Truth About Bananas Revealed; What You Didn't Know About This 'Fruit'

Think bananas are just fruits? Think again! Botanically speaking, bananas are true berries, unlike strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries.

We’ve all enjoyed a banana at some point, considering it just another fruit. But did you know it’s actually a berry? In contrast, strawberries, raspberries, and even blackberries aren’t true berries. According to Professor Judy Jernsted from the University of California, bananas fall under the berry category, while common fruits we associate as berries do not. This scientific classification dates back thousands of years, based on botanical definitions rather than the size or common perception of the fruit.

What’s The Difference Between Fruit And Berry?

Typically, the term 'fruit' refers to the sweet, seed-bearing structures that develop from the flowering part of plants. These fruits serve the vital function of spreading seeds to grow new plants. They are generally categorized into two types: fleshy fruits like apples, mangoes, and bananas, and dry fruits like nuts, legumes, and coconuts.

Why Is Banana Classified As Berry?

Bananas are classified as berries because of how they develop. A berry, botanically speaking, must originate from a single ovary in a flower, and its seeds must be enclosed within three key structures:

Exocarp: The outer skin of the fruit.
Mesocarp: The fleshy middle layer.
Endocarp: The innermost layer that surrounds the seeds.

Bananas meet all these criteria. They develop from a single ovary, have soft skin, fleshy interiors, and house seeds, albeit small and often overlooked.

Are Strawberries Really Berries?

Interestingly, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries don’t meet these berry requirements. This revelation turns the usual understanding of these fruits upside down, making bananas the true botanical berry.