Bananas, raw (organic?)

In addition to the dessert banana or fruit banana ( Musa acuminata Colla or Musa × paradisiaca ), which can be eaten raw, there are the cooking banana, which must be cooked before consumption, as well as fiber bananas and ornamental bananas. The peel of the fruit banana is becoming increasingly popular and can even be used in the kitchen.

Use in the kitchen

What does a banana taste like and are bananas sweet? The riper the banana, the sweeter it tastes and its consistency changes from firm to floury to creamy. When unripe or half-ripe, the banana tastes more like a vegetable that is not particularly aromatic. It has a furry feeling in the mouth.

Is the banana a raw food product? Bananas are an ideal snack and, thanks to their peel, can be enjoyed raw on the go. Along with apples, bananas are one of the most commonly consumed fruits of all. They are popular in smoothies, muesli, milkshakes (frappe) and all kinds of dessert variations - whether pure with (soy) yoghurt or quark, in fruit salad,dried as banana chips, baked in batter or as banana splits, even as cakes (banana chocolate cake, tart), pancakes, cakes and muffins. They are also popular in banana bread and as a vegan egg substitute in other baked goods. Other recipe ideas are banana tiramisu, flambéed bananas or banana oatmeal cookies. Banana powder made from dehydrated bananas is also suitable for enriching the flavor of shakes and smoothies.

The banana is a component of the gluten-free and raw vegan Erb-Müesli . It contains citrus fruits rich in vitamin C as well as berries that provide antioxidants, pseudocereals, seeds and golden millet . Also try the Erb-Müesli plus oat flakes variant.

Those who like to experiment use bananas in spicy curry dishes. Green dessert bananas are best for this, as they are easy to cook due to their high starch content. Their taste is very reminiscent of sweet potatoes . You can wrap food in banana leaves. The peel of untreated organic bananas can be eaten boiled, fried or baked, used as an ingredient in smoothies or brewed as tea. The peel of very ripe bananas is particularly suitable for eating raw, as it is then much thinner and sweeter and easier to chew.

The so-called cooking bananas (vegetable bananas, flour bananas) are (practically) only edible boiled, fried or roasted. They and their flour are staple foods in many African countries. There is also the red fruit banana, which tastes a little sweeter and more aromatic than the yellow Cavendish banana. This also applies to the baby banana, which is around 10 cm long. ³

Vegan recipe for quick banana-cherry ice cream

Ingredients (for 4 people): 4 -5 ripe, peeled, sliced, frozen bananas, 160 g frozen cherries (pitted), 4-6 tablespoons soy milk (as needed).

Preparation: Puree the banana pieces that have been frozen overnight in a high-performance blender to make a creamy ice cream. If necessary, add a little soy milk for the desired consistency. Pour half of the banana ice cream into 4 small bowls or glasses. Put the cherries in the blender and puree until creamy. Pour the cherry-banana ice cream onto the other banana ice cream and decorate with vegan chocolate pieces. The ice cream tastes best fresh; if refrozen, it loses its creaminess. Of course, it also works with other frozen fruits, such asraspberries or strawberries .

Vegan recipes with raw bananas can be found under the note: " Recipes that have the most of this ingredient ".

Purchasing - Storage

Bananas are among the most popular and most purchased fruits. Annual per capita consumption in Germany is almost 12 kg. ³ They are available in bunches, which are botanically known as "hands", or individually in all well-known supermarkets such as Coop, Migros, Denner, Volg, Spar, Aldi, Lidl, Rewe, Billa, Edeka or Hofer . Bananas can also be bought in organic supermarkets such as Denn's Biomarkt or Alnatura, as well as in health food stores, smaller organic shops or at the local weekly market. They can also be purchased via a subscription box (Green Box) or online. If you choose the latter, you have the option of obtaining bananas that have been collected in the wild.

Because they are grown in countries close to the equator, bananas are in season all year round .

When buying bananas, they should be free of bruises. You should also make sure that the bananas do not look greyish. This suggests that they have been stored at temperatures that are too low, which hinders natural ripening. To avoid high levels of pesticides in bananas, organic quality is preferable. From an ethical point of view, bananas with a Fairtrade seal are recommended, which guarantees good working conditions during cultivation. ³⁰

Where do the bananas in Germany come from? The goods available in Europe come mainly from Ecuador, the Philippines, Costa Rica, Colombia and Guatemala. They are mostly Cavendish varieties, which account for over 47% of global production and practically all exports. ^2.13

The availability of raw bananas varies depending on the size of the store, catchment area, etc. Our recorded food prices for the DA-CH countries can be found above under the ingredient image - and by clicking on them you can see their development at different suppliers.

