Tag: Banana history

Did you know that the banana your grandparents ate was likely not the same variety you enjoy today? For decades, the sweet, rich-flavored Gros Michel banana dominated the commercial market until a devastating fungal disease nearly wiped it out, forcing the industry to switch to the more resistant Cavendish variety we know now.

In the early 20th century, the United Fruit Company launched a campaign marketing bananas as the first 'superfood' to boost sales. This marketing gimmick created a food category that, to this day, has no official scientific or regulatory definition. The phrase 'superfood 1' doesn't refer to a specific food, but rather to the historical origin of the concept itself.