B is for Banana

I bet that you have eaten a banana in the last month or even week. Well, this banana would like to challenge you to banana knowledge. Do you really know this fruit you eat?

Let's debunk the biggest myth that you keep spreading about my kind. We do NOT grow on trees. There are no such things as banana trees. We are grown on plants. No, they are not the same thing. Trees have "stems" that are made out of wood. Plants are made out of that fleshy green material. That is what we are grown on. In fact we are the largest plant on this planet that is not on a wooden stem. Please stop spreading these rumors. It is very embarrasing to our relatives the lillies and orchids.

Don't believe everything those cartoons tell you. We do not grow so close to the ground that you can just walk along and pick us. We grow to 25 feet high. That is much taller than your average man, cartoon rabbit, or tasmanian devil.

You cannot eat us right from the tree. We should be picked green and then ripened over time to ensure better taste. Only after being picked does our sugar levels rise from a mere 2% while waiting to 20% with all the excitement of being picked. We take pride in our flavor so don't ruin it by letting us ripen on thePLANT. We are eager to grace your fruit bowl.

We are not native to the Americas. Though we are the most popular fruit in this hemisphere, we were really discovered in India by Alexander the Great in 327 B.C. When the Spanish came to the Americas, the monks brought the banana roots and found a very receptive soil. There are many varieties still in Asia that are a part of the everyday diet.

You, Americans. We love you because you love us. You eat on average 28 pounds a year. That is per person. Wow! Maybe it is the good things in us like fiber, potassium, and vitamin C not to mention iron. We also don't have any sodium, cholesterol, or fat. So eat away!!!!!

We are not a seasonal fruit. In fact, we are harvested all year round. See how eager we are to meet you?!

Just 3 of us medium guys weigh 1 pound. Think of that as you pick us at your local grocery store.

Do you know what a cluster of us bananas are called that grow on our PLANTS? We are known as hands and us individual guys are known as fingers. Get it? Pretty clever of us, eh?

If you are sick, then come to us. We can help with so many of your problems: smoking, ulcers, constipation, blood pressure, anemica, PMS, depression, morning sickness, heartburn, nerves, and brain power.

As you can tell we are the super fruits in your grocery store. Stop by and check us out.

If you think eating us plain is the only way to savor good looking blokes like us, then here are a few sites to give you other ideas on how to use us to our full potential. Until we meet again.....

P.S. - Please stop singing that ridiculous banana song.  It is way too embarrassing.  Why couldn't you come up with something more substantial and solid.  You do us such an injustice. 

Please experiment with us. Check out these sites and learn new ways to enjoy our qualities.

pastrywiz - You can find Banana Coconut Cream Pie (YUM) and Banana Fruit Cake (we are fruity enough without all those others butting in!). And so many others to try.

Allrecipes - You can find more recipes here including Almond Banana Chocolate Muffins (now that is something for date night!) and Banana Crumb Muffins.

Banana Recipes - Baked bananas (told you we were hot!), Banana milkshakes (we can get a little shook up), and Banana Punch ( the life of the party).

Banana Recipies.net - Banana waffles and Fried Bananas are just a few of our kind you can find here.

Southern Food - This site is a treasure trove of banana love: Banana Bread (a classic), Banana Pudding (we are puddy in your hands), Chocolate Covered Frozen Bananas (great on a hot summer night), Banana Crepes (not creeps), Bananas Foster (beyond delicious), Honey Ambrosia (if we weren't sweet enough), and Bananads in Rum Custard are just a few. Oh, my. I need to lie down.

Recipezaar - You will find almost 5 thousand ways to enjoy us. You'll see Baked Banana Dessert Omelet and Banana Crackers. Stop in and see the others awaiting you.

Here is another one here on HubPages that shows you how to use us in a fruit salad. 

Enjoy!