CHAPTER 2-RRL GONZALO
Polvoron is a sweet powdery Philippine delicacy. It is Spanish in origin (polvo is Spanish for
"powder"). The original Spanish polvoron is a flaky, soft, rich, shortbread-type cookie made with flour,
lard or vegetable shortening, powdered sugar and cinnamon. The dough is refrigerated, then rolled out,
cut and baked. The Philippine version is very different, being made of a mixture of toasted flour,
powdered milk, sugar, and melted butter. Other ingredients like pinipig or chopped nuts may be added.
The mixture is molded into oval or round shapes with a polvorera (a special mold which allows the
formed sweets to be discharged easily without crumbling). Once molded, polvoron is wrapped in
cellophane or Japanese paper. The sweet powder may also be used to fill small barquillos (rolled cookies)
for a cookie called barqueron.
Bean is a common name for large plant seeds of several genera of the familyFabaceae (alternately
Leguminosae) used for humanfood or animal feed. The whole young pods of bean plants, if picked before
the pods ripen and dry, are very tender and may be eaten cooked or raw. Thus the word "green beans"
means "green" in the sense of unripe (many are in fact not green in color), as the beans inside the pods of
green beans are too small to comprise a significant part of the cooked fruit. The term "bean" originally
referred to the seed of the broad bean, but was later expanded to include members of the genus Phaseolus,
such as the common bean and the runner bean, and the related genus Vigna. The term is now applied in a
general way to many other related plants such as soybeans, peas, lentils, chickpeas (garbanzos), vetches,
and lupins. "Bean" can be used as a near-synonym of "pulse", an edible legume, though the term "pulses"
is usually reserved for leguminous crops harvested for their dry grain and usually excludes crops mainly
used for oil extraction (like soybeans and peanuts) or those used exclusively for sowing purposes (such as
clover and alfalfa).
Leguminous crops harvested green for food, such as snap peas, snow peas, etc., are classified as
vegetable crops. In English usage, the word "beans" is also sometimes used to mean the seeds or pods of
plants that are not in the family Leguminosae, but which bear a superficial resemblance to true beans, for
example coffee beans, castor beans and cocoa beans (which resemble bean seeds), and vanilla beans
(which resemble the pods.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), eating banana can help protect
cardiovascular system against high blood pressure. Because banana contains high potassium, low sodium
and high level of antioxidant phenolic compounds.
Banana also keeps the electricity flow throughout the body because potassium duties as a
mineral’s electrolyte. And, Laura Flores, a San Diego-based nutritionist, concludes that “Bananas are high
in antioxidants, which can provide protection from radicals, which we come into contact with every day,
from sunlight to the lotion you put on your skin” (2014). The level of antioxidant in bananas will increase
when they ripe.
The American Heart Association (Trusted Source (AHA)) also encourages people to lower their
intake of salt, or sodium, and increase their consumption of foods that contain potassium. Potassium can
help manage blood pressure and reduce strain on the cardiovascular system. A medium banana provides
almost 9% of a person’s daily potassium needs.
To directly reference, the article “Benefits and Health Risks of Bananas” (by Kathy W.
Warwick, 2023).
Bananas contain essential nutrients that may enhance heart health, help manage blood pressure, and boost
a person’s mood, among other benefits. Eating bananas can help lower blood pressure and may reduce the
risk of cancer.
This article will take a look at the potential health benefits of bananas, such as improving heart health and
promoting regularity. It also examines the possible health risks that doctors have associated with bananas.
Health benefits
The following sections explain some of the possible health benefits of bananas.
The nutrition information comes from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA)
FoodData Central databaseTrusted Source.
Daily requirements are from the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for AmericansTrusted Source.
These are for adults, but they are approximate, as the values vary according to a person’s age and sex.
Blood pressure
The American Heart AssociationTrusted Source (AHA) encourage people to lower their intake of
salt, or sodium, and increase their consumption of foods that contain potassium. Potassium can help
manage blood pressure and reduce strain on the cardiovascular system
Asthma
A 2007 study suggested that eating bananas might help prevent wheezing in children with
asthma. One reason for this could be the antioxidant and potassium content of bananas. However, more
research is needed to confirm these findings.
Cancer
Laboratory investigations (Trusted Source have suggested that lectin, a protein that occurs in
bananas, may help prevent leukemia cells from growing).
Heart health
Bananas contain fiber, potassium, folate, and antioxidants, such as vitamin C. All of these
supports the heart’s health. A 2017 review trusted Source found that people who follow a high fiber diet
have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those on a low fiber diet. Those who consumed more
fiber also had lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol.
Diabetes
The American Diabetes Association recommend eating bananas and other fruit as they contain
fiber. They note that eating fiber can help lower blood sugar levels.
The author of a 2018 review trusted source concluded that eating a high fiber diet could reduce
the risk of type 2 diabetes and may lower blood sugar in those who already have the disease.
Digestive health
Bananas are also part of an approach known as the BRAT dietTrusted Source, which some
doctors recommend for treating diarrhea. BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast.
Diarrhea can lead to a loss of water and electrolytes, such as potassium. Bananas can replace
these nutrients.
High fiber foods can trigger bloating, gas, and stomach cramps in people with inflammatory
bowel disease (IBD), according to a 2012 studyTrusted Source. However, bananas may improve
symptoms, the authors concluded.
