My friend Madhuker from Portland, OR was in town this week.  We took the opportunity for quick meet-up for brunch, along with few more friends (Pranesh and Venkat) from high school and college.  Madhu spotted banana tree in our backyard, and proposed to dine over the banana leaf.  I asked him to go and pick up the leaf for BYOB (Bring Your Own Banana Leaf) brunch :-).  Here are the few memories captured from small rendezvous this morning.

Scroll all the way down, to find out why eating on Banana is good for you.

Eating on banana leaves is a custom that dates back thousands of years, however its benefits are still relevant today 

Healthy
Banana leaves are packed with plant-based compounds called polyphenols such as epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, which is also found in green tea. Polyphenols are natural antioxidants that battle free radicals and prevent diseases. While banana leaves are not easy to digest if eaten directly, the food absorbs the polyphenols from the leaves, so that you get the benefit of the nutrition.

It is also believed that the leaf has anti-bacterial properties that kill all the germs in the food, thereby reducing the chances of you falling sick.

Flavourful
Banana leaves have a waxy coating that has a subtle but distinct flavour. When hot food is placed on the leaves, the wax melts and lends its flavour to the food, making it taste better.

Eco-friendly
Most people use plastic or Styrofoam plates when they need disposable utensils, however banana leaves are a much more eco-friendly option. They decompose in a very short time, unlike plastic, which takes hundreds of years to biodegrade.

Hygienic
Banana leaves do not require a lot of cleaning – they just need to be rinsed with a little water and they are ready to use. If you are eating at a place where the hygiene standards are questionable, you are much better off eating from a banana leaf than from a plate that has not been cleaned properly.

Chemical-free
Since plates are washed with soap and water, traces of the chemicals in the soap may still remain on the plates, contaminating your food. Banana leaves just need to be rinsed with a little water, and do not need to be washed with soap, so your food will be chemical-free.

Practical
The banana leaf is quite large, making it capable of holding an entire meal that consists of several different components. The leaves are also largely waterproof, thanks to their waxy coating, so they can hold gravy preparations without getting soggy.

Source : http://www.indiatimes.com/health/healthyliving/the-benefits-of-eating-food-on-banana-leaves-242512.html