Common names | banana blossom

Scientific name | Musa sapientum

Used part | Flower

Known active compounds | tannins, saponins, flavonoids

Potential benefits in cosmetics | anti-oxidant, anti-microbial

Product name | Banana Blossom-APD, Banana Blossom-ANB

Plant Story

Musa sapientum (with its accepted name, Musa x paradisiaca), commonly known as banana blossom, banana heart or banana flower, is a large, purple-red, teardrop-shaped bud that grows at the end of a bunch of bananas. It has a unique taste and texture and is used in many Southeast Asian and South Asian cuisines. The flowers can be eaten raw in salads, stir-fried, deep fried, or used in soup or curries. Nutritionally, they are a good source of vitamins and minerals. In traditional herbal medicine, banana flowers were used to help against infections, improve lactation, promote anti-aging. Banana blossom is believed to have several health benefits such as weight management, digestion, and blood sugar control.

Studies have shown that banana flower extracts have anti-oxidant activities by scavenging free radicals. The alkaline extracted proteins from banana flowers showed anti-bacterial properties against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. The phytochemical studies showed that the banana flowers contain alkaloids, glycosides, steroids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, and terpenoids.