The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America recommend banana as a snack food in their diet
plan.
Preserving memory and boosting mood
Bananas containTrusted Source tryptophan, an amino acid that may help preserve memory, boost
a person’s ability to learn and remember things, and regulate mood.
Potassium
Bananas are rich in the mineral potassium. Potassium helps maintain (Trusted Source) fluid levels
in the body and regulates the movement of nutrients and waste products in and out of cells. Potassium
may reduce the risk of kidney stones forming as people age. In turn, healthy kidneys make sure that the
right amount of potassium stays in the body. One medium sized banana contains 422 milligramsTrusted
Source (mg) of potassium.
Bananas in the diet
Fresh bananas are available year-round. Unlike some fruits, bananas continue to ripen after
picking.
Risks
Beta-blockers: Doctors often prescribe these drugs to reduce the risk of complications that they
associate with cardiovascular disease. Beta-blockers can raise potassium levels in the blood.
Consuming too much potassium can be harmful to those whose kidneys are not fully functional.
If the kidneys are unable to remove excess potassium from the blood, it could be fatal. People who use
beta-blockers should eat high potassium foods, such as bananas, in moderation.
Allergy: Bananas may trigger an allergic reaction in some people. Anyone who experiences
itching, hives, swelling, wheezing, or difficulty breathing should seek medical help at once. A severe
reaction can lead to anaphylaxis, which can be life threatening.
Migraine: Bananas may be the trigger to Migraine (trusted Source migraines in some people)
Along with the Information provided by the article of “The traditional and therapeutic use of
banana and its plant based delicacies in ethnic Assamese cuisine and religious rituals from
Northeast India” (by Upasana Sarma, Viney Kumar Govila & Akanksha Yadav, 2020)
A study conducted on food habits of pre-colonial Assam also states the multi-diverse use of
banana and its leaves in ethnic cuisine. The usual curry was prepared with fish and alkali extract of
banana roots. The traditional ‘jalpan’ of Assam also has banana as one of its core ingredients. The koldil
or banana cone was used to prepare various dishes. The thinly pieced banana cone with pigeon meat was
a unique specialty even in those times.
It has been classified into the dessert or sweet bananas and the cooking bananas or plantains. It is
either eaten raw or processed, and also as a functional ingredient in various food products [16]. The Bodo
community which comprises of a large chunk of Assamese indigenous population also makes use of
banana and its parts in their delicacies as well as for therapeutic reasons.
The dietary habits of Bodos mostly depend on the local sources of variety of vegetables and non-
vegetarian food items. The Bodo inhabitants of Baksa district of Assam are also well adapted with their
natural surroundings and forest resources for their livelihood and they practise indigenous knowledge of
ethnic food preparation.
A study on the gut bacterial profile of these tribes of India (including Assam) has also revealed
significant data on their similarities with other such tribes around the world [17].
The Dimasa tribe of the state also makes use of the banana leaf as a covering for many of the
local dishes they make out of bamboo shoots. One such dish is Mia mikhri which can be either consumed
as a pickle or as a curry. Amongst the common wild herbs and vegetables used by the tribe are wild
banana, wild brinjal and tomato.
The use of zootherapeutic amongst Biate tribe of Dima Hasao District of Assam has also been
addressed in a study [18]. Such studies have helped to create awareness on the optimum utilisation of
resources of tribes of Assam. ‘Guduyaba’ (small fish or vegetables wrapped and smoked within banana
leaves and kept under the hot ashes of mud-ovens) is a local cuisine of Dimasas living in the Karbi
Anglong district of Assam.
Some Karbi traditional dishes like ‘Kimung’ and ‘kangthu’ make use of banana leaves
commonly. The use of banana especially its leaves and stem are extremely common in all major districts
of the state of Assam. They also use most plant species for medicinal purposes which in turn have turned
traditional healing into a much sought after field [19].
Inconclusion, There are many variations of polvorón and it comes in a wide array of flavors like
pinipig (rice crispies), cashew, ube (purple yam), cookies-and-cream, and many other but never has a
pulvoron ever had banana flavoring.
And thanks to the informations provided by the articles “Benefits and Health Risks of
Bananas” and “The traditional and therapeutic use of banana and its plant based delicacies in
ethnic Assamese cuisine and religious rituals from Northeast India” it can be seen that there are
many health benefits and some risks with using bananas as an ingredient to our Banron however the
Benefits far outweigh the risks as there are very few risks with barely any chance for them to happen so
long as the consumer isn’t allergic to bananas and it comes with the many benefits of the consumption of
bananas. the concept of the combination of pulvoron and banana chips forms the product we now label as
Banron, allowing for a healthy and very delicious delicacy or snack made for the satisfied consumption of
our consumer.
REFERENCES FOR LAST CHAPTER
Polvoron - Kawaling Pinoy
It’s All About Powder…A Brief History of the Polvoron | eddie's goodies (wordpress.com)
Bananas: Health benefits, tips, and risks (medicalnewstoday.com)
The traditional and therapeutic use of banana and its plant based delicacies in ethnic Assamese
cuisine and religious rituals from Northeast India | Journal of Ethnic Foods | Full Text
(biomedcentral.com)