Storage tips

Green or yellow-green bananas should be protected from direct sunlight and stored at room temperature or slightly cooler. This way they will ripen in a few days. Bananas need more than 13 °C, which is why refrigerator temperatures are not ideal. To avoid bruising, you can hang bananas on a hook or a so-called banana tree. In any case, plastic packaging should be removed. The fruit will quickly rot in this.

To speed up the ripening process, you can store bananas together with an apple in a paper bag. The apple emits the gas ethylene, which makes bananas ripen faster. This also works with tomatoes or other ripe bananas. Storing unripe bananas next to ripe bananas causes the unripe bananas to ripen more quickly and prevents the ripe bananas from over-ripening.

Bananas are sweetest when the skin gets brown spots. Bananas that are this ripe can be stored in the fridge for a few days. The low temperature can cause the skin to turn dark, but it remains firm and the taste remains the same. Bananas can also be kept in the freezer for several months. However, you should definitely peel them before freezing, as this is difficult to do later. If you sprinkle them with a little lemon juice, they will retain their fresh color even when thawed.

Ingredients - Nutritional value - Calories

The nutritious banana is very popular in the western world because it provides quick energy and valuable nutrients. 100 g of raw bananas have an energy value of 89 kcal with a water content of around 75%. ⁵

Do bananas make you fat? Bananas are a recommended food in a balanced diet. In addition to a balanced mixture of carbohydrates (23 g/100g) with water-soluble and water-insolublefiber, bananas contain very little fat (0.33 g/100g). However, nerves and the brain need high-quality, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which need to be compensated for. ⁵

Bananas are considered a particularly valuable source of potassium, with 358 mg/100g. This covers 18% of the daily requirement. However, various dried legumes have significantly higher levels, with up to 1797 mg/100g ( soybeans ), followed by unpeeled hemp seeds (1200 mg), raw wheat germ (892 mg) and raisins (749 mg). Compared to other types of fruit, however, bananas contain relatively high levels of potassium. ⁵

Bananas are known for their B vitamin content, especially vitamin B₆ (0.37 mg/100g). Eating 100 g of raw banana covers 26% of the daily vitamin B₆ requirement. Vitamin B₆ is involved in around 100 enzymatic reactions and plays an important role in protein and blood sugar metabolism. Pistachios provide 1.7 mg, which is many times more of the vitamin, as do wheat bran (1.3 mg), sesame (0.79 mg) and wholegrain rice (0.74 mg). ⁵

Bananas are also praised as a good source of magnesium . With a value of 27 mg/100g, they have a similar amount to avocados (29 mg). Seeds and kernels offer more of this element, but you also eat less of it: Unpeeled hemp seeds (700 mg), wheat bran (611 mg), sesame seeds (351 mg) or chia seeds (335 mg). ⁵

The complete ingredients of bananas, the coverage of the daily requirement and comparison values with other ingredients can be found in our nutrient tables. In the article Nutrients explained you will get a detailed insight into the topic.

Effects on health

How healthy are bananas? Half-ripe bananas contain a proportion of indigestible, resistant starch. This has a positive effect on our intestinal health. Since the small intestine cannot digest and absorb resistant starch or can only partially digest it, bacteria ferment the fiber in the large intestine and thus promote a healthy intestinal flora, protect the intestinal wall from cell changes and support its barrier function. Resistant starch also has a blood sugar regulating effect. With a balanced diet with whole grain products, pulses and also bananas, you will absorb sufficient resistant starch. ^6,10

Green bananas are the subject of scientific studies because they contain more of the non-digestible pectin substances, which are later converted into soluble sugars during the ripening process. In a clinical experiment, 5-12 month old children with persistent diarrhea were given a rice-based meal every day. Significantly more children recovered from diarrhea on the third and fourth day after starting treatment if they were given cooked green banana or pectin with the rice, compared to children on a pure rice diet. The addition of cooked green banana or pectin significantly reduced the amount of stool, vomiting and duration of diarrhea. ¹⁶

