From ancient, seeded varieties to today’s Cavendish exports, bananas have shaped Philippine history, cuisine and economy.
Man has been eating bananas for thousands of years, consuming the first varieties, which were small and fully seeded. Over time, the fruits grew, developed various shapes and tastes, and became the most popular commercially grown tropical fruit.
Bananas have been a part of the Philippines' history since ancient times. The Philippines is one of the regions where bananas are thought to have originated and now is one of the exports supporting our economy. Various sources estimate our annual banana exports at between 3.5 million and 6 million tons of Cavendish bananas.
According to Philippine export data, the country shipped the most bananas to Japan, which recorded a share in value of 37%. The Philippines stood as the second-largest banana exporter in the world.
For local consumption, Filipinos prefer Saba bananas, which are native to the country. Saba is the most popular type planted in home gardens and small farms because of its versatility as a main ingredient in many Pinoy dishes for breakfast, snacks and main courses.
Although there are dozens of banana varieties, only a handful are available in local markets; there are only two or three sold in supermarkets. Most Manileños are familiar only with señorita, lakatan, saba and Cavendish.
Señorita is a must-buy for local and foreign tourists who visit Tagaytay. Visitors are attracted to the whole bunches of small yellow bananas neatly clinging in tight rows and selling for less than P100.
Cavendish bananas, developed for export and grown commercially in Mindanao, are like what Tagalogs of old called bungulan. The fruits are long and green and stay green even when ripe. Very aromatic, it is best used fully ripe, mashed for fritters, pancakes, muffins and banana bread.
Lakatan is the prettiest choice for fruit baskets and pasalubong. It is also the most expensive. It tastes best when slightly overripe, as indicated by tiny brown spots on the skin.
Lakatan has yellow skin and almost orange firm flesh. No wonder it is the most expensive fresh banana in the market.
Saba bananas are the most widely sold at all stages of ripeness. Some buyers prefer fully ripe saba; others prefer fruit that is almost ripe, while Visayans choose fruit that is really green to eat boiled instead of rice with salted fish called ginamos.
Saba fruit has high levels of nutrients, making it a good choice for consumption. It is rich in starch, with a carbohydrate content similar to a potato. It is also an excellent source of vitamins A, B and C and contains dietary fiber and iron. Saba fruit has its highest nutritional value when consumed raw.
Ripe bananas do not travel well; boiled bananas do. Throughout my long career as a journalist, I have depended on boiled bananas during stakeouts and long coverages. They do not need special packing, do not spoil, and are very filling and nutritious.
In my travels all over the Philippines, I still run into banana varieties I knew as a kid but that are now very rare: Gloria, morado and tindok. Gloria has yellow skin and white firm flesh that cuddles dozens of black seeds that resemble whole black pepper.
Morado has short, fat fruit protected by thick reddish skin.
Tindok fruits are large, more than a foot long and as fat as a baby's arm.
Perhaps it is time to focus our attention on our disappearing fruits, lest we find ourselves singing, "Yes, we have no bananas. We have no bananas today!"
