Demystifying the banana

Did you know that in the United States, the banana (the Cavendish variety, actually) is the number one consumed fruit? (For the rest of the world, the mango is number one.)

That probably explains why every single supermarket in America has a big display of bananas in their produce department. Most stores do not display the bananas near the front of the department – they put them in the middle or back — to make sure that you walk through the department and buy other things before you get to the bananas. (Trader Joe’s seems to be the exception, however, because they put their bananas in the front.)

I’m sure you can read anywhere about the nutritional information on bananas. High in potassium. Good source of fiber. All those basic facts.

But I doubt you can find out the correct way to peel a banana. Well, you are about to find out.

About 20 years ago, our production manager in the warehouse (Jorge Araujo) saw me eating a banana at my office. I was struggling with breaking the skin and ended up bruising the end of the banana. I didn’t have a knife to cut off the end.

Jorge told me that he used to manage banana plantations for a big grower in Central America and the natives told him the proper way to peel a banana.

Here is how most people peel a banana. They start at the wrong end:

Wrong way

Here is the correct way to peel a banana – starting at the opposite end:

Right way!

So, now you know! Enjoy those bananas!

Thanks, Aldo!

Karen