Go Bananas for Nutrition and Taste

 Banana, fruit of the genus Musa, family Musaceae   “The fruit of the wise men“

The Banana is a herb with a desirable fruit. It comes in many shapes and sizes. It helps you sleep, and keeps you regular. It’s low in fat, and high in fiber. 

I am going to share its many benefits with you because I like bananas, and it’s good to share good things. The banana was a mainstay in our household when I was growing up.  Not just the yellow (ripe) banana, but also the green banana which was the side dish to many Caribbean style meals. It is such a versatile fruit:  It can be fried, split and dipped for deserts, or added to smoothies and cakes to kick them up a notch. The flower is also edible.  Check out your nearest Asian grocery store for the them if you are not lucky enough to live in a country where they are readily available.  I found banana flowers in a Sri Lankan food store. 

 

Introducing the the Fruit of the Largest Herb

The Banana (musa sapientum), is the fruit of world’s lsargest herb and the most popular fruit in the world, after the tomato.

Here are some amazing facts about the banana plant. Next time you go shopping you will never look at the banana the same way.

 

Banana Facts

The Banana plant unlike kitchen herbs will grow on average from 15 to 30 feet tall on a herbaceous stalk. Because the most popular edible banana has been specially bred for its commercial properties, it no longer has seeds and is sterile. It depends on humans for assistance with its reproduction.  There are over 300 different species of banana. The Cavendish cultivar is now the variety of choice, with 50 billion tonnes produced annually. The original banana would be unrecognizable today as it has come such a long way. The biggest producer of bananas is India.

 

 

When the bunch is picked, the entire stem is cut down and new banana plants grow from suckers on the root ball. The suckers are transplanted to form the next generation of banana trees.

Each stalk will grow a layer, with the fruit encased in a husk and its ripening is speeded up using the gas acetylene.

 

Origins

The first banana trees have been traced back to Malaysia, from where it crossed to India. The fruit is cited in early Buddhists texts going back to the C6th century. Alexander the Great has been credited with bringing it to Western nations.

It was the Iberian peninsular nations who brought the banana to the Canary Islands, and from there to Africa, and  the Caribbean via the shameful trade in trafficking and enslaving people.

The first bananas arrived in North America in 1876 as part of the Independence celebrations in the United States, and have grown in popularity ever since.

 

Health Benefits

Not only do bananas taste good, but the scientific research on their health benefits has found that they are good for you. If you put all the nutritional figures together, the banana is amongst the healthiest of plants for people to eat.

Some of the benefits include :

• Because bananas contain tryptophan, a mood enhancer they can help those who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder.
• Because they are high in iron (especially green), bananas can help in cases of anemia.  

 

Yellow Bananas

The Jamaican Jean Poujot, is credited with discovering a yellow banana mutation amongst his green and red banana plants. The rest, as they say, is history.  Things to look for when choosing a yellow banana:

Yellow – indicates a ripe fruit and can be eaten raw or added to  cakes, puddings and smoothies.

Yellow with some brown spots – fully ripe and can be added to salad, or  great for  banana fritters

All Brown – This fruit is usually over ripe and the sugar content is high, the flavour starts to go off, and at this point it is probably best for the compost heap.

Raw unripe bananas can irritate your stomach. Ouch!

Green Bananas

Green Bananas have additional health benefits as the starch has not been converted to sugar as in the ripe yellow banana, and their preparation is different.

Green/unripe – are used in soups and stews. They can irritate the digestive system and should not be eaten raw. Green bananas are cooked and consumed in many countries like potatoes. 

Banana Leaf

The banana leaf is used to wrap and cook food in many countries.  It is flexible and waterproof and seals in the flavor of the food. Scientific studies have shown the banana leaf has antibacterial and antioxidant properties which transfer to the food when used.

Banana Flower

The flower of the banana plant has many of the same benefits as the rest of the plant including a treasure trove of essential minerals. They are used in Asian dishes such as: curries and soups. 

 

Socio-Environmental Impacts of Bananas

The workers on many banana plantations around the world work long hours for sometimes less that minimum wages. The regulations regarding chemicals used in production and their impacts on workers are major concerns in the industry. It may not always be possible, but it would be a meaningful contribution if you were able to source your bananas from producers who have fair and sustainable practices and support small scale farmers.

 

Now you know what a versatile superfood the banana is, and have some background to its production.  Enjoy!

Tell us in the comments:

What type of  banana do you like to eat.?

Which is your favorite banana recipe?

 

Resources

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Banana Link | Working Towards A Fair & Sustainable Banana Trade