Dan Koeppel, author of Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World, traces the banana back to the Garden of Eden, where he believes it was the banana, not the apple, that was the "forbidden fruit" that Eve offered Adam.
Today, bananas are grown in at least 107 countries and are ranked fourth among the world's food crops in monetary value. Americans consume more bananas than apples and oranges combined.
The possible health benefits of consuming bananas include lowering the risks of cancer and asthma, lowering blood pressure, improving heart health and promoting regularity.
This MNT Knowledge Center feature is part of a collection of articles on the health benefits of popular foods, which can be found here.