Bananas are one of the most popular and iconic fruits. They can be found all over the world and in countless dishes and desserts of all different cultures and cuisines. But have you ever wondered how banana trees grow from those tiny seeds inside bananas, or why some bananas aren't even yellow at all?
Here are some curious facts to feed your mind and tempt your stomach. Sit back, relax, and enjoy these fun banana factoids.
Bananas, as we know them, are a human invention from like, 5000 B.C. Originally, bananas were full of seeds, but because people are picky eaters, banana hybrids were created, making the fruit seed-free. There are still tiny little seeds in banana, but they don't serve any function in the banana reproduction.
It's true! It's just a sneaky herb posing as a tree. A huge herb. Trying to be a palm tree.
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The Banana Tree Bears Fruit Once and Then Dies
The banana tree, or herb, bears only one bunch of bananas before dying. Luckily, it shoots a new "eye" (a baby plant) before dying, the entire process only taking about ten years.
Because of the two items above (man-made seedless fruit and the herb thing), plus the fact that there's only one variety widely grown, the super popular Cavendish bananas are constantly at risk. One aggressive bug or disease is all that it would take to wipe bananas out completely. In fact, the Cavendish banana we eat nowadays —which is at high risk of extinction— is a replacement for the virtually identical banana, Gros Michel, that went the way of the dodo in the 1960s.
Bananas are awesome cures for hangovers! That's because, like Coca-Cola, they're rich in potassium. Eat one before bed or just after waking up (and then go straight back to bed).
