12 January 2017. Because these types of fruit consist of so many drupes, they're called aggregate fruit, Jernstedt said. Your Dish Is Their Command. Physicists could do the 'impossible': Create and destroy magnetic fields from afar, Banned in 160 Nations, Why is Ractopamine in U.S. Pork? Join Yahoo Answers and get 100 points today. A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus Musa . For instance, some fruits develop from flowers containing one ovary while others develop from flowers containing several (1). On the other hand, bananas and other fruit that fall under the berry classification rarely contain the word “berry” in their name and aren’t typically thought of as berries. 74 answers. Though similar, plantains and bananas share key differences in flavor and usage. You will receive a verification email shortly. The confusion started when people began calling certain fruits “berries” thousands of years before botanists came up with a precise classification of the different types of fruit. Do bananas make you fat, or are they actually weight loss friendly foods? Here’s what a berry is: In botany, a berry is a fleshy fruit without a stone (pit) produced from a single flower containing one ovary. Bananas are extremely healthy and nutritious. Berries are a subcategory of fruits, the sweet, fleshy, seed-holding structures of a flowering plant. On the other hand, fleshy fruits are the types we’re accustomed to — common fruits, such as apples, cherries and bananas. Laura Geggel - Associate Editor The Trouble With Tomatoes. But the banana is a berry, scientifically speaking, as are eggplants, grapes and oranges. Bananas develop from a flower with a single ovary and have a soft skin, fleshy middle and small seeds. They are highly portable and easy to consume, making them a perfect on-the-go snack. Moreover, bananas contain several seeds which many people don’t notice as they’re small. Rather, cherries, like other fleshy fruit with thin skin and a central stone that contains a seed, are called drupes, she said. Berries are typically identified as having seeds as well as a layer that is fleshy inside. Most people can easily tell fruits and vegetables apart. Chocolate For Good. All rights reserved. "Each one of those little subunits comes from an individual ovary. And those subunits are actually [called] drupes.". Bananas aren’t the only surprising fruit to fall under the berry subcategory. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguishing them from dessert bananas . 15 Foods That Pack More Potassium Than a Banana. The fruits grow in clusters hanging from the top of the plant. Therefore, they fulfill the requirements of botanical berries. This article…, When it comes to potassium, bananas are often the first thing that comes to mind, but plenty other foods are rich in this mineral. New research indicates that food rich in potassium can reduce the chances of vascular calcification and aortic stiffness. Join. 1 fruit choice in the United States. Despite its name, the strawberry isn't a true berry. What they are, what they look like, along with in-depth information on nutrition and health benefits. The word fruit is used to describe the sweet, fleshy, seed-holding structures of a flowering plant. True or false: you have lived a very short life? Bananas fulfill all of these requirements. Fruits are the reproductive organs of a flowering plant. At Home On the Range. Despite what many people think, this fruit does not actually grow on a tree. Please refresh the page and try again. Visit our corporate site. That is why they’re often found in clusters and categorized as aggregate fruit (3). Still have questions? Related: What's the difference between a fruit and a vegetable? For instance, to be considered a berry, a fruit must develop from one single ovary and generally have a soft exocarp and fleshy mesocarp. Bananas are a tasty and convenient source of some important nutrients. Fruits were named thousands of years before botanists came up with an official classification. Now That's Interesting Apple pie may be the all-American dessert , but bananas appear to be the No. Share Tweet. Thus, a cherry, which has just one seed, doesn't make the berry cut, Jernstedt said. Why are berries so very hard to define? Fine Grained. Like other berries, bananas are composed of three fleshy layers: the outer skin, the mushy middle and the innermost part with the seeds. Bananas do contain carbs that can raise blood sugar, but they also have fiber and beneficial nutrients. However, the distinction between different types of fruit is less clear — and you may particularly wonder how a banana should be classified. By A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Thank you for signing up to Live Science. Get your answers by asking now. So in conclusion, bananas are berries, strawberries and raspberries are not, and you will never again know peace in the produce section. Some plants, such as the blueberry, have flowers with just one ovary. (The number of sections is related to the number of carpels, Jernstedt said. It turns out that blackberries, mulberries, and raspberries are not berries at all, but bananas, pumpkins, avocados and cucumbers are. That’s also why the word “fruit” is used to qualify most fruits, including bananas — instead of the name of the subcategory under which they fall. As surprising as this may sound, botanically speaking, bananas are considered berries. They can be divided into several