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 For many decades, a sweet fruit in a yellow skin has been decorating our table all year round; this is undoubtedly a banana. From the cradle to old age, he accompanies us through life. Sick patients and top athletes alike, we all enjoy this highly nutritious and healthy fruit alike. Everyone has eaten a banana as a quick, small and light snack between meals at least once. But what else do we know about banana? Meanwhile, the question of why bananas are crooked is one of the unsolvable mysteries of our planet.
Banana: Paradise Fruit
An old legend dating back to about the 5-6th century BC reports that Adam and Eve were tempted not by an apple, but by a banana. Inspired by this story, Karl Linnaeus gave the banana in the 18th century the Latin name Musa paradisiaca, which means "Paradise Muse". Nevertheless, “Musa sapientum”, “the muse of wisdom”, gets into modern food baskets.
Banana and its origins
Bananas originally come from Asia. Their travels around the world began in the sixth century. He conquered first Africa, then Egypt. From here, plants through East Africa came to Central and South America. And in the tropical climate of the Caribbean, the fruit quickly found its home. However, it became an export object only after the invention of cooling systems. So-called "reefer ships" brought this exotic delicacy to our shores after about 1900.
Why are bananas crooked?
A warm, damp climate is an important prerequisite for building a plantation. Banana needs nutrient-rich soil to grow. What grows from it looks like a tree, but it is a bush that grows from three to nine meters in height. The banana bush grows from leaves that grow like a head of cabbage. After seven months, bright red flowers appear on the plant, hanging down. Only female inflorescences contain fruits inside that look like fingers (translated from Arabic banana - finger), which then, like flowers, grow down. But since they still turn towards the sun, the bananas bend slightly as they grow towards the light sources.
It takes a full year before the banana ripens and can be picked. The whole plant is cut down. But there is no need to worry about the future harvest - young shoots are already emerging from the rhizome. One plantation can bear fruit for about twenty years. After that, the soil is thoroughly treated with fertilizers, and new plants can be safely planted on it.
When to buy and how to store
As we said, a banana can be easily purchased all year round. It is harvested immature and green and packaged in boxes. Before the trip, they are treated with a special solution against fungi and "hares" (small insects). Arriving in our area, the fruits ripen for some time. It is optimal to buy them when the stem and tip of the banana are still slightly green.
These still not quite ripe fruits ripen quickly at room temperature. They are now susceptible to any pressure. As soon as the first "freckles" appear, bananas should be eaten immediately. IN refrigerator bananas have nothing to do, they are too cold there, the storage temperature should not drop below 12 ° C. But ripening can still take longer in a cool place. If green bananas take a long time to ripen, you can put another exotic fruit, such as an apple, next to it. You can achieve the same effect by wrapping a banana in newsprint.
Do not eat the tip of the banana fruit, which is usually on the top. There may still be residues of chemicals and sprouts. You should also avoid buying bananas with matte gray peels.
Mironova E.A.
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