Roasted food tastes delicious, and when the little magic of banana leaf is added to it, the taste becomes outright divine. In fact, many well-renowned chefs use this technique to make their signature dishes. For instance, Chef Jonathan Zaragoza from Chicago wraps his Mexican-style barbacoa in a banana leaf and then leaves it in the oven to bake. Another chef, Vijay Kumar from the Semma restaurant, likes to pan-roast his fish fillet by sealing it in a banana leaf to give the traditional recipe of Kerala Meen Pollichathu a twist.

If you love a good cake then you must try and bake one in banana leaf, just like the founder of Woldy Kusina, Woldy Reyes does. His catering company is best known all over Brooklyn for its Bibingka Banana Bread and the secret ingredient to his recipe is none other than our star – banana leaf! This not only makes the cake moist but also adds a special banana aroma to it.

Steaming food in banana leaves is one of the most liked approaches by people in Southeast Asia. In fact, you will find banana leaves in almost every household in Thailand, Vietnam, and even Mexico. They use the leaves with anything and everything, be it vegetables, curry, or any meat. Vietnamese people use the leaf to make Vietnamese bánh tét. People in Mexico like to steam their tamales in a banana leaf. This enhances the whole dining experience when they unwrap the dish and are hit with beautiful aromas.

If you have ever been to the South of India, then you must have been served at least one meal on a banana leaf. Onam, a festival celebrating the end of monsoon and welcoming the new harvest in this area, calls for a huge celebration, complete with food served on a large banana leaf. Similarly, in Filipino culture, food is served on a huge leaf spread all over the table and is enjoyed by hand.

When it comes to versatility, there aren’t many foods that can stack up against potatoes. Not only can you serve this vegetable in a wide variety of ways – boiled, mashed, fried, etc. – but it’s also packed with a plethora of health benefits.

Better Digestive Health

It’s never pleasant when you have issues with your digestive health. Things like indigestion and constipation can really throw you off your game. Fortunately, potatoes can help you out here because they’re an excellent source of fiber. Add more of these to your diet, and food should go in and come out of your body without any problems.

Helps With Weight Loss

The fiber content in potatoes isn’t only good for aiding with your digestive health. It can also help you lose weight because you tend to feel full after eating in. That’s a great way to stop yourself from snacking and shed those pesky pounds.

Boosts The Immune System

Protein, potassium, vitamin C, and antioxidants are just some of the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals contained in potatoes. Collectively, these can work wonders for your body, including boosting your immune system. If you’re someone who regularly suffers from ill health, a diet involving more potatoes might make you feel a whole lot better.

Takes Care Of Your Skin

Consuming plenty of vitamin C – which is in potatoes – is always good because this can help with things like skin protection. Not only does it protect you against UV rays from the sun, but it also increases collagen production. This delays the onset of fine lines and wrinkles.

Good For Your Brain

You might not think that food can make you smarter, but potatoes have been known to boost cognitive performance. The presence of pyridoxine helps improve brain health and potentially stop the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

While you might be wary of potatoes because of their carbohydrate content, these health benefits are too good to ignore.