Ripe bananas can also have a calming effect on stomach and intestinal disorders and are well suited for small children. The soluble and insoluble fiber helps regulate digestion and cholesterol levels. ² The oligofructose contained in bananas is a soluble fiber. With its prebiotic effect, it contributes to a healthy intestinal flora and reduces constipation. ¹¹

Numerous studies point to the potential of bananas to reduce the risk of cancer or even cure it. In a Chinese survey, consumption of fruits and vegetables, including bananas, led to a significantly reduced risk of breast cancer. Another study shows that a balanced diet including bananas reduces the risk of developing cancer. Esophageal cancer is more likely to occur in Chinese people who follow a traditional diet that includes Chinese wine and scalding hot drinks but excludes non-native foods such as bread, potatoes and bananas. ¹⁸ These studies show the importance of a balanced diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables.

Secondary plant substances

Many of the health effects of raw bananas can be attributed to the secondary plant substances they contain. Our article on secondary plant substances provides an overview of the classification of substance groups, their occurrence in foods and possible effects on humans. The raw banana contains the following secondary plant substances, among others: ^14,15,18

• Isoprenoids: Triterpenes: Steroids (24-methylenecycloartenol,beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, cycloartenol, cycloeucalenol); Tetraterpenes: Carotenoids : Carotenes (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene), xanthophylls (auroxanthin, cryptoxanthin, lutein, neoxanthin, violaxanthin)
• Polyphenols: Phenolic acids: hydroxybenzoic acids (salicylic acid, gallic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid, genistic acid, protocatechuic acid), hydroxycinnamic acids (cinnamic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, sinapic acid, p-coumaric acid); flavonoids: flavanols (catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin), flavones (apigenin), flavonols (quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol, rutin), anthocyanins (cyanidin, delphinidin); tannins: gallotannins (tannic acid, procyanidin), ellagic acid; lignans (sesamin, epi-sesamin)
• Other nitrogen-containing compounds: biogenic amines (serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, spermidine, spermine)
• Other organic compounds: aldehydes (syringaldehydes), hydroxycarboxylic acids (malic acid), dicarboxylic acids (succinic acid)

However, it should be noted that the composition of secondary plant substances in raw bananas can vary depending on the variety, time of harvest and growing conditions. Therefore, quantities are only of limited use and should only be understood roughly.

Banana peels have a particularly high content of phytosterols (β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, cycloartenol and 24-methylenecycloartanol). In unripe bananas, the phytosterol content is between 280 and 1240 mg/100g dry weight. Phytosterols have numerous health-promoting properties, such as lowering cholesterol levels in the blood and reducing cholesterol absorption in the intestine. They act as modulators (information transmitters) of the immune system and have anti-cancer properties. Serotonin contributes to general well-being. The high content of phytosterols has new possibilities for the utilization of banana residues as a potential source of high-quality secondary plant substances. ¹⁴

Banana peels and pulp have been shown to contain biogenic amines, especially dopamine and norepinephrine, but also serotonin. Dopamine plays an important role in the human brain and body as a neurotransmitter and has a major influence on our mood, ability to concentrate and emotional stability. ¹⁴ Scientists see the high dopamine content in banana peels (up to 560 mg/100g) and in the pulp (up to 10 mg/100g) as having potential for the healing and prevention of diseases such as Parkinson's. ¹⁵

Bananas are rich in carotenoids , which protect against vitamin A deficiency and chronic diseases, which are becoming an increasing problem worldwide. The carotenes alpha- and beta-carotene are also known as provitamin A, as the body can convert them into vitamin A. Carotenoids also have a positive effect on immunity and reduce the risk of various diseases, including diabetes and cancer. The total carotenoid content is between 7.76 and 10.63 mg/100g fresh weight. ¹⁴

The most common antioxidants in bananas are carotenoids, phenols (phenolic acids, flavonoids) and ascorbic acid . Antioxidants protect against reactive oxygen species (ROS) that could damage the cell membrane or DNA. The bioactive components delay the aging process, prevent coronary heart disease, cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. The total content of phenolic acids in bananas is 7 mg/100g fresh weight. The content of ferulic acid was the highest among the phenolic acids. ¹⁴

