Probably one of the most common and underappreciated fruits, the banana is an interesting one. It’s super healthy, convenient, and easy on the pocket. Read on to know some fun banana facts.
There are over 1000 banana varieties
Blue Java banana has creamy ice cream-like consistency; Black Macabu banana is black when it’s ripe; Nino banana has a mild flavour and is finger-sized and the Burro variety has square sides and a slight lemony taste. These are just a few varieties of banana which is largely known for the dependable Cavendish variety.
Is banana a fruit?
To our surprise, a banana is not a fruit but a berry. Botanically, a berry contains the seed inside the flesh and not outside; this makes a banana a berry. Furthermore, the banana doesn’t grow on a tree but is one of the world’s largest herbs. Banana herb is made of fiber, unlike a tree that’s made of wood.
Bananas are sterile
One can’t sow a banana seed or grow a tree out of it. Growing a banana plant follows the cloning process; you cut a piece from another plant. This proves that the banana your family eat today is the same that was consumed by your ancestors.
Bananas are radioactive
Yes, you heard it right! A banana contains a small amount of isotope potassium-40, a radioactive material. But you need to eat 700 or more bananas daily for over 80 years for the radioactive radiations to negatively affect your health.
They are a super-food
Bananas are rich in antioxidants, calcium, vitamin C, folic acid to name a few. This makes them great at fighting headaches, dealing with depression, and helping weight loss. Even the banana skins are useful as they help one treat insect bites.
You can visit the banana museum
If you happen to visit California, don’t miss the International Banana Museum in Mecca which exhibits over 25,000 banana-related objects. You will go bananas over bananas when you will witness banana lanterns, banana jewelry, banana photos, banana toys to name a few merchandise.
Some banana history
One of the most celebrated desserts, the banana split was invented by a 23-year-old American pharmacist David Evans Strickler in 1904. If you have heard about the term, banana republic’, it was coined to represent Central American countries that thrived on the solo export, banana!
So much to appreciate bananas that were first cultivated as a source of fiber to make cloth, and not as food.
