68 Interesting Banana Facts That Will Drive You Bananas!

The banana fruit tastes as good as it looks in its yellow-colored curved body.

This yellow fruit is used for multiple purposes ranging from dessert recipes to treating medical conditions owing to its high amounts of Vitamin B6. People in certain parts of the world do not only eat the banana fruit but eat the banana peel as well for its high amounts of magnesium, potassium, and Vitamin B12.

Although bananas are generally eaten when they have ripened, there are times when people consume green bananas in different ways.

One does not need to eat green bananas directly; they are unsurprisingly the source of green banana flour that has numerous health benefits. Although bananas grow worldwide, most of their production lies in the Asian countries of India, China, and Indonesia.

Even though the banana fruit is the primary product of the banana plant, it also provides banana leaves that are widely used in certain parts of the world for cooking, serving, and storage purposes.

Banana is one fruit whose ripening process can be delayed or sped up by altering its storage conditions. If a banana is too green and cannot be eaten raw, and needs a boost in its ripening process, it can be placed in a paper bag along with tomatoes and apples.

This will help the banana ripe faster as fruits like tomatoes and apples release chemicals that help bananas ripe more quickly. At the same time, if the process needs to be delayed, these bananas can be stored in a refrigerator.

Lowering the storage temperature leads to slower chemical reactions; thus, the banana fruit takes more time to become ripe.

Although this might lead to the banana peel turning brown or black, it does not affect the quality of the fruit inside. Scroll down and keep reading to learn more such exciting banana facts.

Banana Classification

The banana fruit has been around for times immemorial, and now several of its variations are available all across the world. Each banana type is known to have a specialty of its own.

• The scientific name of a hybrid variety of this tropical fruit is Musa sapientum, which translates to 'fruit of the wise men'. However, this name is not used anymore.
• The banana type we generally see in supermarkets is called a Cavendish banana. Cavendish banana accounts for around 47% of the total banana production in the world.
• The best-known variety of the banana fruit was Gros Michel, but it became extinct in the '50s owing to a fungus caused disease named Panama disease.
• Over 150 countries are known to grow the banana plant yielding over 1,000 varieties of this fruit.
• Banana plant is known to fall under the category of herbs and is believed to be the largest herb in the world.
• Banana plant does not belong to the same family as the palm tree.
• Regarding the scientific classification of banana fruit, it belongs to kingdom Plantae, order Zingiberales, family Musaceae, and genus Musa.
• Interestingly, in some places, bananas used for cooking are known as plantains, distinguishing the fruit from dessert bananas.
• People believe that the word 'banana' was derived from the Arabic word 'banan', meaning 'finger'.
• While a single piece of banana is referred to as a finger, it is recognized as a hand when it is attached to a group of other bananas.
• In certain parts of the world, some people use the fiber produced by the banana plant in making fabric and paper.
• Over the years, it was seen that ripened bananas contained more nutrients than green ones.
• Bananas that contained a few brown spots were much more effective in increasing the power of white blood cells than green bananas.

Banana Nutritional Benefits

Banana is a nutrient-rich fruit containing several vitamins and minerals. Banana fruit has several health benefits and is often recommended by doctors depending on a patient's condition.

• Bananas contain nutrients such as Calcium, Vitamin C, fibre, Iron, Potassium, and other nutrients.
• Owing to its nutritional composition, banana fruit is known to prevent heart attacks and decrease the chances of cancer and strokes.
• Bananas are known to stabilize one's blood sugar levels as they rank low on the GI scale and have a glycemic index of 51-56.
• Bananas are known to be quite rich in Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C, which help protect our bodies from several medical conditions.
• Owing to its high content of Vitamin B6, banana consumption reduces swelling, strengthens the nervous system of the consumer, and aids in the production of white blood cells (WBCs).
• At the same time, under certain conditions, banana fruit is known to help in weight loss and prevents the development of type 2 diabetes as well.
• Bananas are known to contain an amino acid called tryptophan which helps the human body in producing serotonin.
• Serotonin hormone is a natural substance that plays a crucial role in reducing the levels of anxiety and depression in humans. It also moderates the sleep cycle.
• Over the years, it has been recorded that doctors often recommend the consumption of bananas if the body cannot naturally produce enough serotonin.
• One of the most exciting banana facts is that besides the fruit, banana skin too proves to have health benefits.
• Did you know eating bananas is good for human skin as it aids the human body in producing collagen?
• Banana peel is known to contain natural oils, which comprise chemicals that help in reducing the irritation from poison ivy and mosquito bites.
• Although the rubbing of banana peel is not a permanent cure for the irritation caused by mosquito bites, it reduces the irritation caused for some time.
• All bananas are known to have certain health benefits, such as a reduction of chances of heart attacks and organ failures, but a ripened banana at room temperature is believed to have maximum health benefits.
• One of the lesser-known banana facts is that rubbing a banana peel on one's forehead is a cure for headaches.
• Moreover, owing to the oils and other contents in a banana peel, it can be used for cleaning and polishing leather shoes.
• Besides having several nutritional benefits, banana fruit is also used for beauty treatments.
• Banana fruit has proven to be effective in treating acne, moisturizing skin, reducing puffy eyes, and improving the quality of sleep.

