That Nub On The End Of A Banana Isn't What You Think It Is

Whether you love them or hate them, everyone likely agrees that the little brown nub on the tip of peeled bananas is, well, pretty gross. I assumed that this little nub of terror was the seed of the banana but it turns out I know less about this fruit than I thought I did.

First of all, did you know that bananas are berries? Not only that but strawberries aren’t?! Secondly, if you like a little pre-bed banana, it’s likely the cause of sleep issues you may be struggling with.

Finally, yeah, the nub. It’s not the seed. In fact, every time you eat a banana, you eat its seeds, too. That’s because the seeds are actually inside of the banana. Wild, right? Not quite ‘bananas are berries’ wild, but wild.

So, what is the brown spot at the tip of a banana?

If you are a little disgusted by the brown spot, this might help. It’s actually, get this, the flower from which your banana grew.

In case you weren’t aware, bananas grow in bunches on trees and this little stubby bit is the ‘top’ of the fruit. However, if you adopt the ‘monkey method’ of eating bananas, which is to say, peel them with the stalk facing downwards, you can skip the floral remains of the banana entirely.

However, as humans tend to peel them stalk-first, we get this icky brown part as a little surprise. Lucky us.

Health benefits of bananas

If you’re ready to tuck into a bananas, you’ll be doing your body and brain a favour. According to BBC Good Food, some of the health benefits of bananas include:

• Bananas can support gut health. Thanks to a high content of pectin, a soluble fibre which not only helps lower cholesterol but normalises bowel function, bananas can have a soothing effect on the gut
• Bananas may support heart health. Thanks to being loaded with potassium, bananas can regulate heart function and fluid balance which is a key factor in managing blood pressure
• Unripened bananas neutralise stomach acid a plant compound they contain, leucocyanidin, appears to promote the thickness of the mucous membrane of the stomach. This means that as long as they are unripened, bananas can be a useful tool in tackling heartburn
• Bananas supply an instant but sustained boost of energy making them an ideal snack for just before exercise
• Bananas contain tryptophan, an amino acid which the body converts to the feel-good brain chemical serotonin, meaning that they could just boost your mood a little!