subcategories, one of which is berries. For instance, a grape's outer skin is the exocarp, its fleshy middle is the mesocarp and the jelly-like insides holding the seeds constitute the endocarp, Jernstedt told Live Science. Plantains vs. Bananas: What's the Difference? What's something that has no lips? As such, they meet all botanical requirements of a berry and can be considered both a fruit and berry. The endocarp must also be soft and may enclose one or more seeds (2). Here are 15 foods…. Oranges are a subtype of berry called hesperidium, said Courtney Weber, a berry breeder at Cornell University in New York. Bananas are nutritious, but also high in sugar and carbs. Yes, bananas have seeds. Trending Questions. There was a problem. Tomatoes, grapes, kiwis, avocados, peppers, eggplants and guavas are some other fruits that fulfill the requirements to be considered botanical berries. Posted on February 22, 2019. Bananas are berries, but strawberries aren’t? (Their seeds are so tiny it's easy to forget they're there.) Watermelons, tomatoes, eggplants, and kiwis, and yes, bananas? Almost all mod… Here are 11 proven ways that bananas can benefit your health. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguishing them from dessert bananas. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. NY 10036. The fruit is variable in size, color, and firmness, but is usually elongated and curved, with soft flesh rich in starchcovered with a rind, which may be green, yellow, red, purple, or brown when ripe. Many are surprised to learn that bananas are classified as berries. Some people say that bananas cause constipation, while others claim that they help relieve it. A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus Musa. No. Proud Greenhorns. They develop from a flower containing one single ovary, have a soft skin and a fleshy middle. But the banana is a berry, scientifically speaking, as are eggplants, grapes and oranges. Bananas are not berries. So what makes a berry? "And the scientists feel that way too. How Bananas Affect Diabetes and Blood Sugar Levels, Want to Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease? Bananas are among the world’s most popular fruit.. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. A strawberry is also an aggregate fruit, but instead of having multiple drupes, it has multiple achenes, the little yellow ovals on the fruit's surface, which each contain a seed. Other plants, such as the strawberry and the raspberry, have flowers with more than one ovary. Receive mail from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors? Here are other unexpected fruits that are considered berries — botanically speaking (2): Just like bananas, all of the fruits above develop from flowers containing one ovary, have a fleshy middle and contain one or more seeds. New York, Common examples are strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, red currants, white currants and blackcurrants. Of course bananas are fruits but did you know they are technically berries? Moreover, to be a berry, fruits must develop from one flower that has one ovary, Jernstedt said. Neither is the raspberry or the blackberry. A fruit is the reproductive organ of such plants, and its main function is to distribute seeds to new areas where the plant may grow. "Flowering plants have devised a number of ways to produce seed and to get that seed distributed," Webber told Live Science. They meet all of the requirements to officially be a berry. In addition, to be a berry, a fruit must have two or more seeds. Tomatoes fall into this group, as do pomegranates, kiwis and—believe it or not—bananas. In other words, it can be difficult to classify nature's many fruits, which evolve without a thought about how scientists will view them. So what's the deal? "Raspberries have those little subunits," Jernstedt said. A Kinder, Gentler Artichoke. This article tells you whether a banana is a fruit or a berry. Raspberries are also not considered high sugar fruits. Each drupe contains a seed; that's why wild raspberries and blackberries are so crunchy, according to Jernstedt. Yet, like bananas, they’re seldom thought of as such. Shelf Life. Second, berries have to develop from a flower with a single ovary (via Live Science). The same layered structure appears in other berries, including the banana and watermelon, although their exocarps are a bit tougher, taking the form of a peel and a rind, respectively. This is a main reason why bananas don’t contain the word “berry” in their name and aren’t thought of as such. Therefore, all berries are fruit but not all fruits are berries. (Op-Ed), Whodunit solved when 'sword' is found embedded in thresher shark, Wide-eyed prehistoric shark hid its sharpest teeth in nightmare jaws. Often found in clusters hanging from the top of the requirements of botanical berries what people! For cooking may be the all-American dessert, but bananas appear to be the No 4 ) they meet botanical. Fruits that can be further subdivided into simple fruits, the distinction different... Berries as small fruits that are also high in sugar and carbs our newsletter today with an classification. Rich in potassium can reduce the chances of vascular calcification and aortic stiffness sections related! Are a tasty and convenient source of some important nutrients them a perfect on-the-go snack and. ’ ve spent my entire life thinking I knew what a berry,... 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