Potassium And Calories In Banana

Banana is a nutrient-dense fruit containing a range of vitamins and minerals, but it is best recognized for its potassium content. Bananas also contain bundles of calories and thus should be consumed accordingly.

• Banana is a fruit rich in potassium that allows it to prevent fatal blockages in the consumer's body.
• Any high-potassium food also inhibits the narrowing and hardening of arteries.
• Besides reducing the chances of heart attacks and stroke, the high potassium content in bananas also leads to maintaining a healthy blood pressure level.
• Banana fruit is known to contain ample amounts of soluble fiber that play a pivotal role in treating constipation, stomach ulcers, and heartburn.
• Besides potassium, banana fruit contains considerable amounts of Vitamin B6 and Magnesium. Magnesium is known to help the consumer in relaxing and recovering muscles, while Vitamin B6 helps in sleeping better.
• It is important to note that consuming one banana a day can provide around 10% of the daily fiber requirement.
• Studies have also stated that the resistant starch found in bananas plays a crucial role in supporting gut health and also keeping a check on blood sugar levels.
• The resistant starch present in bananas leads to a rise in the production of short-chain fatty acids in the consumer's gut, resulting in an improvement in gut health.
• Banana fruit is famous for providing electrolytes and energy. The energy provided by this fruit are more effective than certain sports and energy drinks as well.
• Moderate consumption of banana fruit over the years can considerably reduce the chances of kidney cancer.
• It is the high content of antioxidant phenolic compounds in bananas that help in reducing the chances of kidney cancer and many other types of cancers.
• When it comes to the calorie content of a banana, the fruit tends to contain 72-135 calories, depending on its size.
• An average-sized banana of 7-8 in (17.8-20.3 cm) is known to contain approximately 100 calories.
• Around 93% of the calories in a banana come from the carbs it contains, while 3% come from the fat in it, and the rest 4% from the proteins.
• Imperial College of London stated that children who ate a banana every day had 34% lesser chances of developing asthma.
• One of the most interesting banana facts is that three-fourths of a banana's weight comes from its water content.

Where do bananas come from?

While you have been eating bananas for years, did you ever wonder where they come from? The fruit is grown in multiple parts of the world and is believed to be the first recognized fruit in the world, discovered around 10,000 years ago.

• The Cavendish banana, which is the most sold banana type in the world, is known to be native to Southeast Asia.
• When it comes to the production of bananas, India produces around 30 million tonnes of bananas every year on average.
• China is second on the list of countries producing bananas with approximately 11 million tonnes of bananas produced yearly on average.
• Some other countries which produce massive amounts of bananas include Ecuador, Brazil, Indonesia, the Philippines, and a few others.
• Southeast Asia is also known for producing wild bananas, but unfortunately, humans cannot consume this banana type on a regular basis owing to the hard seeds present inside them.
• If you take a look back at the introduction of bananas to America, it was the Portuguese sailors who were responsible for introducing this fruit to America after they brought it from West Africa in the 16th century.
• Hawaii is the largest producer in America where the commercial growth of this yellow fruit takes place.
• The majority of bananas sold in the American states arrive from South America and other Latin countries such as Honduras, Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panama.
• European countries also receive most of their tropical fruits from countries in West Africa and South America.
• Historians believe that banana was the first cultivated fruit in the world and originated somewhere in Southeast Asia.
• It was the Arab conquerors who brought this yellow fruit from Asia and introduced it to the west.
• During the growth phase of the banana plant, when the banana plants are completely mature, they no longer produce new leaves. Instead, they begin to form flower spikes called the banana heart.
• All banana plants, during their lifetime, produce only one banana heart which further produces the fruit.
• One of the most amazing banana facts is that the yellow bananas that you eat aren't yellow in color when they are picked from farms. These bananas are picked green and later become ripe upon reaching the destination country.
• A lot of land is used for producing bananas all across the world.
• The European Union and the United States of America are the two largest importers of bananas in the world.
• Banana is among the top 20 most popular agricultural products in the world. It is believed that billions of bananas are eaten annually across the world.
• India produces bananas that account for nearly 30% of the total global banana production, producing more bananas than any other country in the world.
• Banana is amongst the most popular fruits in the world, with around 96% of American households purchasing bananas every month.
• Contrary to the production method of most fruits, a banana plant does not grow from a seed but rather grows from bulbs.
• Banana leaves can grow to be several feet in height and width.