The fruit you pick up most easily, with breakfast, in a school or office bag or beside the playing field, is in fact the most eaten fruit on the planet. Surprising as it may be, bananas are eaten more than 100 billion times a year.

The banana is not just a fruit: after wheat, rice and maize, it is now considered the world's fourth most important food crop. Availability, taste, natural packaging and nutrition together make it a fruit that is both a livelihood for poor farmers and a pillar of global food security.

How did this one fruit reach such a strong position worldwide, and why did it become the most popular fruit on earth?

The sweet banana we eat today was once a wild plant of dense tropical forests, its fruit full of hard seeds. Researchers say the banana originated in South-East Asia, particularly in what are now Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, where it grew wild thousands of years ago.

Its journey did not stay in Asia. Arab traders and explorers later took the banana plant to Africa, and in the 16th century European explorers carried it across the Atlantic to the Americas. Because the warm climate of Central and South America suits banana growing so well, the region quickly became the centre of world banana production, opening a new era in global agriculture.

More than 1,000 banana varieties are grown around the world today. The most important is the Cavendish, which accounts for about 47 per cent of world banana production and about 99 per cent of the international export market.

People around the world eat more than 100 billion bananas a year, making it the most traded fruit on earth. There are three main reasons: convenience, versatility and a strong supply system.

In today's fast-moving world people want food that is easy to eat, and few fruits are as convenient as the banana. Its thick skin protects the fruit from bacteria, dust and other harmful matter, and its colour shows ripeness: green when unripe, then yellow, with brown spots appearing as it ripens further. It needs no knife and no washing, so it can be eaten anywhere.

Few fruits are as versatile. Ripe bananas are naturally sweet and eaten as dessert, and they are widely used in smoothies, cakes, banana bread and ice cream. In many countries of Africa and South America, a special kind known as the plantain is a staple starchy food, boiled, fried or mashed much like potatoes. This versatility has made the banana a staple food in many countries, well beyond an ordinary fruit.

Summer or winter, bananas are almost always in the supermarket, thanks to the plant's ability to fruit year-round in the equatorial zone and a highly developed cold-chain transport system. Bananas are usually harvested green and shipped at 13 to 14 degrees Celsius so they do not ripen too fast; on arrival in the destination country they are ripened with ethylene gas. This organised trade lets billions of people eat fresh bananas cheaply all year.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), bananas contain significant amounts of nutrients. These play an important role in energy production, brain and muscle function, digestion, blood pressure control, immunity and the nervous system.

Many athletes are seen eating bananas during breaks in play, and the reason is scientific. The carbohydrate in bananas provides quick energy, and their B vitamins help the body use that energy, helping players sustain performance. For longer-lasting energy, experts advise eating bananas with protein or healthy fats, so that sugar enters the blood slowly and the risk of a sudden energy drop is reduced.

Bananas contain soluble fibre and, especially in green bananas, resistant starch. These slow the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, helping keep blood sugar relatively stable and giving a feeling of fullness for longer.

Although bananas are relatively high in carbohydrates, in healthy people they generally do not cause a sudden sharp rise in blood glucose. Green bananas have a glycaemic index of about 47, considered low, while ripe bananas are about 57, which is medium, though their glycaemic load is relatively low. For people with diabetes, experts advise eating one banana at a time so blood sugar does not rise too much.

Fibre has long been recognised as very important for the digestive system. The resistant starch in green bananas acts as a prebiotic: it reaches the large intestine undigested and feeds beneficial bacteria. Bananas also contain pectin, a special type of fibre found in both ripe and green bananas, which can aid regular bowel movements and reduce the risk of constipation.

Some early laboratory studies suggest pectin may have a protective role against colon cancer, but more human research is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn.

No study has yet directly examined the specific effect of bananas on weight loss, but several of their properties make them worth considering as a food that helps weight control. A medium banana usually has a little over 100 calories along with necessary nutrients and a sense of satisfaction. Its fibre and resistant starch can keep you full for longer, which may reduce the tendency to overeat. Those who want to add green bananas to their diet can cook them in various ways, as with plantain.

Potassium is a mineral that plays an important role in normal heart function and blood pressure control, yet many people worldwide do not get enough of it in their daily diet. Bananas are a good source: a medium banana can supply about 10 per cent of daily potassium needs.

Various studies have linked potassium-rich diets with a lower risk of high blood pressure. A 2021 study found that people who consume more than 3,000 mg of potassium a day may have about a 25 per cent lower risk of heart disease.

Bananas also supply about 8 per cent of daily magnesium needs. Magnesium is also important for heart health; too little of it can raise the risk of high blood pressure, raised blood fats and heart disease.

Fruit and vegetables are known as good sources of antioxidants, and bananas are no exception. They contain several powerful antioxidants, including flavonoids and amines, which studies have linked to a lower risk of heart disease and age-related macular degeneration. Antioxidants help protect the body from oxidative stress caused by free radicals; without enough of them, free radicals can build up over time and damage cells.

Insulin resistance, the body's reduced response to insulin, is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases. Some studies show resistant starch may help improve insulin sensitivity, so the body responds to insulin more effectively. But more research is needed to know exactly how effectively the resistant starch in green bananas does this.

Potassium plays an important role in normal kidney function and blood pressure control, so bananas, as a good source, may help protect kidney health. A 2019 study analysing data from more than 5,000 people with early-stage chronic kidney disease found higher potassium intake was associated with lower blood pressure and slower progression of kidney disease.

However, for people with advanced kidney disease or on dialysis, too much potassium can be dangerous, so they should consult a doctor before increasing potassium in their diet.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.