The first banana fruits were probably red or green. They were supposed to be boiled before they were ready for consumption. A long way from the soft sweet fruits we know now!
What is the history of the yellow banana?
The yellow sweet banana is a mutant strain of the cooking banana, discovered in 1836 by Jamaican Jean Francois Poujot, who found one of the banana trees on his plantation was bearing yellow fruit rather than green or red.
How many types of bananas are there?
It turns out that what we think of as a fairly homogeneous fruit, ranging perhaps from green to yellow to brown, is actually one subspecies of more than 1,000. Not all bananas are even yellow. Hawaii is known for its Blue Javas, which are mightily resistant to cold temperatures and said to taste like ice cream.
What are some funny history facts about bananas?
The original banana fruit was rough, filled with seeds. The first use of the banana tree was probably for construction, because the leaves and stems are big and strong. I think this ‘start’ of the banana as building material and not as a fruit can count as a funny history fact!
What is the yellow part of a banana tree?
The bright yellow one found most frequently in western markets is called the Cavendish. Bananas produce vegetative suckers at the base of the plant which can be removed and planted separately.
Did bananas used to be purple?
John McAree says the first bananas to appear on the market in Toronto, in the 1870's and 1880's, were also red bananas (or pink, or purple if you like). However, it seems bananas have a thing against being commercialized. Throughout their commercial history, bananas have been haunted by drama.
Did bananas used to be red?
The first bananas to appear on the market in Toronto (in the 1870s and 1880s) were red bananas. Red bananas are available year round at specialty markets and larger supermarkets in the United States.
How many Colours of bananas are there?
Sweet-banana skins are most commonly known to be yellow, but ripe banana skins can also be red, pink, purple, and black. Sweet-banana skins are most commonly known to be yellow, but ripe banana skins can also be red, pink, purple, and black.
How did bananas become yellow?
When a fruit comes into contact with ethylene gas, the acids in the fruit start to break down, it becomes softer, and the green chlorophyll pigments are broken up and replaced—in the case of bananas, with a yellow hue.
Do Gros Michel still exist?
An outbreak of this disease in the 1950s destroyed the Gros Michel industry and rendered it virtually extinct. Except not entirely. The Gros Michel is still grown in Uganda, where it is called the Bogoya. It's still found elsewhere, and science writer Anne Vézina attended a taste test held in Belgium in December 2018.
What happened to the original banana?
For decades the most-exported and therefore most important banana in the world was the Gros Michel, but in the 1950s it was practically wiped out by the fungus known as Panama disease or banana wilt.
Which banana went extinct?
the Gros MichelBananas are the world's most popular fruit, but the banana industry is currently dominated by one type of banana: the Cavendish (or supermarket banana) that we all know and love. The Cavendish banana rose to fame in 1965 when the previous banana superstar, the Gros Michel, officially became extinct and lost the throne.
What color banana is the healthiest?
The greenest bananas are the most beneficial to those who are trying to keep control over their blood sugar levels. Green bananas are extremely low on the glycemic index, making them the ideal snack for those who have to keep blood sugar levels low.
What are the 3 types of bananas?
Here are ten different types of bananas you might want to try.Cavendish Banana. The Cavendish banana is your “typical” banana found at the local grocery store or farmer's market. ... Pisang Raja. Pisang Raja bananas are popular in Indonesia. ... Red Banana. ... Lady Finger Banana. ... Blue Java Banana. ... Plantain. ... Manzano Banana. ... Burro Banana.More items...•
Can dogs eat banana?
Yes, dogs can eat bananas. In moderation, bananas are a great low-calorie treat for dogs. They're high in potassium, vitamins, biotin, fiber, and copper. They are low in cholesterol and sodium, but because of their high sugar content, bananas should be given as a treat, not part of your dog's main diet.
Are bananas originally yellow?
History of the Original Banana Even though the plant thrived in Africa, it is believed to have its origins in Oceania and parts of eastern Asia. 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.
What are purple bananas?
Purple bananas are a hybrid of two species of banana originally from Southeast Asia. The two species are Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. The skin is a dark red that appears purple to most. So, yes, they are real but in fact a reddish-purple color.
Are red bananas genetically modified?
