Banana, dried

The banana is the fruit of a giant tropical herb that can grow to a height of 30 feet. After each harvest the “tree” dies and its roots send up another enormous shoot. When unripe, the banana is a very starchy food, and a nutritious, easily digested flour is made from it; this is rarely exported. As the fruit ripens, black specks appear on its surface, indicating that the starch is turning to sugar – from which point the banana is deliciously edible. The less ripe the banana, the more constipating it is; the more ripe, the more laxative it becomes.

            The ripe fruit can be dried to produce a compact energy-giving food that is extremely rich in potassium and magnesium. It is also high in calories; these are not empty calories, however, but are full of nutrients. Dried banana flakes are also available, and these can be sprinkled on cereal or yogurt dishes.