The content of total phenolic compounds in banana pulp ranges from 11.8 to 90.4 mg/100 g fresh weight and in banana peel from 0.90 to 3 g/100 g dry weight. The main flavonoids in banana fruit (0.7 mg/100 g) include quercetin (0.292 mg/100 g), myricetin (0.143 mg/100 g) and kaempferol (0.012 mg/100 g). ¹⁴ Flavonoids extracted from unripe banana fruit have shown hypolipidemic effects. In male rats, cholesterol, phospholipids, free fatty acids and triglycerides in serum, liver, kidney and brain were reduced. Bananas may be useful in the treatment of hyperlipidemia (disorder of lipid metabolism) and various atherosclerotic diseases. ¹⁴

At Jacobs University Bremen, chemistry professor Nikolai Kuhnert investigated the healing power of (wild) bananas. They contain many polyphenolic, i.e. aromatic compounds that have antibacterial, disinfectant and astringent (contracting) effects. Bananas can therefore help protect a wound from bacterial infections or form a kind of protective layer over a wound by changing the protein in the wound. ⁷

Pharmacological studies by numerous researchers suggest that banana is effective and beneficial in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Banana fruit contains many antibacterial components in addition to ß-sitosterol, malic acid and succinic acid, which have a positive effect on bacterial infections of the gastrointestinal tract. ¹⁴

Ferulic acid, cycloeucalenol and chlorogenic acid in banana extracts show cancer-preventing and cancer-inhibiting effects in breast, cervical, colon, esophageal, liver, oral, prostate and skin cancer. The bioactive components contained in bananas act against tissue proliferation (antiproliferative) and against tumor spread (antiinvasive). They induce cell death (apoptotic) and slow or shrink tumor growth (antiangiogenic). The study situation should be viewed with caution because it is largely based on in vitro experiments or in vivo animal experiments. There are currently no meaningful clinical studies. Furthermore, the limited bioavailability of secondary plant substances represents a barrier to therapeutic use. ¹⁸

Dangers - Intolerances - Side effects

Eating bananas can lead to side effects. If you have a sensitive gastrointestinal tract, green, unripe bananas can cause stomach pain or flatulence. This is due to the high cellulose content. Green bananas contain more starch (fiber), which the small intestine can only absorb slowly. ²⁵

It is not clear whether tyramine, which is also found in bananas, triggers migraines. ²³

If you have a histamine or fructose intolerance, you should avoid bananas. ²⁴

Bananas cause allergies in 0.6% of the human population, and up to 67% and 46% of people with asthma or atopic dermatitis, respectively. Banana fruit allergy occurs shortly after consumption due to an abnormal immune reaction to banana proteins. Symptoms range from oral allergy syndrome to life-threatening anaphylaxis. ¹⁹

Folk medicine - natural medicine

In parts of Africa and Asia, wild bananas ( Musa acuminata ) are considered a traditional remedy. In many developing countries, open wounds are covered with banana leaves or banana peels. Even larger wounds can be treated successfully in this way. M. acuminata, which originates from Southeast Asia, is known for the treatment of various diseases such as fever, cough, bronchitis, dysentery, allergic infections, sexually transmitted infections and some non-communicable diseases. Reported pharmacological activities include antioxidant, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, hypolipidemic, anticancer and antimicrobial effects, particularly anti-HIV. All parts of the banana plant, including fruit, seeds, stem, flower, juice and roots, are used in the folk medicine of various tribes and ethnic groups worldwide. However, the Cavendish export banana is not believed to have any medicinal properties. ^7,20

Ecological footprint

From the cultivation to the consumption of the banana, there are many steps that can have a negative impact on the environment. The ecological footprint indicates how harmful a product is to the climate. The larger the footprint, the more climate-damaging gases are produced along the value chain. A raw banana, available in a European supermarket (Great Britain), has a CO ₂ footprint of 0.83 kg CO ₂ eq/kg. Agriculture contributes the most to environmental pollution at 66%, and transport is the second largest contributor at 33%. ²¹

The water footprint of 1 kg of dessert bananas is 790 liters (0.88 l/kcal). A large part of the water consumption (84%) comes from rainwater, the so-called green water consumption. The production of 1 kg of plantains consumes an average of 1602 liters of water and 1.8 l/kcal. In the case of plantains, 98% of the water consumption is green water. In comparison to bananas, other foods such as coffee (18,925 l/kg), green and black tea (8856 l/kg) or mangos (1800 l/kg) have a much higher water consumption. Other popular fruits such as apples (822 l/kg) or peaches (910 l/kg) have a similar average water consumption, while oranges (560 l/kg) have a lower average water consumption. ²²

For detailed explanations of various sustainability indicators (such as ecological footprint, _CO2 footprint, water footprint), see our article: What does the ecological footprint mean?

