Modern bananas come from two different species with the scientific names Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. The name "banana" comes from an Arabic word meaning "finger."
Most species of banana originated in southeast Asia. Bananas are grown in more than 100 countries, and India is the leading producer. Bananas are highly nutritious and an excellent source of vitamins, fiber, manganese and potassium. The banana's high amount of potassium makes the fruit more radioactive than others, but the naturally occurring radiation has little effect on the body. The average weight of a banana is 125 grams, with roughly 75 percent being water.
