Gastropod Going Bananas: How a Tropical Treat Became the World's Favorite Fruit
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May 13, 2025 Mauricio Diaz Granados, Chief Science Officer at the New York Botanical Garden, shares the fascinating journey of bananas from tropical origins to global staples. He discusses their surprising classification as berries and the impact of innovations in transportation that made them beloved in America. The conversation touches on the cultural significance of Chiquita Banana and the darker realities of the banana trade, including labor struggles and corporate power in Central America, revealing a complex legacy behind this beloved fruit.
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Bananas Are Berries, Not Trees
- Bananas are berries and the plant is a giant herb, not a tree as commonly thought.
- The typical supermarket banana is a domesticated variety evolved from wild bananas with hard seeds and tiny fruit.
Banana Domestication Roots
- Early domestication of bananas might have focused on the edible corm, not just the fruit.
- People propagated seedless bananas by planting corms, creating genetically identical, edible fruit.
Global Banana Spread and Importance
- Bananas spread globally with human migration, becoming central to many cultures.
- In Africa, bananas have ritual uses, culinary diversity, and remain a key calorie source.