Animal protection - species protection

In their original distribution area, pollination of banana flowers on wild banana plants takes place through hummingbirds and bats. ⁸ Cultivated fruit bananas are sterile, unlike ornamental and wild bananas. The fruits of fruit bananas develop without pollination and fertilization. Cultivated bananas are seedless, which is why neither generative reproduction nor cross-breeding is possible. Most banana varieties are propagated purely vegetatively from the runners that sprout from the underground rhizomes. ²⁶

Worldwide occurrence - cultivation

The banana originally comes from the Southeast Asian islands. Scientists suspect that domestication of bananas began 7,000 years ago. ⁴ The first mentions can be found in Indian writings around 2000 BC. ²⁰ The banana came from Indonesia to Madagascar in the 7th century AD and then to the African mainland. The Spanish cultivated banana plantations on the Canary Islands from around 1500. Not much later, the banana came to America, where Portuguese settlers established the first plantations in the Caribbean and Central America. ²⁷

Where do bananas grow? Today, fruit-bearing bananas grow in tropical and subtropical regions.

The largest banana producers are India with 29 million tonnes and China with 11 million tonnes per year (annual average from 2010 to 2017). As top producers, both countries are also top consumers and mainly serve the domestic market. ¹³

The main export countries in 2016 were Ecuador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Colombia and the Philippines and the main importers worldwide were Europe and the USA. The average yield was 20 t/ha (in 2017). ¹³

Found in the wild

The original bananas grow in America, Asia, Oceania, India and Africa. ²⁰ The actual wild bananas include the species Musa balbisiana and Musa acuminata, which originally come from tropical Southeast Asia. Wild bananas are small, green and contain many large, infertile seeds that are comparable to the seeds of the prickly pear . ^4,20

Cultivation - Harvest

Bananas are mainly grown on monoculture plantations for export. Intensive farming and the use of pesticides lead to ecological damage in the growing regions and to health problems for employees. ³⁰ As part of a study, the Vienna-based initiative Doctors for a Healthy Environment investigated the effects of pesticide use in Ecuador. On conventional farms, half of the workers surveyed reported weekly flight operations to spray pesticides. The ecosystem suffers from the "sprayings" because the toxins sometimes blow away and enrich the soil and water. Protective clothing is only available to those employees who apply pesticides. The workers surveyed on conventional plantations reported significantly more acute symptoms such as dizziness, vomiting, burning eyes, skin irritation, severe fatigue and insomnia than farmers on organic plantations. ³⁰ An analysis of pesticide residues in bananas found high levels of fungicides, including azoxystrobin and thiabendazole. The peel of conventional bananas is significantly more contaminated than the flesh. Organically produced bananas have the lowest pesticide residues. The values of the bananas tested are below the maximum levels according to EU regulations . ²⁹ The Ökotest found residues of the pesticides imazalil and/or bifenthrin. These chemicals serve as protection against rot during transport to Europe and growing bananas on the plant are wrapped in plastic bags to protect against insects. ³⁰

How do bananas get from the field to the supermarket shelf? The green bananas are harvested with a large hook knife. The entire fruit is cut off from the 2 to 9 m high plant and transported, sometimes with the help of simple material cable cars, to the packing station. There the fruit is divided into so-called "hands" or "finger tufts", the size offered in retail. The export bananas are stored in temperature-controlled refrigerated ships at exactly 13.2 °C and reach their destination port after 10 to 20 days. The bananas are transported to a ripening facility, subjected to a quality control, and then stored in the ripening chamber. By increasing the temperature to 14.5 to 18 °C and adding ethylene, the bananas ripen within 4 to 8 days. There are seven internationally recognized color levels from which the retailer can choose the preferred ripeness and order it for the food retail trade. The yellow-green banana, also called "medium" ripeness, is considered the most popular banana ripeness. ^3.28

