Bananas

Bananas are the fruit of the genus Musa from the family Musaceae which is a vital fruit crop in the world. They originate in South-East Asia.

Their History

Back in 5000 BC, Papua New Guinea cultivated bananas.

In Europe, it was Alexander the Great who brought the first bananas to this part of the world in 327 BC.

United Fruit took over a fraction of government functions in Guatemala which led to the term "Banana Republic" in 1901 then the business expands to own 1,000,000 acres in 1946.

Fast forward to 2010, Americans eat 10 pounds per person annually when the USDA quotes the fruit as America's favourite fruit.

Where Bananas Are Grown

Bananas and other tropical fruits are grown in tropical regions, such as:

Africa

Caribbean

Latin America

Pacific

Types of Bananas

There are many types of bananas which all have a distinctive flavour and texture.

Bananas consist of 89 calories per 3.5 ounces (100 grams).

Bananas Ripening

Bananas ripen when they turn from green to yellow which are part of the Cherry family.

If you want to delay bananas ripening, you can place them in your fridge or inside an icebox, but bananas will turn black if you do this.

British Supermarkets

In terms of British supermarkets, most exports are from the Caribbean, Latin America and West Africa.

Banana Popularity

Due to the large number of bananas produced every year, they are a very popular fruit in assisting leading to a human diet.

Health Benefits

Like various other fruits, these tasty fruits are beneficial to health which are grown in the tropics.

Their nutritional value and flavour make them a fruit worthy of enjoying for taste and health.

A rarity for fruits, bananas don't contain any fats. They have no cholesterol or sodium, and they are low in calories.

They are fresh and relatively cheap to buy, which are packed with essential nutrients which increase the chances of eaters losing weight and benefiting their digestion and heart health.

Among their benefits, bananas also contain fibre and other beneficial nutrients include: Potassium, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, and antioxidants & phytonutrients.

Banana Meals

Bananas can be eaten on their own or as part of a sandwich or a Banana Split, among other examples.

Banana Split

A Banana Split's other ingredients can vary, depending on the choice of ingredients chosen, but generally speaking, strawberries, vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream, chocolate sauce and cream complete the set of ingredients for this tasty dessert in addition to initially slicing each banana in half lengthwise to complete the look of the popular dessert.

Often nuts are often sprinkled over the ingredients, although it is best to exercise caution and avoid nuts for those with nut allergies.

Banana Smoothies

Another way to consume bananas is to drink them as part of Smoothies which are delicious drinks.

Banana Quantity

There are over a thousand bananas grown around the world in over 150 countries and they have a surplus of 105,000,000 tonnes of fruit produced every year.

Banana Peel Uses

Anyone who has been bitten by an insect or skin irritations from poison ivy can turn to the inside of a banana peel to provide relief from the pain.

They can also be used as a natural garden fertilizer.

Conclusion

Bananas are best eaten, whether they’re green or yellow, whenever they’re not brown or bruised for optimum flavour.

Although bananas are often renowned for being eaten when they turn yellow, they also have health benefits in its their original Green coloured state when they act as a prebiotic which promotes the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.

They also aid in helping regulate blood sugar levels and improve digestive health.