NOT all foods that taste good are good for you, and not all foods that are good for you taste good. But high among the things that are good for you and taste good must be placed the truly ripe banana. When Disraeli, prime minister of Great Britain, on a trip to Cairo, Egypt, in 1831, first tasted a banana he exclaimed, ?The most delicious thing in the world!? While that may be a matter of opinion, no doubt most persons will agree that bananas are delicious. The banana does not grow on a tree, for the banana plant has neither trunk nor branches. Strictly speaking, it is an herb, the main stem of which is composed of leaf sheaths. It grows to a height of from ten to twenty-five feet and takes from twelve to fifteen months to afrikanische mango produce its fruit. Once having produced a stem of bananas, the plant is cut down, as a plant never produces more than one stem?far more characteristic of an herb than of a tree. Many indeed are the values of the banana. Truly delicious by themselves, they can be used to make appealing milk shakes, banana splits, banana cream pies, and in fruit salads. Coming more and more into use is banana powder, which those few who cannot tolerate truly ripe raw bananas can readily digest. And there are those who like to fry or bake bananas. Among the many advantages of bananas are their being available throughout the year. They require no preparation and are naturally sealed so as to keep them practically free from bacteria and dirt.