A banana is a long yellow fruit that comes in bunches of three to twenty in the market. It looks like a triangular cucumber but also is oblong and yellow. Depending on the variety, it has a sweeter or less sweet flavor. The Cavendish banana is the one most of us eat today, which replaced the sweeter Gros Michel species when a fungal outbreak wiped it out. Though we said that bananas are a fruit, is it true or not? Else is a banana a fruit or a vegetable? Let’s resolve this confusion.
Before we are going to talk about the main topic, we need to get a clear idea of the difference between a fruit and a vegetable.
Difference between a fruit and a vegetable
The developed ovary of a seed plant, along with its contents and accessory parts is referred to as a fruit. It’s the edible section of a flowering plant, including any accessory tissues. A fruit is the frequently sweet and fleshy part of a plant that surrounds the seeds. Although some fruits, such as berries, bear the seed on the outside of the fruit.
Vegetables include all other edible plant parts. A vegetable is a herbaceous plant grown for its edible parts, such as the root of the beet, spinach leaf, broccoli flower buds, or cauliflower flower buds. Herbaceous refers to a plant having a stem that has little or no woody tissue and only grows for one season.
As an example, we can take tomatoes. According to the above definitions, the tomato is classified as a fruit in the strict meaning of the term. The tomato isn’t a part of the plant, and it doesn’t have any woody parts. It produces a seed that develops into an edible body. A tomato is clearly a fruit based on those descriptions, however, it can be treated as both a fruit and a vegetable in the culinary world.
Also, there are some fruits that you may think of as vegetables. Some examples are peppers, pumpkin, eggplant, and cucumber. According to the definition, these are fruits. Carrot, cabbage, lettuce, and spinach are examples of vegetables.
Now I think you may have an idea about a banana. But let’s discuss it further and clarify your idea.
Is a banana a fruit or a vegetable?
When we observe tasty plant components, we usually assume they are fruits. This comprises all of the fruits we are familiar with such as apples, pears, and other berries. However, things are a little different when it comes to bananas.
When considering bananas, they are classed as herbaceous plants (or herbs) rather than a vegetable or fruit. So, it is technically an herb.
Due to the lack of real woody structure in the stem, the banana plant is also not a tree. Bananas can so be referred to as fruits rather than vegetables.
So, bananas are fruits too. Bananas begin their lives inside the banana heart, where their petals gradually open up to show blooms. Banana hands form as a result of this. Bananas are fruits by definition, as they grow from an ovary on a flower. If that’s the case, where are the seeds?
Bananas have always had seeds, but the ones we eat don’t appear to have any. The little specks in the banana may have escaped your notice, but they are seeds. But they weren’t always this small. We are just eating seedless bananas since they are sterile clones. We purposefully designed the seeds to be useless for plant propagation.
Then, finally, we can say that bananas are fruits according to the botanical definition of fruits. However, the botanical definition of a herb also includes bananas. So, bananas are both a herb and a fruit as a result of this.
Why are bananas not vegetables?
Is a banana a fruit or a vegetable? Now you have a better understanding of this confusion. Then, why are bananas not vegetables?
Because bananas lack seeds, many people contend that they are vegetables. Bananas that are grown commercially nowadays are sterile, which means their seeds are much smaller.
Those small brown or black dots are actually immature banana seeds, which you may not detect. So, they have seeds and they are not vegetables.
Are bananas classified as berries?
Yes. Bananas are classified as berries.
Now you know that bananas can be considered as fruits. When considering fruits, they are divided into two categories: fleshy fruits and dry fruits. Berries, aggregation fruits (blackberries and strawberries), and multiple fruits (pineapples and mulberries) are fleshy fruits. Legumes, cereal grains, capsulate fruits, and nuts are dry fruits. So, berries are a subcategory of fruits.
There are three layers of berry. The exocarp (outside skin), mesocarp (middle flesh), and endocarp (the innermost part that holds the seeds) are the three layers of flesh.
Berries must have two or more seeds. Also, their fruit must develop from a flower with one ovary.
Bananas fulfill all these things and it is considered a berry.
When considering all the above factors, it is also important to consider the benefits of bananas for a healthy life under the topic of “Is a banana a fruit or a vegetable?”
Good reasons to eat bananas
Bananas give energy
Bananas have three natural sugars. Those are sucrose, fructose, and glucose, which provide fat-free and cholesterol-free energy. According to this, bananas are perfect for breakfast and a lunchtime snack. Also, it is good before and after sports. These times are especially for children and athletes.
Can aid digestion
A medium banana provides about 10% to 12% of your daily fiber requirements. Both soluble and insoluble fibers are important for your health. Soluble fiber aids in the regulation of blood sugar levels and gets rid of fatty compounds such as cholesterol. Insoluble fiber gives stools more weight and softness. Then making it simpler to maintain regular bowel motions. This keeps the gut healthy and free of harmful bacteria.
One of the best fruit sources of vitamin B6
Bananas include vitamin B6, which is easily absorbed by the body, and a medium-sized banana can supply about a quarter of your daily vitamin B6 requirements. Vitamin B6 helps to produce red blood cells, metabolize carbohydrate, fats, and amino acids, and maintain a healthy nervous system.
Respectable source of vitamin C
Although you may not identify bananas with vitamin C, a medium-sized banana contains roughly 10% of your daily vitamin C requirements. Vitamin C helps to protect the body against cell and tissue damage, absorb iron better, and produce collagen.
Magnesium good for the skin
One medium banana offers about 13% of your daily manganese requirements. Manganese aids in the production of collagen. This helps to protect the skin and other cells from free radical damage.
Potassium is good for heart health
A medium banana has roughly 320-400 mg of potassium, which is about 10% of your daily potassium needs. Potassium aids in the maintenance of a healthy heart and blood pressure in the body. Bananas also have a low salt content. The combination of low sodium and high potassium helps to regulate blood pressure.
Conclusion
Is a banana a fruit or a vegetable? Now I hope you have a clear idea about your confusion. Bananas are both a herb and a fruit. Also, there are more other facts about bananas with the benefits and these things are very important for you. Not only bananas but also there are many fruits all around the world. There are also various confusions with various types of fruits. So, stay with us to find those factors and consider following us on Facebook and Instagram.
