Is There a Right Way to Open a Banana?

Bananas are one of the most popular fruits in the world and are consumed by most households in the United States. In fact, Americans eat an average of 27 pounds of bananas each year, and it's easy to see why: They can be eaten alone, added to smoothies, used in a banana split, sliced up and put on top of cereal, and they can even be used as a main ingredient in baked goods like muffins and bread.

However, let's be honest: Peeling them can be a bit tricky. Sometimes they can even seem impossible to open no matter how hard you try. Even when you are able to peel them, there's usually a chance they end up bruised and mushy because it took you several forceful tries to successfully do it.

If you're one of those people who thinks it's difficult to peel a banana, you're not alone. However, the reason why you might have so much trouble opening a banana isn't because of the fruit itself — it's because you have been peeling it wrong all these years.

The Right Way to Open a Banana

The correct way to open a banana is not peeling it from the stem like so many people think. Why? The stem is the toughest part of a banana because it's the location where the fruit attaches to the rest of the cluster, and it's what's responsible for keeping the bananas attached to the tree.

Believe it or not, the right way to peel a banana is from the opposite end, which many people consider to be the bottom of the banana.

This technique isn't new though — it's how monkeys open them all the time. They make a small incision in the banana's tip by pinching it, and then they split open the skin and peel back each section one at a time.

This might seem odd when you first try it out, but it's the most efficient way to open the fruit. Plus, it won't leave you struggling trying to break the thick stem, which you can instead use as a handle to prevent additional bruising.

How to Open a Banana the Right Way

1. Resist the urge to tear the banana's stem, and turn the banana upside-down instead.

2. Using your thumb and pointer finger, pinch the tip of the banana to make an opening so that the skin starts to peel back.

3. Peel back each section of banana skin one at a time.

4. Lastly, take a big bite of your banana and enjoy.

Hungry for more? Check out our collection of banana recipes.

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