Most importantly, 'red bananas' rich in pre-Vitamin A are already grown around the world with no need for any genetic modification. They are popular across south Asia, the Pacific, Africa and Central and South America, and many varieties are prized for their soft flesh, sweet flavour and aroma of stawberries.
Is red banana better than yellow banana?
Although they're rare, red bananas possess different nutritional values than yellow bananas when it comes to vitamin C and potassium. The raspberry-banana flavored fruit offers a number of health benefits that make them a great addition to any fruit bowl.
Why is my banana red?
Nigrospora is a fungal disease that causes the centre of the banana to turn dark red. Nigrospora can infect the fruit in tropical climates where bananas are grown. Mokillo, moko, and blood disease bacterium are bacterial diseases that can also cause red discoloration in bananas.
How can you tell if a red banana is real?
0:514:29The Real Difference Between Red And Yellow Bananas - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThey are also known to be softer. And creamier.MoreThey are also known to be softer. And creamier.
What is a banana plant?
Genus: Musa. Fruits of four different banana cultivars. 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.
Where did the word "banana" come from?
The word banana is thought to be of West African origin, possibly from the Wolof word banaana, and passed into English via Spanish or Portuguese.
How deep do bananas grow?
Bananas grow in a wide variety of soils, as long as the soil is at least 60 centimetres (2.0 ft) deep, has good drainage and is not compacted. The leaves of banana plants are composed of a "stalk" ( petiole) and a blade ( lamina ).
Why are banana trees tied in pairs?
In South Indian weddings, particularly Tamil weddings, banana trees are tied in pairs to form an arch as a blessing to the couple for a long-lasting, useful life.
What is the genus of bananas?
This article is about bananas generally. For the genus to which banana plants belong, see Musa (genus). For starchier bananas used in cooking, see Cooking banana. For the most common commercial type, see Cavendish banana. For other uses, see Banana (disambiguation).
Why are bananas encased in plastic bags?
Banana bunches are sometimes encased in plastic bags for protection. The bags may be coated with pesticides.
How big do banana leaves get?
Leaves are spirally arranged and may grow 2.7 metres (8.9 ft) long and 60 cm (2.0 ft) wide. They are easily torn by the wind, resulting in the familiar frond look. When a banana plant is mature, the corm stops producing new leaves and begins to form a flower spike or inflorescence.
What is the color of bananas?
It’s only by selection during cultivation that we came to the banana that we know now: yellow, easy to peel and tastefull to eat. Another banana history fact I can tell you is the colour. The first banana fruits were probably red or green. They were supposed to be boiled before they were ready for consumption.
Who invented banana flavoring?
The banana flavoring origin. If we take a closer look to the flavoring origin during the history of the banana, the name of Jamaican farmer Jean Francois Poujot pops up. He is the farmer who, supossedly, discovered a good edible variation of the banana. He was also the one to start farming this varation. The start of this part of the banana history?
Why is the banana plant important?
concerning the banana plant, it was an important part of its history. Because the first banana fruit was almost impossible to eat!
When were bananas first grown?
The first banana fruits are supposed to be cultivated by the first peasants in our human history, some ten thousand years ago. But like with all the other fruits and vegetables these first settles planted and harvested, the process of cultivation influenced every aspect ...
When was variaton banana cultivated?
Although the edible variaton is supposedly cultivated since the 19th century, the other banana plants were already part of our history.
Where did bananas originate?
It’s commonly accepted that New Guinea is the origin country of the banana plant. This is a large island in the north of Australia, in the Pacific Ocean and south of the equator. From here, the banana tree was spread around the globe via the warmer regions of Asia and Africa.
Did the spread of bananas go fast?
The spread around the world would go fast during the first wave of Europeans colonizing the world. For example, the Portuguese ships did transport the fruit from their colonies on the African west coast to Europa since the 15th century A.D. You can say that, because of the process of cultivation, the banana we know now is a mutant compared to ...
What are brown bananas?
At this point, brown bananas are most often used as ingredients in baked goods, particularly in banana bread and muffins.
Why are yellow bananas good for you?
Because it is easier for your body to digest the yellow bananas, they’re a great snack for people suffering from any digestive issues. While the resistant starch level decreases with yellowing, it is replaced by a large number of antioxidants, which protect your body from disease by removing dangerous free radicals.
