, and are also made into cups to hold liquids. The dried leaves are called 'Vaazhai-ch- charugu' (வாழைச் சருகு) in Tamil. Some South Indian, Filipino and Khmer recipes use banana leaves as a wrapper for frying

Benefits

Banana leaf is also rich in polyphenol oxidase which is an enzyme to treat Parkinson's disease. Banana leaves also have peculiar anti-bacterial properties that can kill germs in the food and aids proper digestion.