Bananas offer several health benefits, providing you with essential potassium, vitamin C and vitamin A. They also contain fructose, a simple carbohydrate also called fruit sugar, that occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables as well as in honey.

Like most fruits, bananas contain no fat or cholesterol and provide essential vitamins and minerals. Bananas have a higher calorie and sugar content than many other fruits, however, so consume them in moderation to avoid exceeding your calorie needs.

According to Food Allergy Research & Education, approximately 4 percent of adults in the United States have a food allergy. Although banana allergies are not among the most common types of fruit allergy, they can cause life-threatening symptoms. See your doctor if you suspect you are allergic to bananas.

Bananas come from tropical and sub-tropical areas. According to Chaquita, it takes about two weeks for bananas to reach your grocery store once they're picked.

Banana plants are herbaceous perennials. They are mostly foliage, with stems made of rolled leaf layers. The plant leaves, which are up to 9 feet long and 2 feet wide, unfurl from these stalks. Banana plants are a common fruit crop. In some areas, gardeners grow them for ornamental reasons.

Bananas are one of the most popular fruits in the United States, with more than 6.4 billion pounds consumed each year, according to Pacific Lutheran University. If you enjoy eating bananas, but are looking for some variety, consider trying red bananas.

For people with arthritis, consuming a banana a day will not necessarily keep the doctor away, but it just might help minimize some of the severe symptoms of this potentially debilitating disease.

Whether as a snack on its own or in a peanut butter sandwich, fruit salad or bread, bananas are a staple in the American diet. Even most young children know in order to eat the banana, you first have to peel it. Then, most people toss the banana peel in the trash or compost bin.

Men need two to four servings of fruit each day, depending on their ages and activity levels, to meet the guidelines suggested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. While most fruits provide health benefits, bananas can offer men some specific benefits.

Bananas have been a highly cultivated fruit for thousands of years. Many species of primate consume the entire banana, peel and all, which may have led indigenous peoples to follow suit. Although not common practice in the West, peoples of Asian countries eat banana peels, but they are usually cooked in some capacity.

The sweet taste of bananas makes them a go-to choice of fruit. But instead of merely peeling and eating one raw, cook some up for a warm and caramelized treat. Start with a ripe yet firm banana to ensure that the fruit holds up to the heat of cooking.

With their sweet taste, distinctive smell and bright yellow color, bananas boast a wide variety of uses from food source to medicinal purposes.