bananaisalargeplantthatgrowsinthetropicalpartsofcentralamerica,southamerica,asia,andafrica,wheretheclimateiswarmanddamptheyearround.itgrows10to40feethighandhasenormous,broadgreenleavesthataresometimes10feetlong.bananaplanthasahollowstemthatis8to15inchesthick.anotherstem,whichgrowsthroughthehollowstem,bearstheflowersandthefruit.theflowerbudisverylargeandshapedlikeaheart.asitgrowsitslowlyunfoldsandshowsabout100smallblossoms,whicharelongandnarrowandgrowtogetherinclustersorgroups.someoftheseclustersgrowintogreatbunchesoffruit.eachbunchiscalleda‘hand’becauseitlooksalmostlikeahandwiththeseparatebananaslikefingers.thefruitiscutofftheplantwhileitisstillgreenandunripe.whenthefruitisripeitssoftskinisyellowandresemblesasmallplantain.thefleshofthefruitissoft,sweet,andaverypalecreamcolor.bananaplantsarecutdownafterthefruithasbeenremoved,becausetheybearfruitonlyonce.apieceoftherootisplantedagainandinafewmonthstheyoungplantgrowsseveralfeetheight.ittakestwoyearsbeforetheplantbeginstoflowerandbearfruit.bananasareanexcellentproviderofenergyandahealthyadditiontoanyone’sdiet.bananaistheperfectsupplementforactivepeople.itprovideslargeamountsofvitaminb-6andvitaminc,whicharetwoofthevitaminsmostcommonlylostduringstrenuousexercise.bananaismostwellknownasasupplierofpotassium.potassiumisveryimportanttomusclefunctionandisthenutrientmostoftenassociatedwithrelievingmusclecramps.thepotassiuminbananamayalsohelpreducethelikelihoodofhypertensionandstroke.bananaisalsohighindietaryfiber,andthusmayreducetheriskofcertaintypesofcancer,especiallycoloncancer.bananaisalsopackedwithnaturalenergyandphytonutrients.