28 Banana Facts You Won't Believe

By Karin Lehnardt, Senior Writer

Published March 15, 2023Updated July 19, 2024

A cluster of bananas is called a "hand," with each banana known as a "finger."_[10]
The word "banana" comes from the Arabic word banan, which means “finger."_[10]
Bananas can help boost your mood. They have a high level of tryptophan, which helps produce serotonin and melatonin. Bananas also have vitamin B6 and magnesium, which help improve sleep and relax muscles, respectively._[2]
A banana peel is called a banana skin in British English._[10]
One food blogger polarized the Internet after she suggested using banana peels as a substitute for pulled pork when making burgers._[3]

Around 100 billion bananas are eaten around the world each year

Worldwide, bananas are the 4th most popular agricultural product._[10]
While rare in the United States, cooking with banana peels is common in Venezuelan, Indian, and Southeast Asian cuisine._[3]
In the mid-19th century, banana peels were considered to be a public health hazard. People would throw peels into the street, which then would rot and become a gooey mess for people to step in. The slipping and falling reputation led to the banana-peel gag in comedy shows._[13]
Banana plants are considered the world's largest herb. Even though a banana plant can grow as high as a tree (over 30 feet), it is anatomically and structurally different from a tree._[14]
A team of Japanese researchers studied why bananas are slippery when stepped on. They found that bananas contain more polysaccharide molecules than other fruit. Polysaccharide is also found in bone joints._[4]
While most people peel their bananas from the stem down, the correct way is to peel from the bottom up._[12]
The Anarchist Cookbook (1971) contains a recipe for extracting a fictional chemical from bananas called "bananadine." This chemical was rumored to be a psychoactive substance, which is associated with the 1966 song "Mellow Yellow."_[5]
More songs are written about bananas than any other fruit._[13]

Songs about bananas include "The Banana Boat Song," "Yes, We Have No Bananas," "I Like Bananas," and "Banana Phone"

People who have allergies to bananas often have allergies to latex. This is because both bananas and latex contain the protein Havein. The syndrome is known as latex-food syndrome or latex-fruit allergy._[6]
David Strickler, a 23-year-old employee at a drugstore in Latrobe, Pennsylvania invented the banana split when he was experimenting with different ice cream combinations. It was an instant hit._[9]
Banana peels are not only edible, they are also full of several key nutrients, such as potassium, polyunsaturated fat, and essential amino acids._[18]
Banana peels make up approximately 35% of a ripe banana, which is a larger proportion than most fruit. Eating banana peels is not only healthy but it also reduces food waste._[13]
The Big Banana Car is a 23-foot-long converted F-150 truck designed to look like a banana. It has a top speed of 85 mph._[15]
Bananas float in water because they are less dense than water._[13]
There are about 1,000 varieties of bananas in the world._[10]

Are bananas a fruit or berry or herb?

Bananas are a berry, not a fruit. The plant itself is classified as a perennial herb._[10]
Humans share bout 50% of their DNA with bananas._[10]
The scientific name for the banana is Musa saspientum, which means "fruit of the wise men."_[13]
A man named Manual Kabana, from Spain, grew the largest bunch of bananas on record, as documented on July 11, 2001. The bunch contained 473 bananas and weighed 287 pounds (130 kg)._[11][16]
A fungal disease named Panama disease is threatening the supply of Cavendish bananas, which is the most popular type of bananas in stores. This is because bananas are cloned in vast numbers and are not bred for disease for resistance.
_[8]
While bananas might not be the most hydrating fruit (bananas are %75 water, compared to 95% water for cucumbers), their high levels of potassium help balance cellular fluid levels, making them an ideal after-workout food._[7]
Bananas are propagated vegetatively through cloning or tissue culture, and not by seed. This helps keep each banana as close to the desirable original as possible. This means that most bananas at the store are cloned and not produced naturally through seed formation._[1]
In 2022, fruit producer Fresh Del Monte and the supermarket chain Jewel-Osco used over 70,000 pounds (31,751 kg) of bananas to create the world's largest fruit display on record. They dubbed the display "Banana Bonanza."_[17]