What is the best banana to eat to lower blood sugar?
Green. The greenest bananas are the most beneficial to those who are trying to keep control over their blood sugar levels. Green bananas are extremely low on the glycemic index, making them the ideal snack for those who have to keep blood sugar levels low. These younger and greener bananas also cause longer periods of satiety.
What is the most helpful inclusion in bananas?
With insulin resistance being the number one risk factor for type 2 diabetes, the resistant starch present almost exclusively in unripe bananas is the most helpful inclusion. 2. Firm and all yellow. At this stage, there are no spots on the peels or on the fruit itself.
How many calories are in a banana?
The average one contains just a little over 100 calories. The high level of satiety, low calories, and high fiber make bananas a great resource for weight loss. You eat less while getting valuable nutrients and vitamins. Potassium is the number one mineral associated with bananas and the one we learn about in our youth.
What is the most important mineral in bananas?
Potassium is the number one mineral associated with bananas and the one we learn about in our youth. It is most commonly associated with muscle health and the reduction of exercise-related cramps. Bananas are a top choice for nutrition and fuel before, during, and after endurance exercises. Not only does potassium support muscle health ...
Why do we eat bananas?
Whether you eat them solely for health reasons or because of you just like the taste, bananas definitely deliver nutrients and vitamins.
Where were bananas first discovered?
Exploitation of early wild forms of bananas has been noted at the Beli-Lena site of Sri Lanka by c 11,500-13,500 BP, Gua Chwawas in Malaysia by 10,700 BP, and Poyang Lake, China by 11,500 BP. Kuk Swamp, in Papua New Guinea, so far the earliest unequivocal evidence for banana cultivation, had wild bananas there throughout the Holocene, ...
Where did bananas originate?
The earliest banana evidence found in Africa is from Munsa, a site in Uganda dated to 3220 cal BC, although there are problems with the stratigraphy and chronology. The earliest well-supported evidence is at Nkang, a site located in southern Cameroon, which contained banana phytoliths dated between 2,750 to 2,100 BP.
What are banana phytoliths?
Banana phytoliths are uniquely shaped: they are volcaniform, shaped like little volcanoes with a flat crater at the top. There are differences in the phytoliths between varieties of bananas, but variations between wild and domesticated versions are not as yet definitive, so additional forms of research need to be used to fully understand banana domestication.
What are the studies of bananas?
Genetics and Linguistics. Genetics and linguistic studies also help in understanding banana history. Diploid and triploid forms of bananas have been identified, and their distribution throughout the world is a key piece of evidence. In addition, linguistic studies of local terms for bananas support the notion of the spread ...
How many suckers do bananas produce?
Bananas produce vegetative suckers at the base of the plant which can be removed and planted separately. Bananas are planted at a typical density of between 1500-2500 plants per square hectare. Between 9-14 months after planting, each plant produces some 20-40 kilograms of fruit. After the harvest, the plant is cut down, and one sucker is allowed to grow up to produce the next crop.
How many sections are there in the banana genus?
The genus is split into four or five sections, based on the number of chromosomes in the plant, and the region where they are found. Furthermore, over a thousand different types of cultivars of bananas and plantains are recognized today.
How many bananas are domesticated?
Today there are hundreds of fully domesticated banana varieties, and an uncertain number are still in various stages of domestication: that is to say, they still are inter-fertile with wild populations.
When were bananas first grown?
Wild banana. Genetic Literacy Project. The first bananas may have been cultivated at least 7,000 years ago — and possibly as early as 10,000 years ago — in what is now Papua New Guinea. They were also grown in Southeast Asia.
What foods looked different before humans started growing them?
From bananas to eggplant, here are some of the foods that looked totally different before humans first started growing them for food.
Where did bananas originate?
The first bananas may have been cultivated at least 7,000 years ago – and possibly as early as 10,000 years ago – in what is now Papua New Guinea. They were also grown in Southeast Asia. Modern bananas came from two wild varieties, Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana, which had large, hard seeds, like the ones in this photo.
What foods looked different before humans started growing them?
From bananas to eggplant, here are some of the foods that looked totally different before humans first started growing them for food.
What is the artificial banana flavor?
