The first known species of banana is the plaintain. or cooking
banana.
The plantain has a salmon-colored and gummy texture, and a
slightly acid taste. This fruit has been a substitute for bread or
potatoes in many countries, and is slowly being introduced to the United
States.
Bananas are usually harvested green, shipped green, and ripened by
wholesale fruit jobbers in air-conditioned ripening rooms.
The Gros
Michel variety is the most popular of the many varieties.
It produces
the largest and most compact bunch, which makes it easier to ship. The
thick skin of the banana protects the soft fruit.
Other popular varieties of banana are the Claret, or red banana,
which has
a gummy flesh;
the Lady Finger, which is the smallest variety,
but has a delicate, sweet flavor;
and the Apple, which has an acid
flavor and tastes somewhat like a mellow apple.
In the tropics, bananas are often cooked and served with beans, rice,
or tortillas. In the Latin American countries, the ripe banana is
sometimes dried in the sun in much the same manner as figs and raisins.
They arc often sliced when ripe and left in the sun until they are
covered with a coating of white, sugary powder that arises from their
own juices.
The banana has no particular growing season. A ripe banana is firm,
with a plump texture, strong peel, and no trace of green on the skin. A
skin that is flecked with brown means the fruit is good.
Fully ripe bananas are composed of 76 percent water, 20 percent sugar, and 12 percent starch.
THERAPEUTIC VALUE
The sugars in the banana are readily assimilated, and they contain
many vitamins and minerals, and a great deal of fiber. They are
excellent for young children and infants and are good in reducing diets
because they satisfy the appetite and are low in fat.
Because they are so soft, they are good for persons who have
intestinal disturbances, and for convalescents. Bananas feed the natural
acidophilus bacteria of the bowel, and their high potassium content
benefits the muscular system.
NUTRIENTS IN ONE POUND (edible portion)
Calories: 299
Protein: 3.6 g
Fat: 0.6 g
Carbohydrates: 69.9 g
Calcium: 24 mg
Phosphorus: 85 mg
Iron: 1.8 mg
Vitamin A: 1,300 I.U.
Thiamine: 0.27 mg
Riboflavin: 0.19 mg
Niacin: 1.7 mg
Ascorbic acid: 29 mg
So Fruit Up and Set Yourself Free
Erskien Lenier
http://www.Solavei.com/LandSurfer:-) 
