A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus Musa. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called “plantains”, distinguishing them from dessert bananas.
| Banana | |
|---|---|
| Order: | Zingiberales |
| Family: | Musaceae |
| Genus: | Musa |
What are real bananas called?
Cavendish bananas are the most common variety. They are the long yellow, slightly sweet bananas at supermarkets around the U.S. They go from under-ripe green to perfectly ripe and still firm mellow yellow, to riper deep yellow with a brown spot or two, to super soft and browning.
Are store bought bananas real bananas?
Cavendish bananas are all genetically identical. Each banana you buy in the store is the clone of the one next to it. Every banana plant being grown for export is really part of the same plant, a collective organism larger than any other on earth, far bigger than the clonal groves of aspens.
Do real bananas still exist?
There are over 1000 different varieties of bananas growing around the world, subdivided into 50 groups. Some are sweet, like the Cavendish variety, which is the most common and most widely exported. It is named after Musa Cavendishii and was first grown at Chatsworth House in the UK in 1830.
Which are natural bananas?
The Musa acuminata species of banana is native to Southeast Asia. Most of the bananas you buy in the store are from this variety. The Musa balbisiana species of banana is native to Southern China. Along with Musa acuminata is one of the ancestors of the modern banana.
What is the healthiest banana?
Green bananas
Green bananas are usually starchier, which means they have a minimal amount of sugar – so it’s a better choice for those who have, or are at risk of, type 2 diabetes. And because they’re so fiber-rich, they’ll fill you up in a healthier way.
What is the original banana?
Bananas as we know them began to be developed in Africa about 650 AD. There was a cross breeding of two varieties of wild bananas, the Musa Acuminata and the Musa Baalbisiana. From this process, some bananas became seedless and more like the bananas we eat today.
Why are Chiquita bananas better?
Because they’re virtually fat and cholesterol free making them a healthy snack option for just about everyone. Chiquita bananas are also a great source of resistant starch, particularly when they are still a little green. This starch is called “resistant” because it resists digestion: our bodies digest it extra slowly.
Are all bananas genetically modified?
Edible bananas are the result of a genetic accident in nature that created the seedless fruit we enjoy today. Virtually all the bananas sold across the Western world belong to the so-called Cavendish subgroup of the species and are genetically nearly identical.
What happened to real bananas?
But then a fungus known as Fusarium wilt, or Panama disease, rapidly infected entire plantations, and caused a global collapse in the banana trade. The industry quickly found a replacement, a banana resistant to Panama disease, called the Cavendish.
What did bananas look like before GMO?
Modern bananas evolved from two wild varieties: Musa acuminata which Smithsonian describes as “a spindly plant with small, okra-like pods that were bred to produce seedless fruit” and the heartier Musa balbisiana, which had hard, large seeds. That wouldn’t make it so easy to slice over your breakfast cereal.
Are there wild bananas?
More than 50 species of wild banana are believed to exist, but two species, Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana, are known for their role in the domestication of most types of edible banana. A distinct group of cultivars, Fe’i bananas, developed independently in the Pacific region.
What type of banana is Chiquita?
Cavendish banana
The Grand Nain banana (also spelled Grande Naine) is a banana cultivar of Musa acuminata. It is one of the most commonly cultivated bananas and a member of the commercial Cavendish banana cultivar group. It is also known as the Chiquita banana because it is the main product of Chiquita Brands International.
Are all bananas clones?
Despite their smooth texture, bananas actually do have small seeds inside, but they are commercially propagated through cuttings which means that all bananas are actually clones of each other. Banana fruits are parthenocarpic, which means that they don’t need to be pollinated to produce fruits.
How do you tell if your bananas are organic?
PLU codes are four digit numbers that identify different types of produce. For example, #4011 is the code for a standard yellow banana. The number 9 prefix added to a PLU signifies that an item is organic. For example, #94011 is the code for an organic yellow banana.
What did the original banana look like?
The original banana was different from current sweet yellow bananas. Instead, early bananas were green or red, and were prepared using a variety of cooking methods. These bananas are presently referred to as plantains or cooking bananas in order to distinguish them from the sweet bananas we know today.
Do brown bananas have more sugar?
The only changes to your smoothie that you might notice are a slightly darker color and a sweeter flavor, as brown bananas tend to contain more sugar — and therefore taste sweeter — than yellow bananas.
How often should you eat a banana?
One to two bananas per day is considered a moderate intake for most healthy people. Be sure to eat this fruit as part of a balanced diet that provides all the nutrients your body needs.
Are green or yellow bananas better for you?
Green bananas may provide some additional nutrients and benefits that yellow bananas do not. They’re rich in resistant starch and pectin, which are filling, improve digestive health, and help lower blood sugar levels.
Are the original bananas extinct?
Bananas have gone extinct before. The Gros Michel banana was the banana of choice until the 1950s. They were slightly bigger than the Cavendish, with a stronger flavour. This was until a fungal disease called Panama disease struck, which almost wiped out the species.
Where do the best bananas come from?
Bananas grow best in hot, humid climates and are most often imported from Central America, including Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Ecuador. Bananas come in all different colors, sizes, firmness, and taste. There are over 1,000 different varieties of bananas, about half of which are inedible.