Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of thegenus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red. In popular culture and commerce, “banana” usually refers to soft, sweet “dessert” bananas. By contrast, Musacultivars with firmer, starchier fruit are called plantains. Many varieties of bananas are perennial.
They are native to tropical Southeast Asia, and are likely to have been first domesticated in Papua New Guinea.Today, they are cultivated throughout the tropics. They are grown in at least 107 countries, primarily for their fruit, and to a lesser extent to make fiber, banana wine and as ornamental plants.
Although fruit of wild species (Musa balbisiana) have large, hardseeds, virtually all culinary bananas are “seedless”, have only tiny seeds. Bananas are classified either asdessert bananas (meaning they are yellow and fully ripe when eaten) or as green cooking bananas.
Almost all export bananas are of the dessert types; about 10–15% of production is for export.
Bananas are naturally slightly radioactive, more so than most other fruits, because of their high potassium content, and the small amounts of the isotope potassium-40 found in naturally occurring potassium. Proponents of nuclear power sometimes refer to the banana equivalent dose of radiation to support their arguments.
Bananas are the most popular fresh fruit in the United States. Bananas are rich source carbohydrates and potassium. They are the first choice by athlectics due to its high energy giving capability. The funny thing to notice about banana is its shape (like an arc) which makes its appearance appealing. And why not, they are the favorite fruit of monkeys!
Banana – yellow curved tropical fruit beloved the world over. In terms of global sales this tops the list of fruits. Originally from tropical Southeast Asia bananas grow pointing upward on the worlds largest herbaceous flowering plant. Most people mistake the plant for a tree, but once the fruits are ripe the main stem (which may have grown to 25ft tall) dies off and a new one starts growing. Although the common yellow banana is a sweet tasting fruit the starchier common plantain is also popular, but often makes an appearance in savory dishes, particularly in the West Indies.
Benefits
Bananas are a good source of both potassium and vitamin B6. They not only help to maintain bowel health, but are also good energy-boosting snacks.
Maximising the benefits
Fresh, ripe bananas are a very good source of fruit sugars and can give a quick energy boost.
