Although bananas grow in Africa, for many people they are a completely familiar and ordinary product. It is used to prepare desserts and salads. This ingredient is also included in cakes, pastries and sweets. At the same time, not everyone knows the answer to the question: is a banana a berry or a fruit? It is important to consider that this product has a number of characteristic features.
Banana: information about the tropical fruit
This is a herbaceous plant that can reach 10 meters in natural conditions.According to this parameter, banana is considered the tallest grass in the world after bamboo. The plant is distinguished by powerful roots that lie 1-1.5 meters deep. Banana grass has difficulty staying in the soil. Therefore, during serious hurricanes, it is easily pulled out by the roots.
A banana tree grows for 15 years. In fact, its life cycle takes 10-12 years and includes growth, flowering and fruiting. Then the entire above-ground part dies. The fruits are picked unripe. It takes them 9-18 months to reach the desired stage of maturity.
A distinctive feature of the plant is the presence of a false stem. Essentially, these are leaves that grow tightly together. Moreover, they are characterized by their enormous size and exceed 2.5 meters in length.
During the flowering period, racemose inflorescences appear on the plant. In this case, the shade of the petals varies - from red or orange to purple. The culture is bisexual. In this case, female flowers are always located at the top, both sexes are in the center, and male flowers are at the bottom.
Each crop ripens up to 300 fruits, which weigh approximately 70 kilograms. They are formed instead of flowers. Fruits may vary in shape. They are short, long, oval. The color of the peel varies from yellow to green. Red berries are also sometimes found. Under the skin there is hard pulp. As the fruit ripens, it softens.
Hybrid varieties do not contain seeds. At the same time, wild varieties contain many seeds that are found in the pulp of the fruit.
Bananas have great health benefits. They not only have high nutritional value, but also replenish vitamins and minerals.The fruits have the greatest effect on the heart muscle and improve brain function. This is due to the potassium content. It is this substance that dominates the composition of the fruit.
The product also contains malic acid. It has a beneficial effect on human digestive functions. In addition, bananas contain fiber and fiber. These components normalize the functioning of the digestive organs. For people who suffer from gastritis, the product helps reduce stress on the stomach and relieve pain. In addition, the product perfectly removes water from the body. Therefore, it can be included in a variety of diets.
Banana classification: vegetable, fruit or berry
If we accurately indicate that this fruit belongs to a specific category, we can say that it is not just a berry, but a multi-seeded berry. The main reason for this classification is the fact that fruits, according to botanists, grow only on trees, and berries - on grass and shrubs. Moreover, the banana itself is not a tree, but a herbaceous crop.
Similarities between banana and vegetables
In fact, a banana can to some extent be classified as a vegetable, since it is an edible fruit of a herbaceous crop. It is noteworthy that in Ancient Rus' all edible plant fragments were designated by the word “vegetable”. From the Old Russian language it is translated as “fruit”. This concept meant onions, watermelons, and beets. In a word, it was used for all edible things that grow in the ground, on trees or on grass.
The concept of “fruit” as such did not exist at that time. It was only from the mid-eighteenth century that a clear division began to be applied. So why isn't a banana called a vegetable? This is due to the sweet taste of the fruit. This feature is not typical for vegetables.
Is a banana a berry: arguments and facts
Berries are usually called fleshy or juicy fruits that grow on bushes or herbaceous crops. In modern botany, this term is used to refer to fruits that are covered with a thin skin, have juicy pulp and a center with seeds. They do not require cutting or biting. This means that such foods can be eaten whole.
The culture in question almost completely corresponds to this description. The fruits have thin skin, juicy pulp and seeds. In addition, they grow on herbaceous crops. The only difference is that the fruit must be bitten off. Therefore, it would be more correct to call it a false berry.
Banana is a common plant whose fruits have become very popular all over the world. This crop is often consumed fresh or used to prepare desserts and other dishes. At the same time, many people are interested in the features of plant classification. Most often its fruits are called berries. However, botanists claim that it is more correct to use the term “false berry.”
