Banana Facts

Banana Facts

Image source: By Augustus Binu, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41291734

1. Bananas derive from the family Musaceae in the genus Musa. It is believed that there are over different varieties of banana, but the vast majority of Banana’s cultivated for export to Western markets is the Cavendish variety.

2. Bananas are believed by some to be the world’s oldest fruit. Certainly they are mentioned in Ancient Chinese, Hindu, Greek and Roman texts, and the earliest record in Sanskrit dates back to 5000 B.C.

3. There are more than 500 varieties of banana in the world. Banana plants are the largest plants on earth without a woody stem. India is by far the largest world producer of bananas.

4. Banana is derived from the Arab word "banan," which means finger.

5. A cluster of bananas is called a hand and consists of 10 to 20 bananas, which are known as fingers. 

6. Banana plants are the largest plants on earth without a woody stem. They are actually giant herbs of the same family as lilies, orchids and palms. The banana tree grows from a bulb (or rhizome) not a seed. 

7. Bananas are a good source of vitamin C, potassium and dietary fiber. Bananas are America's #1 fruit. 

8. Bananas are great for athletic and fitness activity because they replenish necessary carbohydrates, glycogen and body fluids burned during exercise. 

9. Bananas are not grown commercially in the continental United States. They are grown in Latin and South America from countries like Costa Rica, Ecuador, Colombia, Honduras, Panama and Guatemala. 

10. Bananas are perennial crops that are grown and harvested year-round. 

11. In 2001, there were more than 300 banana-related accidents in Britain, most involving people slipping on skins. 

12. There are more than 500 varieties of banana in the world. 

13. There is no such thing as a banana tree. Bananas grow on plants. 

14. The banana plant reaches its full height of 15 to 30 feet in about one year. 

15. Despite being usually being grown in a tropical climate, Iceland has begun to successfully produce bananas with the help of geysers providing energy to create a tropical environment.

16. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe it’s time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!

17. Banana leaves, pseudostems, fruit stalks and peels can all be used for various culinary purposes. Bananas are primarily eaten as a fruit, either on its own or as a part of a salad. All parts of the banana have medicinal applications as well. 

18. The banana trade is big business. It comes fifth in terms of world trade in agricultural produce-after cereals, sugar, coffee and cocoa.

19. Bananas contain tryptophan and vitamin B6, known to help make you feel happy. 

20. Wild bananas originated in Asia, and have been cultivated for more than 4,000 years. 

21. Bananas are available all year around. They are harvested every day of the year.

22. All eight essential amino acids that the body does not produce are contained within a single banana.

23. Bananas are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, iron and fiber. Bananas are sodium, fat, and cholesterol free.

24. Red bananas contain more nutrients then their yellow cousins.

25. Bananas, however, can be cooked and are frequently found in Spring Rolls and deep 

fried in Asian cultures.