How often does a banana bear fruit? Banana plants grow on the plantations until they bear fruit after 1 to 1.5 years. Since they only produce fruit once, the entire mother plant is cut off after harvest. A sprout has already formed at the root, which will sprout into a false trunk within 6 months. The next banana harvest is assured. ³¹

What type of fruit is the banana? From a botanical point of view, the banana is a berry. The banana forms a large inflorescence consisting of several rows of red-violet flowers. From one row of flowers develops the so-called "banana hand", which bears 10 to 20 bananas or "fingers" (Arabic banan = finger). The entire inflorescence, also called a "bunch" or "arm", weighs up to 40 kg with 6-19 "hands" and a total of 200 to 300 "fingers". ³

The individual bananas, so-called "fingers", are arranged in "hands" and are arranged in a spiral around the inflorescence axis. Each individual fruit initially grows downwards and later, due to the effect of plant hormones, outwards and upwards within a few days. ³

Growing in the garden

How do bananas grow in the temperate zone? Basically, bananas need enough sun, warmth, nutrients and consistent watering, although waterlogging and direct sunlight should be avoided. During the growing season from May to August, the plants are fertilized weekly with a nitrogen-rich complete fertilizer. ⁹ If the banana plant loses leaves, this is a clear sign that it is too cold, too wet or too dark. ⁸

In Central Europe, banana plants can be grown as pots or in winter gardens, whereby the container should hold at least 50 l. Fruit-bearing dwarf varieties are suitable for this, such as the "Dwarf Cavendish" variety, which is also known as "Ladyfinger". In winter, the winter garden should be heated and at least 10 °C. In cooler winter gardens, the banana leaves are cut off and placed on the soil around the plant to protect them. ⁹

In very mild regions, it is even possible to grow banana plants outdoors permanently with suitable winter protection. The relatively hardy Japanese fiber banana Musa basjoo does not manage to produce flowers or fruit due to the average temperatures being too cool, but it does spread a tropical flair in the garden. The currently hardiest varieties of Musa basjoo are characterized by improved frost resistance (down to -12 °C). In autumn, the leaves are cut off so that the rhizome can store enough nutrients for the winter. A 50 to 100 cm high casing is built around the plant and filled with insulating material such as garden fleece, jute or raffia mats. A waterproof plate protects the plant from waterlogging. ^8.9

Further information

The wild bananas Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana, originally from Asia, are separate plant species from the banana genus ( Musa ) and the banana family (Musaceae). Almost all modern varieties of edible bananas are hybrids and polyploids of these two banana species, which are usually referred to as Musa x paradisiaca or Musa acuminata Colla. The most commonly exported variety, "Cavendish", is a triploid mutant and "Lady Finger" is a diploid variety of Musa acuminata . ²⁶

The group of dessert bananas can be divided into "large fruit bananas", "red bananas", "baby bananas" and "apple bananas", each with several varieties. Well-known varieties of large fruit bananas are "Robusta", "Williams", "Poyo", "Valery" - the giant of the Cavendish group, "Dwarf Cavendish" - a small and very tasty variety - and "Grand Nain" or "Grande Naine", the main export variety in Latin America. ^3.32

In addition to dessert bananas, cooking bananas, flour bananas and vegetable bananas, which mainly originate from Africa, are also referred to as Musa × paradisiaca . In total, there are around 1,000 varieties of cultivated bananas. ¹³ International breeders are constantly driving the development of new varieties in order to breed suitable varieties that are resistant to the widespread fungal disease "Yellow Sigatoka" ( Mycosphaerella musicola ) or "Black Leaf Measles" ( Mycosphaerella fijiensis, Black Sigatoka). ^4,26

Do you want to know how exotic it was to switch from conventional banana cultivation to organic in the early 1980s? Read our article "First organic bananas from Tenerife, the 20 banana letters" .

Alternative names

Alternative names for the dessert banana are fruit banana, large fruit banana, paradise fig, Adam's fig or simply banana. The English name is banana.

Other uses

The fiber or textile banana Abacá ( Musa textilis ), also known as Manila hemp, banana hemp or Musa hemp, is used to produce nets, ropes and yarns. But bananas are not only popular as crops, but also as ornamental plants. A well-known banana species with improved frost resistance is the Japanese fiber banana ( Musa basjoo ). ^9.33