Banana

Origin / Growing regions:
One of the oldest cultivated plants in the world, the banana was not introduced in Europe until 1885. It is native to Asia (India, the Philippines, New Guinea) but is now grown in South and Central America, Africa and Europe (Canary Islands) as well.

Description:
Botanists classify the banana as a berry. There are roughly 1,000 different species, which differ significantly in many cases (cooking and fruit bananas). Also known as Adam’s, paradise or Pisang figs, bananas grown on stems measuring between six and eight metres in height. The stems bloom only once in the plant’s lifetime, forming multiple rows of purple blossoms. A “hand” comprised of 10 to 20 “fingers” grows from each row. The entire bunch may contain up to 200 bananas and weigh as much as 50 kilograms.

Fruit:
Bananas can grow to a length of 30 centimetres and have relatively thick skin that is yellow when the fruit is ripe and is easy to peel. The cream-white to yellow pulp is hard at first and rich in starch. Bananas are always harvested when they are still green, as the actual ripening process (in which starch is converted to sugar) does not begin until the fruit is separated from the plant.

Flavour:
The pulp is sweet and soft. Bananas have a very low acid content.

Distinctive characteristics:
Bananas contain numerous vitamins (provitamin A, vitamin E, C and the B group) and minerals (potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron). They are rich in fibre and very filling. They contain less salt and more potassium than any other type of fruit. Because they are easily digestible, bananas are an ideal food for small children.