What can I say about bananas? They’re just such an a-peeling fruit, right? And so versatile! I can think of many times when I was in such a rush to get out of the house in the morning, I just grabbed one and threw it in my purse to eat later on.
As for being a versatile fruit, you can eat them raw, slice them up and spread some peanut butter or other nut butter on top of each slice, mix them in your favorite smoothie (I love doing this with frozen slices!), make banana bread and muffins, put slices on whole wheat toast with some peanut butter (yum!), and more!
Health benefits
Bananas have some health benefits too, according to WebMD, they are rich in potassium which is good for heart health, they contain soluble fiber which can help keep cholesterol and blood pressure in check, and they also contain other vitamins and minerals including vitamin C and B6 and magnesium. If you have any health issues such as diabetes or kidney problems, you should check with your doctor before consuming them.
According to Prevention Magazine, some people avoid bananas because they’re higher in carbs and sugar than many other fruits. But, unlike processed sweet treats, a banana’s naturally occurring sugars are accompanied by many vitamins and minerals.
Fun Facts
Farmers’ Almanac shared a bunch of fun facts about bananas, here are a few:
- Roughly 96% of American households purchase bananas at least once per month.
- A cluster of bananas, called a “hand,” consists of 10 to 20 individual bananas, also known as fingers. In fact, the word banana comes from banana, the Arabic word for “finger.”
- A single banana leaf can grow up to 12 feet in length. In Southeast Asia, Central America and much of Africa, food is wrapped in the leaves for storage and cooking, much like aluminum foil. The leaves lend a subtle flavor to dishes cooked in them, and their hardiness allows them to be used time and again.
- Bananas are grown and harvested year-round. They grow from a bulb, not a seed. A perennial crop, each bulb sprouts new shoots every year.
- There are more than 400 varieties of banana in existence.
Scanning info for panel members
Panel members: Please report all of your banana purchases using the Non-Barcoded Items list in the NCPMobile app or refer to the Barcode Reference Booklet if you use NCP’s handheld scanner. Thanks a bunch!
If you’re not a panel member and interested in joining NCP to share your shopping experiences, earn great rewards, and influence what you see on store shelves, click here or go to the Join NCP section of the blog!
Regards,
Taylor
I was recently diagnosed with CKD Stage IV and told not to eat bananas or any other foods high in potassium like oranges, potatoes and other foods. I have found myself cheating on occasion with a lovely, tasty banana or an orange. These are a couple of the fruits I love and had always viewed as being healthy until the diagnosis. Oh – and don’t get me started on how much I love tomatoes and tomato products (also high in potassium). Thank goodness for berries ❣️
Wow very interesting!!! I never realized there was over 400 varieties of bananas in existence. I love bananas, especially banana bread. I make a drink with them. You add three or four bananas in a blender then fill it up with milk or almond milk and then add some Hershys chocolate syrup to it. Blend it all together and you have a very refreshing drink. Great for in the mornings or whenever. My mother used to make this for me. I made it for my kids also. But it’s very simple and great whenever you are on a budget.
I love bananas green or dead ripe they are so delicious. In cereal, on a sandwich with peanut butter or mayonaise or both .
I love bananas but rarely eat them any longer because of the natural sugars in them. Makes my blood jump jump.
Captivating
I love bananas. They are one of my favorite fruits.
I love bananas but they don’t like diabetics to well. My doctor wanted me to eat them instead of taking potassium pills. Unfortunately my blood glucose went up.
I think I will have one occasionally because of all the vitamins and minerals in them.
Learned a lot about them in this article. Great read!
Execlent 👏👏👏
Really enjoyed reading about bananas in this post. I never knew about there being over 100 different varieties.
400 different varieties!