10 facts about the much-loved banana

Here are some interesting facts about the banana that you may not have known

Canadian Cycling Magazine July 3, 2016

We know how much you rely on bananas whether it’s before, after or during a ride. You love them and so do we. Here are some interesting facts about the banana that you may not have known.

1) Largest banana bunch = 473 bananas.

Bananas grow in huge bunches that branch off from the stem. Sometimes these bunches can be up to 100 pounds. In fact, the largest documented bunch of bananas was grown on the Canary Islands in Spain in 2001. It consisted of 473 bananas.

2) To increase shelf life, separate them.

Bananas produce a gas called ethylene which aids in the ripening of fruit. The more the fruit produces, the more it breaks down cell walls and continues the ripening effect. However once the fruit is already ripe, too much ethylene can cause it to go bad. Bananas in particular seem to have such a short shelf life once ripe. To increase their life, separate them rather than keeping them in a bunch in the fruit bowl where they are exposed to more ethylene. Keep the bananas separate and away from other ethylene producers like avocados and apples.

3) They played a major part in the world’s largest smoothie.

Most cyclists appreciate a good smoothie, especially if it after a good workout. The largest smoothie ever was made in June 2014 in Sydney, Australia. It was 2,300 litres and contained 3,000 bananas according to the Guiness Book of World Records.

4) They are high in more than just potassium.

Magnesium is a key ingredient that a banana has high levels of. It has 61 mg of magnesium and is also a great source of your omegas. Bananas have 160 mg of Omega 3 and 6 combined. One banana also has 15 per cent of the vitamin C you need per day. Of course, potassium is still the most prominent. Bananas have 806 mg of it.

5) Bananas are actually 75 per cent water.

This seems especially unusual considering their texture and firmness.

6) We export millions of tonnes every year.

According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN, global exports of the runner’s favourite fruit reached a high in 2012. Over 16.5 million tonnes of bananas were exported that year.

7) Ecuador is the prime exporter of bananas.

Following Ecuador is Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Colombia. According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN, South America provides 44 per cent of the bananas with Central America exporting 33 per cent.

8) Canadians love bananas.

In 2012, we imported 527 thousand tonnes of the fruit into our country. We wish we knew how many tonnes were used to fuel cyclists.

9) Blended, they make a great ice cream substitute!

Check out some banana ice cream recipes here.

10) Nearly all commercial banana plants (the Cavendish) are clones of one another

There may be 1000 different types of banana plants in the world today but most of the ones we eat all originate from a single plant in South East Asia. This makes them susceptible to being completely wiped out as the former banana of choice, Gros Michel, was in the early to mid 20th century.