Banana Lover's Day

On the heels of National Banana Split Day, August 27 is Banana Lover’s Day! Native to Malaysia, people have been enjoying bananas for centuries. Globally, more than 100 billion bananas are consumed each year. Americans eat more bananas than any other fruit – consuming close to 30 pounds of bananas annually. Did you know bananas do not grow on trees? They are actually the world’s largest perennial herb and can grow up to 25 feet tall. A cluster of bananas is called a “hand” consisting of 10 to 20 bananas, or “fingers."

High in fiber and potassium, bananas not only taste good, but are good for you. Bananas contain 15 percent of your daily recommended requirement of Vitamin C and are high in B6 and manganese too. At about 100 calories each, bananas have no fat and no cholesterol. Besides helping prevent bone loss and alleviating high blood pressure, bananas also help with heartburn, morning sickness, ulcers, menstrual cramps and anemia. They have also been shown to help protect against kidney cancer.