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Banana: the everyday super fruit

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5 years ago

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by Randima Attygalle

Be it visiting loved ones for the new year or on any other occasion, taking a comb of bananas along is a time-honoured practice among Lankans. We are not alone in our love for this delectable fruit relished over centuries by mankind and herbivorous animals alike. One of the most widely grown fruit crops in the world, banana occupies a top place in the fresh fruit trade, second only to orange. Banana (Musa spp.) is native to South Asia and Western Pacific Region. The wild ancestors of cultivated banana Musa acuminate Colla and Musa balbisiana Colla are distributed in South and South East Asian countries including Sri Lanka.

The earliest written reference to bananas in Sri Lankan history goes back to about 341 A.D. the time of King Buddhadasa who is reputed to have been a skilled physician. The king had recorded in his Sarartha Sangragaha, the medicinal values of various parts of the banana plant. There is also evidence that the prehistoric inhabitants of the island, over 12,000 years ago had eaten wild bananas. The seed remains of ati-eta kesel which had been found in a carbonized state in the stone-age cave sites of Batadombalena in the Ratnapura District prove the long existence of banana in Sri Lanka.

“Botanically known to be a kind of berry, banana is the only fruit crop equally recognized as a fruit and a vegetable. Although ‘bananas’ and ‘plantains’ are commonly used to name the fruit, there is a distinction between them. The two major types of edible banana cultivars in the country are classified into banana and plantain each with different morphological characters and uses. “While banana is considered to be the ‘dessert’ type, plantains are the cooking type,” explains Dr. Kalyani Ketipearachchi, former Principal Scientist (Fruit Agronomy), Fruits Crops Research and Development Station of the Department of Agriculture in Gannoruwa, Peradeniya. Today what is known as ‘ornamental banana species’ have also found a place in home gardens, she adds.

While almost 1,000 varieties of bananas are found across the world, there are around 50 varieties locally found, says Dr. Ketipearachchi. Other than a few varieties introduced scientifically through international research projects such as Ambun types, Cavendish type, recommended varieties of Kandula and
Pulathisi, almost all the others are indigenous to the country, she adds.

Sri Lankan bananas are found in three main groups: the Mysore, the Kolikuttu and the Cavendish. Ambul and seeni bananas are of Mysore group. Kolikuttu, suwendel, puwalu and rath kehel belong to the Kolikuttu group, while embun, anamalu, nethrampalam and bim-kesel belong to the Cavendish group. While all these are popular dessert bananas, alu-kesel or ash plantain is a cooking variety. Among the cooking types are Kithala, Mondan, Etamuru, and Marathamana which are however not as common as alu-kesel. Nethrampalam, she says, is the most expensive local variety. “This is not commonly available as it is not yet cultivated on a large scale. Nethrapalam is believed to help improve eyesight and contains aphrodisiac qualities. Bimkesel or Navkesel is also a Cavendish type known as Sri Lankan Cavendish. The tree is of dwarf size and its fruit bunch almost touches the ground.

Bananas are a popular fruit crop ensuring high economic returns throughout the year. “This is the fruit’s biggest attraction, as it could be grown across the country even at very high elevations unlike other seasonal fruits such as rambutan or mango. Moreover, banana can be harvested in shorter periods, bearing fruit in about ten months,” notes Dr. Ketipearachchi. The economic life span of a tree is about four years.

Nearly 50,000 hectares of land are under banana in Sri Lanka – that’s about 54% of the total fruit cultivation extent, according to the Department of Agriculture. It is also our highest export fruit crop. According to the Export Development Board’s numbers, Cavendish has a high demand in the international market and ambul and rath kesel are also exported in small quantities. Middle East countries are the largest buyers of Lankan bananas, (largely Cavendish) followed by several European countries including Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands and the UK. Japan and New Zealand are also among lead buyers.

Along with its everyday presence in Lankan homes, the fruit is also part of the country’s religious and cultural fabric. All of it, be it leaves, flower bud, pseudo stem or corm, no part of this plant goes unutilized. It is also a popular weaning food for infants as it is easily digestible, soft and palatable. Rice and curry wrapped in banana leaves, popularly known as kesel-kola buth is much relished, giving a special flavour to a meal apart from its packaging function.

Harvard School of Public Health in their literature alludes to banana as the ‘iconic golden fruit’ which carries the title of the ‘first super-food endorsed by the American Medical Association in the early 20th century as a health food for children and a treatment for celiac disease. Rich in potassium, vitamin A and C, banana can easily fulfill the minimum daily fruit requirement of 100gms, says Dr. Renuka Jayatissa, Head of the Department of Nutrition at the Medical Research Institute and President of the Sri Lanka Medical Nutrition Association.

An advocate of ‘a banana a day keeps the doctor away,’ she remarks that banana is a natural intervention for tropical lands like ours to supplement the minerals lost due to heat. “It’s actually a wonder fruit with many advantages – nutrition value, affordability, availability and its natural peel-wrapper, makes it a safe and a practical fruit that could be eaten at any time without interfering with our meal patterns.”

