Bananas: whether dressed in pyjamas, fashioning a Banoffee Pie, or simply an 'elevensies' snack, they stand strong as one of the world's most popular foods. On June 5th 1876, bananas were introduced for the first time to the U.S.A. at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition; a date which marks the emergence of this time-honoured plant which today is taken for granted across the States.
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| Banana Bunches by robjwood |
1876 seems awfully recent for the Yanks to be discovering bananas, when you consider how long-established and mundane a fruit they are. Obviously the fruit existed long before America caught on, but with the folks across the pond seemingly dominating Western culture, 1876 was the year that the banana's profile was well and truly boosted. The first ever recorded discovery of the banana is dated back to 327 BC, described by Alexander the Great on his Indian expeditions. Although the earliness of this date makes America seem a little slow to the punch; in actual fact, bananas have made an extremely long journey to arrive in the Land of Opportunity. Originating from Southeast Asia, they slowly migrated to the Middle East and Africa, eventually flourishing in the Canary Islands and the Americas. The amount of land covered here demonstrates the enormous growth and development of this fruit, which explains its universal popularity.
Indeed, a recent survey has calculated that 96% of American households purchase bananas at least once a month, appointing it one of the most favourite fruits in the country. To be sure, the nation has certainly not hung about since 1876. The average American citizen consumes 12 kilos of bananas per year (which is about 70 bananas!), perhaps making up for the last 2,000 odd years of their country's banana-less existence. Luckily for banana-lovers, they are one of the rare foods that is harvested all year round, so there is no need to eat 70 bananas all at once!
Recommended as a staple-food to include in your daily diet, the banana is a plentiful source of Potassium (K), a vital ingredient for a healthy human. Specializing in nerve function, muscle control and monitoring blood pressure, Potassium is an excellent candidate for maintaining bodily happiness. If you're an especially sporty type, bananas are undoubtedly a must for sustaining energy levels and avoiding muscle cramps - but who needs science to persuade them to eat bananas?!
Having said that, it is possible to overdo it. The daily recommended amount of Potassium is 4.7grams per day, with a large banana containing approximately 0.487grams of this mineral. Realistically, eating over 10 bananas in one day is unlikely (unless you're doing some kind of banana-related competition), but an excessive intake of Potassium can lead to poisoning. So the moral of the story is: don't eat too many bananas because you'll get Potassium poisoning, K? (Apologies for the geeky chemistry joke.)
So there you have it, June 5th saw groundbreaking, banana-splitting things for America's favourite fruit. Since 1876 we've become obsessed with the stuff: banana boats, banana bread, Bananarama, banana guards...the list goes on. Therefore I hope that, in honour of America's banana discovery on this day 136 years ago, you will feel urged to eat a banana today!
Indeed, a recent survey has calculated that 96% of American households purchase bananas at least once a month, appointing it one of the most favourite fruits in the country. To be sure, the nation has certainly not hung about since 1876. The average American citizen consumes 12 kilos of bananas per year (which is about 70 bananas!), perhaps making up for the last 2,000 odd years of their country's banana-less existence. Luckily for banana-lovers, they are one of the rare foods that is harvested all year round, so there is no need to eat 70 bananas all at once!
Recommended as a staple-food to include in your daily diet, the banana is a plentiful source of Potassium (K), a vital ingredient for a healthy human. Specializing in nerve function, muscle control and monitoring blood pressure, Potassium is an excellent candidate for maintaining bodily happiness. If you're an especially sporty type, bananas are undoubtedly a must for sustaining energy levels and avoiding muscle cramps - but who needs science to persuade them to eat bananas?!
Having said that, it is possible to overdo it. The daily recommended amount of Potassium is 4.7grams per day, with a large banana containing approximately 0.487grams of this mineral. Realistically, eating over 10 bananas in one day is unlikely (unless you're doing some kind of banana-related competition), but an excessive intake of Potassium can lead to poisoning. So the moral of the story is: don't eat too many bananas because you'll get Potassium poisoning, K? (Apologies for the geeky chemistry joke.)
So there you have it, June 5th saw groundbreaking, banana-splitting things for America's favourite fruit. Since 1876 we've become obsessed with the stuff: banana boats, banana bread, Bananarama, banana guards...the list goes on. Therefore I hope that, in honour of America's banana discovery on this day 136 years ago, you will feel urged to eat a banana today!
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