The banana leaf holds high prominence in the south Indian culture. A wedding ceremony, an auspicious pooja day, a birthday feast or any occasion that involves a gathering where food will be served, you cannot miss the banana leaves!
Using the banana leaf to serve food is a tradition that has been followed for centuries in South India, that no one really knows how it originated; however, the benefits associated with abiding to this practice are many.
First and foremost, on any special occasion, there are a lot of dishes made to delight your taste buds. Presenting all of them on a banana leaf is truly a feast for the eye and am sure, will completely succeed in kindling your appetite. Moreover, if food is served on a banana leaf, you have no other choice but to eat it with your bare hands, and so it also is a means to enjoy the food via your sense of touch!
It does not end with this… When food is served on a banana leaf, it also adds special flavor and the aroma is enticing. Tell me if there is a better way to relish a feast than by enjoying it through not only the sense of taste, but also other senses such as those of sight, smell and touch? Truly, a feast served on a banana leaf leaves the guests with the utmost satisfaction of having had a complete, sumptuous, wonderful and delicious meal.
Apart from its mouth watering appeal, food served on a banana leaf also has its own health benefits. Have you ever noticed that the color of this leaf changes from dark green to a light green or greenish yellow color after one completes a meal? It is said that this leaf has lot of antioxidants and a huge load of beneficial minerals. When hot food is eaten out of this leaf, some of these minerals also mix with the food and help us in easy digestion of a heavy meal.
Also, it is considered auspicious to serve food on a banana leaf and give it as an offering to the lord on certain holy days and festive occasions when special pooja is conducted with the Hindu pooja items.
Moreover usage of banana leaf for serving food is highly acclaimed for its ease of use and disposal. The leaves are thick, water-proof and long lasting. You can serve all the food in the same leaf instead of different plates and cups. The used leaves also decompose easily or they can even be fed to cattle, so it is completely eco-friendly. Most important it saves us from the hassle of having to wash a whole load of plates and utensils.
