each banana (or "finger") has a protective outer layer (called "peel" or "skin"). there is a fleshy part inside that readily spilts into three segments. it is the only known tri-segmented fruit in the world. both the skin and inner part can be eaten. western cultures generally eat the inside raw and throw away the skin. some asian cultures eat both the skin and the inside cooked. each fruit has many "strings" that run between the skin and the inner part.