The banana is the most popular fruit in the world, but how did that come to be? It has had a long and often tumultuous journey to global domination. It has faced extinction, and it has been a political and economic tool; The United Fruit Company, now known as Chiquita, played a role in creating the so-called "Banana Republics" of the 1900's that caused economic and political exploitation across Latin America.

From its early days as a seeded fruit in New Guinea, to the banana we know and love today, this history is b-a-n-a-n-a-s.

Delishtory brings you a tasty exploration into our favorite food obsessions. It's delicious, it's history - it's Delishtory!

Kae Lani Palmisano is an Emmy Award-Winning television host, food and travel writer, recipe developer and home cook who loves to explore the journey that food takes to get to the plate.

Delishtory is a production of WHYY.

0:00 Intro/Cavendish Bananas
0:55 Banana Migration History
2:04 Vertical Integration
2:37 Banana Republics in Central America
4:14 Panama Disease & the Gros Michel
6:01 Future of the Banana
6:50 Other Bananas