That botanically bananas are considered an herb?

I found this information on page 120 in the book The Story of Food. It is a very fun title about many of the common foods we eat. Touted as “an illustrated history of everything we eat,” there are old photos of harvesting, ad campaigns and artwork for most of the foods discussed.

Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World by Dan Koeppel tells us that the genetics of most of the bananas we eat are the same, and how the ‘banana belt’ came to be. He also writes about diseases that threaten banana crops and what is being done to solve the problems. There have been a lot of politics involved in the farming and shipping of this beloved fruit through the years!

For an easier read, The Biography of Bananas by Rachel Eagen has easy to understand facts with lots of pictures, telling you everything you ever wanted to know about bananas but were afraid to ask.

The Banana-Leaf Ball by Katie Smith Milway is an inspiring story about a boy name Deo and his family who are forced to leave their home. They become separated and Deo ends up in a refugee camp in Tanzania. Playing soccer joins the children of the camp together, and Deo teaches the other boys to make banana leaf (soccer) balls.

Even though the banana is an herb, I wasn’t able to find it listed in any of our herb books. Perhaps because it will not grow here. The Encyclopedia of Herbs by Arthur O. Tucker and Thomas DeBaggio lists over 500 types of herbs, uses for them (edible, medicinal etc.), and growing tips. There are sketches of many of the plants as well.

Lastly, an herb you can’t eat, drink or use as medicine…. Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass is available at the library on our streaming Hoopla music, or we have several of his CDs. I’m sure, even though you may think you have never heard of the band, as soon as you listen to their music you’ll say “Oh! I’ve heard that before!” Perhaps, you were even eating a banana at the time!