A banana tree can grow anywhere from 10 to 26 feet tall. One cluster alone contains between 50 and 150 bananas. Bananas are an excellent source of B6, and a good source of potassium, manganese, vitamin C, dietary fiber, copper and biotin. The health benefits include: cardiovascular protection due to banana's potassium and fiber, protection from ulcers, and help with constipation, eyesight, bone growth, and kidney health.
Malaysia can take credit for the origin of bananas 4,000 years ago, and the spread to the Philippines and India. Bananas were later discovered in Africa in 1482 and brought to the Americas, but it was not until the 19th century that bananas became available in the United States. Today bananas are primarily grown in Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil and Ecuador.
Banana Recipe
Banana Dressing with Poppy Seeds
1 banana (ripe)
1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon dry mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
Mash bananas in small bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Chill for 30 minutes. This is great on salad greens, fruit, and as a dip. Yield: 1-3/4 cups
Answer: "You have a lot of appeal."Question: If a crocodile makes shoes, what does a banana make?
Answer: Slippers !
Banana Movies
--Bananas (a Woody Allen movie) 1971
--Herbie Goes Bananas 1980
(Herbie the VW has a wild adventure)
Banana Books
--Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World
Dan Koeppel (2008) (adult nonfiction)
--Anna Banana: 101 Jump Rope Rhymes
Joanna Cole and Alan Tiegreen (2010) (ages 4-8)
Joanna Cole and Alan Tiegreen (2010) (ages 4-8)
Banana Songs (video link)
(Beetlejuice fans.......Remember this?)
"Day-O" (Banana Boat Song) by Harry Belafonte
(from the movie Beetlejuice - 1988)
Sources: http://www.jokesfind.com/jokes_Banana-jokes.html
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=7
Sharon M. Himsl
Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011.
Published with Evernight Teen:
~~The Shells of Mersing
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=7
Sharon M. Himsl
Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011.
Published with Evernight Teen:
~~The Shells of Mersing
I loooove that clip from Beetlejuice! Quite like bananas too!
ReplyDeleteSuzanne @Suzannes Tribe
xx
I did not realize there were so many in a bunch! I also thought they caused constipation. I do love that Beetlejuice clip!
ReplyDeleteSorry I didn't mean it made me small I mean it made me smile. I should check what I've typed!
ReplyDeleteHehe, I love that clip from Beetlejuice.
ReplyDeleteThere is actually also a banana song from Sesame Street, and I always think about it when discussing bananas! It's all about how bananas don't grow alone =)
Suzanne - I adore this clip from Beetlejuice. Such a kooky movie at the time and still is! Glad you enjoyed.
DeleteAndrea - Hi. The quantity surprised too, and the health benefits.
Sally - Good to see you again. Glad the video made you smile :)
Joyce - Oh, I bet the Sesame Street version is good. I loved watching S.S. with my kids when they were young.
Oh, Harry belafone and Day-O, great song, great fruit, one of my favorites. I had banana trees in my garden in Los Angeles.
ReplyDeleteBanana trees in Los Angeles? Wow, I never knew they grew there. That's really interesting.
DeleteDeb@ http://debioneille.blogspot.com
Lol I love that scene in Beetlejuice.
ReplyDeleteMy granny used to mash up her bananas with like 3 spoons of butter and eat it out of a bowl. To this day, just the sight of bananas makes me cringe.
I love the recipe you offered, and I'm going to give it to my husband, who loves cooking a whole lot more than I do. (But I love to eat.) I never knew bananas grew in such large bunches. When I buy them, they are usually in bunches of 6 to 8 at the largest. And I was always told they cause constipation, but I'm so glad to find out they don't, because I do love bananas. I wonder if, with them growing in different countries, do they end up having a little bit different list of vitamins in them because of the different environments? You don't have to answer that – I'm used to having weird thoughts. I also like your video. All in all, this is a great post.
ReplyDeleteDeb@debioneille.blogspot.com
--Inger - Banana trees in LA? How neat...I need to tell my son who lives nearby.
Delete--Mich - Hi. Too bad Granny spoiled bananas for you. Foods have that effect sometimes.
--Debi - Let me know how the recipe works out. Gee...I have no idea if bananas vary per location, but it does make sense, since nutrition in soil based.
That recipe looks interesting; I wouldn't have put poppy seeds together with bananas, but I bet it tastes delicious. I occasionally like a banana cut up in a bowl of Rice Krispies.
ReplyDeletebetty
Love your bananas montage!
ReplyDeleteThat's it! I'm growing a banana tree in my back yard. It would probably fare well in Florida, right?
ReplyDeleteInteresting to read that Malaysia is the place to take credit for bananas. Thanks for sharing that, Sharon. And oh, my, the yummy recipes here, who can resist? Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSilvia @
SilviaWrites
--Betty - It's been fun searching my recipe files, but I like bananas on cereal best of all.
Delete--Terri - Thanks!
--Crystal - Oh, good. Let me know how the tree does. I forgot to find out how long it takes to grow.
--Silvia - I was thrilled Malaysia got the credit, having lived there for 9 months. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
My boys nearly eat their weight in bananas, so I'm glad to learn some of their health benefits. Love the Beetlejuice video. Great movie!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun and healthy theme this year, Sharon. I am going to have to pin it to pinterest in foods. It looks like I'll be trying some new recipes soon! God bless, Maria from Delight Directed Living
ReplyDeleteNot sure about the banana dressing but I'll definitely be trying the apple pound cake from yesterday.
ReplyDeleteEileen @ In My Playroom (also doing the A to Z Challenge)
Leslie - Thanks for visiting my blog! Bet those boys are healthy too :)
DeleteMaria - Thank you! Lots of recipes to check for sure. Have fun in the A-Z!