Nearly 50% of Lankan adults have high blood pressure says the Clinical Nutritionist. Rich is potassium, the fruit is recommended for maintaining blood pressure levels. However, those with potassium-related health issues need to be conscious of how much of the fruit they eat, says Dr. Jayatissa. As it is rich in calories and carbohydrates, it should be eaten in moderation by diabetics and other high risk groups such as the overweight and the obese, to prevent glycemic overloading. “People unnecessarily fear banana which should not be the case. Eating in moderation is the key,” she notes.

The nutritional level of different kinds of bananas varies but this is not very significant, so people have the advantage of enjoying their preferred variety, Dr. Jayatissa says. “Ambul has more citric acid, and that’s the reason why it doesn’t agree with those who have citric acid intolerance. But such cases are now not very common. Rath-kesel has more beta-carotenes and is good for those with Vitamin A deficiency. Anamalu is recommended to treat diarrhea as well as constipation,” she explains emphasizing that this fruit can also meet the recommended daily dose of vitamin C as a buffer against COVID-19.

Citing Thailand’s example, she says that the wastage of this wonder fruit must be avoided. “In Thailand, hardly any bananas are thrown away. Overripe fruit is sun-dried and diced into small pieces which they enjoy with ice cream or smoothies. We can learn from this and even add it to our much loved curd. Banana peel soaked in water for three days is a good fertilizer”, Dr Jayatissa says, encouraging Lankans to be more creative with this abundant fruit.


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Life style

Celebration of taste, culture and elegance

Published

5 days ago

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2025/12/7

By

Ambassador Damiano, Jagatheeswaran, Barbara Troila and Ambassador of Vietnam, Trinh Thi Tam

Italian Cuisine Week

This year’s edition of Italian Cuisine Week in Sri Lanka unfolded with unmistakable charm, elegance and flavour as the Italian Embassy introduced a theme that captured the very soul of Italian social life ‘Apertivo and’ Stuzzichini’ This year’s celebration brought together diplomats, food lovers, chefs and Colombo’s society crowd for an evening filled with authenticity, refinement and the unmistakable charm of Italian hospitality.

Hosted at the Italian ambassador’s Residence in Colombo, the evening brought Italy’s golden hour ritual to life, embracing the warmth of Mediterranean hospitality and sophistication of Colombo social scene.

The ambience at the residence of the Italian Ambassador, effortlessly refined, evoked the timeless elegance of Milanese evening culture where ‘Apertivo’ is not just a drink , but a moment of pause, connection and pleasure. Guests were greeted with the aromas of apertivo classics and artisanal stuzzichini,curated specially for this edition. From rustic regional flavours to contemporary interpretations the embassy ‘s tables paid homage to Italy’s diverse culinary landscape.

, Italy’s small bites meant to tempt the palate before meal. Visiting Italian chefs worked alongside Colombo’s leading culinary teams to curate a menu that showcased regional authenticity though elegant bite sized creations. The Italian Ambassador of Italy in Sri Damiano Francovigh welcomed guests with heartfelt remarks on the significant of the theme, highlighting how “Apertivo”embodies the essence of Italy’s culinary identity, simple, social and rooted in tradition.

Sri Lanka’s participation in Italian Cuisine Week for ten consecutive years stands as a testament to the friendship between the two countries. This year focus on ‘Apertivo’ and ‘Stuzzichini’ added a fresh, dimension to that relationship, one that emphasised not only flavours, but shaped cultural values of hospitality, family and warmth. This year’s ‘Apertivo’ and “Stuzzichini’ theme brought a refreshing twist to Italian Cuisine Week. It reminded Sri Lankan guests t hat sometimes the most memorable culinary experiences come not from elaborate feasts but from the simplicity of serving small plates with good company.

Italian Cuisine Week 2025 in Sri Lanka may have showcased flavours, but more importantly it showcased connection and in the warm glow of Colombo’s evening Apertivo came alive not just as an Italian tradition.

(Pix by Dharmasena Wellipitiya)

By Zanita Careem

The Week of Italian Cuisine in the World is one of the longest-running thematic reviews promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Founded in 2016 to carry forward the themes of Expo Milano 2015—quality, sustainability, food

safety, territory, biodiversity, identity, and education—the event annually showcases the excellence and global reach of Italy’s food and wine sector.

Since its inauguration, the Week has been celebrated with over 10,000 events in more than 100 countries, ranging from tastings, show cooking and masterclasses to seminars, conferences, exhibitions and business events, with a major inaugural event hosted annually in Rome at the Farnesina, the HQ of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The 10th edition of the Italian Cuisine Week in the World.

In 2025, the Italian Cuisine Week in the World reaches its tenth edition.

The theme chosen for this anniversary is “Italian cuisine between culture, health and innovation.”

This edition highlights Italian cuisine as a mosaic of knowledge and values, where each tile reflects a story about the relationship with food.

The initiatives of the 10th Edition aim to:

promote understanding of Italian cuisine, also in the context of its candidacy for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage;

demonstrate how Italian cuisine represents a healthy, balanced, and sustainable food model, supporting the prevention of non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes;

emphasize the innovation and research that characterize every stage of the Italian food chain, from production to processing, packaging, distribution, consumption, reuse, and recycling

The following leading hotels in Colombo Amari Colombo, Cinnamon Life, ITC Ratnadipa and The Kingsbury join in the celebration by hosting Italian chefs throughout the Week.

