Hong Kong, Jan. 29 -- Evergreen, versatile, readily available and easy on the pocket, no one can really argue with a humble banana's sweet, earthy and mealy appeal. Originally the signature fruit of the tropics, bananas come in at least 10 to 15 varieties worldwide. Widely eaten across the globe, the fruit is omnipresent and deeply rooted in the culture of not just Southeast Asia but Africa, Europe, the US and the Middle East too. Everything including the banana stem, banana flower as well as peel has health benefits, and parts of its flowers are cooked and consumed as well.

It finds a lot of significance in religion, especially in many Asian countries, as this fruit is used as an offering to god, and its leaves are used to make DIY plat...