Eileen - Welcome! The pound cake is my favorite, but it packs a lot of calories. Enjoy though and let know what you think!
I love bananas. :) Just made banana bread yesterday, in fact! And when I lived in Indonesia for a five-month teaching stint, we had a banana tree in our backyard. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm loving all the interesting facts and trivia with your posts. :)
Thanks, Jaimie. Interesting you lived in Indonesia once. I lived in Malaysia for 9mo and also had a banana tree.
DeleteI love bananas, they're so tasty! This is an interesting theme :)
ReplyDeleteHi Laura. Thanks for stopping by. Have fun in the A-Z!
DeleteThis is the best post I've read, yet.
ReplyDeleteI have a love affair with bananas--and bacon--and bread. All the healthy food groups. No?
My husband would love this. He's nuts about bacon!
DeleteHi, this is an absolutely yummy addition to A to Z. Can't wait to learn more about fruit. I am trying your recipe for sure.
ReplyDeleteMary-andering Among the Pages
Thanks, Mary. Nice to see you again :)
DeleteWhat a great article! So much yumminess in one place! Living in Florida, Hubs would very much like to grow a banana tree in the yard. I'm all in favor!
ReplyDeleteKat Sheridan with Sia McKye Over Coffee
Hello Kat. Thank you! I bet a banana tree in Florida would be perfect. Good luck!
DeleteThanks for the recipe. sounds like something I could try.
ReplyDeleteLoved Beetlejuice and Day-O. The other day i was playing the video on YouTube while cooking.
Hi Damaria. You are welcome! Let me know how the recipe works. I love the video too :)
DeleteBananas are so delicious too. I'm going bananas over your theme here this year!
ReplyDeleteMJ, A to Z Challenge Co-Host
Writing Tips
Effectively Human
Lots of Crochet Stitches
Ha-ha. So many banana expressions out there!
DeleteI don't like bananas but I did like your banana jokes. So will my grandkiddos!
ReplyDeletePaula, that's ok. Glad your grandbabies can enjoy the jokes!
DeleteThanks for stopping by our blog earlier. There is nothing better than a nice tasty banana! I remember seeing banana trees on vacation when I lived in Australia. They even have a place called the Big Banana which is a fibreglass banana that is 40ft long. I also saw many of them in Nicaragua which was cool as they often were paired with coffee plants.
ReplyDeleteSean at His and Her Hobbies
Visiting from the A-Z Challenge. I love bananas. Thank you for the recipe!
ReplyDeleteAmanda at His and Her Hobbies
Banana's are my favorite fruit. And that's my favorite clip from Beetlejuice too!
ReplyDeleteSean - Thanks for commenting. That fibreglass banana must have been quite a sight. Goes to show just how popular this fruit is.
DeleteAmanda - Thanks, I hope you enjoy the dressing. Let me know how it goes.
Cathrina - Hi! Wasn't that video funny? It was fun to see again and to highlight this really yummy fruit.
Had to come back for my fruit-fix. Hm, bananas. When I grew up after the war (yep, the big II one), I always wished for an uncle in America so he could send me boxes of bananas.
ReplyDeleteI must have wished hard enough. Got them now in bunches - living in America myself!
What an interesting collection of banana facts! I knew some of them (potassium, B vitamins, that fantastic song and weird dance from Beetlejuice) but not several of the others.
ReplyDeleteAh, Beetlejuice. It's been a long while since I saw that one...
ReplyDeleteInge - Hello! Thanks for commenting. To live without bananas so long--how amazing. We take for granted its availability today!
DeleteBeverly - Definitely good to eat for our health. I'm learning a lot too. Thanks!
Hi Liz! I laughed and laughed when I watched it again. Glad you enjoyed :)
Haha loved the banana joke. :D
ReplyDeleteHi Dee. There are lots of banana jokes out there. Bet you've eaten a lot of bananas, being from Singapore!
DeleteWhat a lot of great information. I can't wait to visit tomorrow and see what I learn.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kat. I'm glad you're enjoying the A-Z!
DeleteI didn't expect a post about bananas to be so entertaining. Well done. For the record, I am extremely fussy about bananas. They have to be at the perfect stage of ripening, perfect for me that is, otherwise I can't eat them. Banana cake or bread, on the other hand...more please.
ReplyDeleteA banana post for a fussy banana eater, I like that. Ha-ha. Thanks for visiting, DA!
DeleteBananas are a HUGE fruit here in Ecuador....we see a lot of banana trees on the trip from Guayaquil to Cuenca (where we live).
ReplyDeleteD.B. McNicol
A to Z: Romance & Mystery...writing my life
Hi Donna. How wonderful you live in Ecuador. There must be other yummy fruit there!!
DeleteMy wife is from Ecuador and she insists that's where the best bananas come from. It's something that I'd never thought much of, but now that I'm more aware I think she might be right.
ReplyDeleteLee
A Faraway View
An A to Z Co-host blog
Good to know! Bet you get some pretty nice trips to Ecuador, too :)
DeleteOnly once. Went there last summer and I enjoyed it a great deal. My wife is not overly thrilled about going there--or so she says--but I could tell that she did like being there. She said it would be her last trip there. Nearly all of her family is in the U.S. so she doesn't feel great compelled to visit. Maybe someday though.
DeleteLee
Wrote By Rote
An A to Z Co-host blog
I eat lots of banana's because I get leg cramps a lot at night. I want to add a few banana trees in my green house this year! Great info.
ReplyDeleteI've been told before bananas are good for leg cramps. So good to know a natural food can cure such pain. Thanks, Emma.
Delete