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Life style

Ethical beauty takes centre stage

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5 days ago

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2025/12/7

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Body Shop team

The Body Shop marked a radiant new chapter in Sri Lanka with the opening of its boutique at One Galle Face Mall, an event that blended conscious beauty, festive sparkle and lifestyle elegance. British born and globally loved beauty brand celebrates ten successful years in Sri lanka with the launch of its new store at the One Galle Face Mall. The event carried an added touch of prestige as the British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick to Sri Lanka attended as the Guest of honour.

His participation elevated the event highlighting the brand’s global influence and underscored the strong UK- Sri Lanka connection behind the Body Shop’s global heritage and ethical values.

Chief guest British Ambassador Andrew Patrick at the Body Shop

Celebrating ten years of the Brand’s presence in the country, the launch became a true milestone in Colombo’s evolving beauty landscape.

Also present were the Body Shop Sri Lanka Director, Kosala Rohana Wickramasinghe, Shriti malhotra, Executive chairperson,Quest Retail.The Body shop South Asia and Vishal Chaturvedi , Chief Revenue Officer-The Body South Asia The boutique showcased the brand’s

complete range from refreshing Tea Tree skin care to the iconic body butters to hair care essentials each product enhancing the Body Shop’s values of cruelty ,fair trade formulation, fair trade ingredients and environmentally mindful packaging.

The store opening also unveiled the much anticipated festive season collection.

With its elegant atmosphere, engaging product experiences and the distinguished present of the British High Commissioner, it was an evening that blended glamour with conscience With its fresh inviting space at Colombo’ premier mall, the Body Shop begins a a new decade of inspiring Sri Lankan consumers to choose greener beauty.

 

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Life style

Ladies’ Night lights up Riyadh

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5 days ago

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2025/12/7

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Queens of grace

The Cultural Forum of Sri Lanka in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia brought back Ladies’ Night 2025 on November 7 at the Holiday Inn Al Qasr Hotel. After a hiatus of thirteen years, Riyadh shimmered once again as Ladies’ Night returned – an elegant celebration revived under the chairperson Manel Gamage and her team. The chief guest for the occasion was Azmiya Ameer Ajwad, spouse of the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to K. S. A. There were other dignitaries too.

The show stopper was Lisara Fernando finalist from the voice Sri Lankan Seasons, wowed the crowd with her stunning performances. The excitement continued with a lively beauty pageant, where Ilham Shamara Azhar was crowned the beauty queen of the night. Thanks to a thrilling raffle draw, many lucky guests walked away with fabulous prizes, courtesy of generous sponsors.

The evening unfolded with a sense of renewal, empowerment and refined glamour drawing together the women for a night that was both historic and beautifully intimate. From dazzling couture to modern abayas, from soft light installation to curated entertainment, the night carried the unmistakable energy.

Once a cherished annual tradition, Ladies’ Night had long held a special space in Riyadh’s cultural calendar. But due to Covid this event was not held until this year in November. This year it started with a bang. After years Ladies’ Night returned bringing with a burst of colour, confidence and long-awaited camaraderie.

It became a symbol of renewal. This year began with a vibrant surge of energy. The decor blended soft elegance with modern modernity cascading its warm ambient lighting and shimmering accents that turned the venue into a chic, feminine oasis, curated by Shamila Abusally, Praveen Jayasinghe and Hasani Weerarathne setting the perfect atmosphere while compères Rashmi Fernando and Gayan Wijeratne kept the energy high and kept the guests on their toes making the night feel intimate yet grand.

Conversations flowed as freely as laughter. Women from different backgrounds, nationalities and professions came together united by an unspoken bond of joy and renewal. Ladies’ Night reflected a broader narrative of change. Riyadh today is confidently evolving and culturally dynamic.

The event celebrated was honouring traditions while empowering international flair.

As the night drew to a close, there was a shared sense that this event was only the beginning. The applause, the smiles, the sparkles in the air, all hinted at an event that is set to redeem its annual place with renewed purpose in the future. Manel Gamage and her team’s Ladies’ Night in Riyadh became more than a social occasion. It became an emblem of elegance, and reflected a vibrant new chapter of Saudi Arabia’s capital.

Thanks to Nihal Gamage and Nirone Disanayake, too, Ladies’ night proved to be more than event,it was a triumphant celebration of community, culture and an unstoppable spirit of Sr Lankan women in Riyadh

In every smile shared every dance step taken and every moment owned unapologetically Sr Lankan women in Riyadh continue to show unstoppable. Ladies’ Night is simply the spotlight that will shine forever .This night proved to be more than an event, it was a triumphant celebration of community, culture and the unstoppable spirit of Sri Lankan women in Riyadh.

In every smile shared, every dance steps taken and every moment owned unapologetically Sri Lankan women in Riyadh continue to show that their spirit is unstoppable. Ladies’ Night was simply the spotlight and the night closed on a note of pride!

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