Artificial banana flavor was a replication of the Gros Michel taste, not of the Cavendish. Artificial banana flavoring draws much of its taste from the inclusion of isoamyl acetate, an organic compound found naturally in all varieties of banana, but in especially high concentrations in the Gros Michel.
Where did the banana plant originate?
When the French naturalist Nicolas Baudin first transported the swollen, underground stems of the banana plant – called corms – from Southeast Asia all the way to the Caribbean island of Martinique in the early 19th century, he kicked off a chain of events that would eventually make the banana the most cultivated fruit in the world.
What is the difference between Cavendish and Gros Michel bananas?
Cavendish bananas are the crop we see in our mind’s eye when we imagine a banana today, but that was hardly the case 100 years ago. Gros Michel bananas were yellow as well, but the peels were heartier and more resistant to bruising. And the fruit within stayed fresh and more flavorful for longer periods, shipped across seas to reach ports hungry for the tropical fruit.
What is the banana called in Baudin?
Instead of a yellow cartridge full of bullets, their banana – called the Gros Michel, or Fat Mike – held a starchy, creamy dream of a fruit within its peel.
What caused the banana plant to die?
But smack dab in the middle of the century, a fungal outbreak of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. Cubense broke out, decimating the world’s banana plantations. Farmers called it Panama disease. Banana plants died en masse across plantations or rotted within the cargo holds of ships helmed by crews who incorrectly believed they had gotten their haul away in time.
Where did Fyffe start his banana business?
Finding the fruit to be en vogue, Fyffe and his business partners set up shop first in the Canary Islands, but then in the Caribbean as well, laying the groundwork for a global banana plantation network. Although they began selling Cavendish bananas in 1903 in global port cities, the fruit never really took off until the 1950s, ...
When did Cavendish bananas start selling?
Although they began selling Cavendish bananas in 1903 in global port cities, the fruit never really took off until the 1950s, when the Gros Michel market crashed. Fyffe Hudson & Co. was delighted to discover that the fungal outbreak had no effect on their burgeoning crop.
Overview
Bananas and plantains
In regions such as North America and Europe, Musa fruits offered for sale can be divided into "bananas" and "plantains" (cooking banana), based on their intended use as food. Thus the banana producer and distributor Chiquita produces publicity material for the American market which says that "a plantain is not a banana". The stated differences are that plantains are more starchy an…
Description
The banana plant is the largest herbaceous flowering plant. All the above-ground parts of a banana plant grow from a structure usually called a "corm". Plants are normally tall and fairly sturdy with a treelike appearance, but what appears to be a trunk is actually a "false stem" or pseudostem. Bananas grow in a wide variety of soils, as long as the soil is at least 60 centimetres (2.0 ft) deep, has good dr…
Etymology
The word "banana" is thought to be of West African origin, possibly from the Wolof word banaana, and passed into English via Spanish or Portuguese.
Taxonomy
The genus Musa was created by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. The name may be derived from Antonius Musa, physician to the Emperor Augustus, or Linnaeus may have adapted the Arabic word for banana, mauz. According to Roger Blench, the ultimate origin of musa is in the Trans–New Guinea languages, whence they were borrowed into the Austronesian languages and across Asia, via the Dravidi…
Historical cultivation
The earliest domestication of bananas (Musa spp.) was from naturally occurring parthenocarpic (seedless) individuals of Musa banksii in New Guinea. These were cultivated by Papuans before the arrival of Austronesian-speakers. Numerous phytoliths of bananas have been recovered from the Kuk Swamp archaeological site and dated to around 10,000 to 6,500 BP. Foraging humans in this area bega…
Modern cultivation
All widely cultivated bananas today descend from the two wild bananas Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. While the original wild bananas contained large seeds, diploid or polyploid cultivars (some being hybrids) with tiny seeds or triploid hybrids without seeds are preferred for human raw fruit consumption, as banana seeds are large and hard and spiky and liable to crack teeth. These ar…
Production and export
In 2017, world production of bananas and plantains combined was 153 million tonnes, led by India and China with a combined total of 27% of global production. Other major producers were the Philippines, Colombia, Indonesia, Ecuador, and Brazil.
As reported for 2013, total world exports were 20 million tonnes of bananas and 859,000 tonnes of plantains. Ecuador and the Philippines were the leading exporters with 5.4 and 3.3 million ton…