What About Bananas?

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In 1876 in Philadelphia the first world's fair was held. For 10 cents a visitor could purchase a foil wrapped banana to try. Many had never seen this fruit before, and it was quite a hit. Now it is a favorite among snackers. An average of 27 pounds are consumed per person in the U.S. each year. Here is some interesting things I found out about bananas: * In the 1700s sailors believed bringing bananas on board their ships were bad luck. Why? Because the big bundles sometimes had spiders and snakes in them. Also, they ripened quickly and this also caused other produce to spoil. * Banana trees are actually referred to as giant herbs. * Instead of being a tree they are large herbaceous stalks made of cellulose. This decomposes quickly after the fruiting process. The truck then dies back and falls over making room for new growth. * The banana is classified as a berry because it develops from a flower that contains an ovary. It forms rom foot long flowers. * It is also required by botanists to have three layers: an outer skin, a fleshy layer, and an interior that has two or more seeds which the wild ones have. * The potassium in the fruit contains trace amounts of radioactive atoms and the human bodies are able to flush this out and doesn't build up dangerous levels.