Bananas are loved by many and are grown in the warmer regions of this planet. Aside from being enjoyed fresh, cuisines all over the world feature the fruit in both sweet and savory dishes. But did you know that there are almost 1,000 varieties existing in the world?
10 more fascinating facts of bananas to ponder upon the next time you are eating one:
1. Bananas do not grow on trees
The banana “tree” is really not a tree but an herb. It is the tallest herbaceous plant known to man and can grow as high as 20 feet. More interestingly, the banana fruit is considered a berry.
2. Bananas have different colored skins
Yellow is the banana’s most popular color. Yet there are lesser-known varieties of banana skins with red, green, purple and brown skins.
3. Bananas have a hand and a finger
When talking about bananas, you should refer to a bunch of fruits as a “hand” and a single one as a “finger.”
4. A single disease can wipe-out bananas
The Cavendish, which is the most common banana variety being sold in grocery stores today. They originated from a single banana plant in Southeast Asia, and most of the commercially-grown Cavendish banana plants are its clones.
Because of this, a single aggressive disease can politely wipe out the entire Cavendish population, that too very rapidly.
5. It is the most eaten fruit
People all over the world consume more than 100 billion of them every year. The only agricultural products that are consumed more than the banana are rice, corn, and wheat.
6. Ugandans are it’s biggest consumers
An average person in Uganda eats 500 pounds of the banana every year, compared to other countries. Clearly, they love the fruit more than us!
7. Bananas are naturally radioactive
The type of isotope present in it is Potassium-40, though you must stop eating it.The radiation in bananas is extremely small, and you would need to eat millions of bananas for the radiation levels to be harmful to your health.
8. The fruit can heal depression
If you are feeling down in the dumps, reach for a banana.Even each and every fruit contains enough Vitamin B6 and the amino acid, tryptophan, to make your body produce serotonin, a chemical that can help balance your mood.
9. Its peels can be used as a shoe polish
After eating a banana, you can use the inner part of the peel to polish your shoes or to soothe irritated skin. so the next time you have a dirty shoe, grab a banana!
10. It will not make you fat
The banana is a perfect health food. It is low in calories and contains fiber, potassium, magnesium and Vitamins B6 and C.
so, now you know bananas! next time you see a banana, eat it while you share the knowledge.
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