Bananas first appeared in the United States in the 1870s. They were an exotic and expensive fruit. Availability improved greatly with the establishment of banana plantations in Central America. Today, they are the best-selling fruit in America and rank fourth worldwide behind rice, corn and wheat. We eat an average of 27 pounds of bananas per person every year. Around the world, more than 100 billion are eaten every year. More than 96 percent of American households buy bananas at least once a month.
Some interesting facts about bananas: They are more than just a potassium-rich snack. They are berries that grow on giant tree-like herb plants, not trees. They are the world’s first cultivated fruit. They come in a wide variety of colors and shades (approximately 1,000) beyond the familiar yellow. A bunch of bananas is called a hand; a single one is known as a finger. They grow upwards defying gravity, which is why they curve.
Some bananas are grown in the U.S., specifically in Hawaii and ...