Is the Banana the Most Perfect Food?

We were in a pub restaurant the other day considering the dessert menu.
The menu item that caught my beady eye was a ‘Banana Fritter with ice cream’.

Many years ago the Chinese Takeaway in West Bridgford would serve a banana fritter soaked in treacle as a dessert option. So for old times sake I gave it a whirl.

It sure was tasty but stretched my stomach muscles and digestive capacities.
But it got me thinking “Is the humble banana the most perfect food?”

Packaging
Let’s start with the wrapper. The banana’s peel is often cited as one of its greatest design features:
>Built-in packaging: hygienic, biodegradable, and protective
>Easy-open: no tools, preparation, or cooking required
>Portion-controlled: one banana ≈ one serving
>Spoilage indicator: peel colour signals ripeness and sugar content

Few foods are this self-contained and intuitive.
Contrary to popular opinion the skin degrades nicely.

Nutritional Strengths
A medium banana (~120 g) provides:
>Carbohydrates: fast and steady energy
>Potassium: a good wedge + this is a mineral we can be unwittingly deficient in
>Vitamin B6: important for brain health and metabolism
>Vitamin C: immune support
>Dietary fibre: aids digestion and gut health

Bananas are also:
>Naturally fat-free
>Easy to digest (even for many people with sensitive stomachs)
This makes them ideal for athletes, children, and recovery diets.

The Energy Food
Bananas are often called “nature’s energy bar” - at its most plentiful when browning nicely:
>Quick glucose for immediate energy
>Fructose and sucrose for sustained release
>Commonly used by endurance athletes
>They require zero processing, ie no cooking, reheating, diluting etc.

Accessibility and Affordability
Globally, bananas are:
>Inexpensive
>Widely available
>Consistent in taste and quality
>Grown year-round in many regions
Few foods score so highly on nutrition-per-cost.

So… it sounds pretty amazing – so far - why Isn’t the Banana Perfect?
Despite all this, bananas have limitations:
>Low protein – very important
>Very little fat (including essential fats)
>Missing key micronutrients like vitamin B12, iron, calcium (in meaningful amounts), and omega-3s

You could not survive long-term on bananas alone without nutritional deficiencies.

The Verdict from the Chinese Takeaway
The banana may not be the “perfect” food—but it might be the most well-designed single food for humans.
It is:
>Portable
>Protected
>Nutrient-dense
>Affordable
>Easy to eat
>Naturally portioned

In evolutionary and practical terms, it’s hard to beat.