Bananas are a familiar fruit to the people of Vietnam. Additionally, bananas serve as an effective remedy for several ailments.
There are many types of bananas, but only the green bananas, including the “tiêu” banana, “tây” banana, and “hột” banana, are used in medicinal applications.
Tiêu Banana:
The green fruit of the tiêu banana is often sliced thinly and served with fragrant herbs in dishes like fish salad (gỏi cá) or jellyfish salad (nộm sứa) to reduce any fishy taste and prevent diarrhea. The sap from freshly cut green bananas can be used to treat ringworm.
Some scientists have demonstrated that consuming green tiêu bananas daily in powdered form is very effective for treating stomach ulcers. It stimulates the growth of the mucous membrane in the stomach, thickening this layer to prevent gastric juices from damaging the stomach lining, which aids in the healing of ulcers.
Researchers have also concluded: a daily serving of green tiêu banana can definitely help prevent stomach ulcers. Nutritionists in the UK consider the starch from green tiêu bananas to be an important factor in preventing colorectal cancer.
Hột Banana (Bitter Banana):
This variety is effective in treating bladder stones.
Here’s how to use it: Take green hột bananas, slice them thinly, dry them, then roast and let them sit for a few days. Each time, take 50-100g, boil with 400ml of water until it reduces to 100ml, and consume in 2-3 doses after meals. Alternatively, you can prepare a tea-like infusion or grind the material into a fine powder and take 30-50g daily in two doses.
Those suffering from stomach pain should not drink overly concentrated infusions; instead, they should dilute it and consume it multiple times throughout the day.
Tây Banana:
This variety is effective in treating diarrhea in children.
In the Southern region of Vietnam, it is common to give children suffering from diarrhea boiled green tây bananas, which has shown good results.
Another method is to take unripe tây bananas, peel them, wash them with salt water, slice them thinly, and dry them thoroughly. The dried slices can be ground into a fine powder to mix with rice flour and served to children.
Some hospitals have prepared green tây banana powder using the following formula: Mix 50g of banana powder with water, cook it, then add 50g of sugar and salt, stir well, let it cool, and have the child consume it all in one day.
The reason banana powder can treat diarrhea is due to its high tannin content, and the salts in the bananas help replenish the electrolytes lost during illness. This powder also has the ability to prevent diarrhea and alleviate digestive disorders, bloating, and acid reflux.
