Bananas are fruiting plants that grows near tropical rainforests. There are many banana species, but Musa acuminata varieties are most common in the US.

Bananas contain fiber, potassium, vitamin B6, and carbohydrates. Ripe bananas contain more soluble fiber, while unripe bananas contain more insoluble fiber. All parts of the banana plant, including the fruit, leaves, stem, flowers, and roots, have been used as medicine.

People use bananas for diarrhea. They are also used for athletic performance, constipation, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.