The Correct Way To Peel A Banana - Newsletter Series

August 31, 2010

A common problem. I've often seen it mentioned in collections of trivia and cool facts that monkeys and apes open their bananas from the "bottom", often accompanied by a suggestion for us to do the same. Following a recent reminder by a fellow named Mahdroo, I started doing just that! It has proved to be far superior to the traditional human choice.

As you can see on in the image to the left, a banana has the little "tail" on top, and a small nub on the bottom. Commonly one may bend the tail backwards against the banana's natural curvature, until it tears. Then you peel the banana. But sometimes, the banana isn't quite ripe, or just extra hardy. In those cases the skin doesn't tear as easily and you mush up the top of the banana. Here's the solution:

Turn the banana upside down! Use your fingers to squeeze the nub. It should start opening in the middle as you squeeze (careful not to squeeze the flesh of the banana), then just use your other hand to peel the two (or more) sections apart! Voila! You have peeled a banana from the bottom! Feel free to discard the little part that's now at the top of your banana, though I know some folks who enjoy eating that part.

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