Funny Holidays - Banana Day

April 10 - Banana Day - is not an official holiday The exact reason for its appearance is also not entirely clear According to the most common version, on April 10, 1963, these exotic fruits first went on sale in London Today banana is quite common and affordable However, there are many interesting facts that will undoubtedly interest lovers of this tasty and healthy delicacy Banana belongs to the category of berries, and the banana plant is nothing more than a grass, the stem of which reaches 10 meters in height (thickness - up to 04 m) Such a giant stem is capable of holding about three hundred greenish or golden fruits with a total weight of up to 05 tons The birthplace of bananas is India In Europe, this fruit was considered a luxury until the 20th century, despite the fact that in southern countries it has been grown as a cultivated plant since the 4th century BC In essence, it is the same age as agriculture Today it is imported from many countries Bananas are picked green and ripen at room temperature The largest exporters of bananas are Brazil and India The Latin name for the exotic fruit is “musa sapientum”, “fruit of the mind” This is quite logical, considering that bananas contain many useful compounds, micro- and macroelements, including those for nourishing the brain The banana harvest is the second largest in the world by weight, second only to oranges Grapes take third place on the podium Bananas are 15 times more nutritious than potatoes The dried product is five times more caloric than the raw product One banana contains 03 g of potassium (10% of the daily dose) This element is necessary for the normal functioning of the heart muscle The pulp of the fruit is rich in carotene, enzymes, organic acids (malic acid occupies the leading position), vitamins C, PP, E, B1, B2 Bananas should be eaten by those who want to improve their mood Vitamin B6 and the amino acid tryptophan promote the production of serotonin, a natural antidepressant The varieties of bananas common in European countries are yellow and green In the Seychelles, rarer varieties are grown - golden, red and black Unfortunately, they do not tolerate transportation due to their too tender flesh Locals use them as a side dish for seafood dishes Wild banana differs from cultivated varieties in the abundance of seeds (03-16 cm), so eating it is not nearly as pleasant Banana varieties vary in color, size and shape of the fruit The smallest fruits are about 3 cm long, the largest ones grow up to half a meter in length In southern countries, banana is not considered something exotic Residents of tropical countries eat not only the fruits, but also the inflorescences and even the roots of these plants Moreover, they believe that they are much healthier and tastier than fruits Moreover, certain varieties of this plant (for example, Enset) are cultivated for their rhizomes with a high starch content Enseta is also known as the "Abyssinian banana" and is cultivated as a houseplant From a scientific point of view, banana is a berry However, in everyday life it is customary to divide the variety of varieties of this plant into fruit and vegetable The former are distinguished by higher sugar content and lower starch content Some varieties have a lemon, strawberry or pineapple flavor Vegetable varieties contain much less sugar They are used fried, stewed or baked, as a side dish for meat or seafood Vegetable bananas are a good feed for livestock Banana leaves are used as plates by some Asian tribes The banana leaf also has other uses: for making durable ropes, bags, decorative items and even wicker furniture They make excellent packaging material and toilet paper