Bananas are a healthy fruit and a portable snack, thanks to their thick but easily removable peel. Eat them plain or incorporated into desserts, breads, breakfasts and frozen treats. Bananas are native to South and Central America as well as the Caribbean islands and are imported into the United States. Americans consume an average of 27 pounds of bananas per person each year.
Nutritional Value
A raw medium-size banana has 110 calories and no fat, cholesterol or sodium. It contains 30 g of carbohydrates, 1 g of protein and 3 g of fiber. Bananas contain a host of vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, folic acid and vitamin C. Minerals contained in bananas include calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus and iron.
Ripeness
Bananas are ripe when they are completely yellow with no green on the peel. Green bananas are considered unripe and may cause stomach discomfort and diarrhea if consumed. Once banana peels turn black, they are overripe but may still be used for cooking or eaten plain if you don't mind the mushy texture.
Uses
The most obvious way to use a banana is to peel it and eat it. Bananas can also be sliced and placed into a dehydrator to make banana chips. Dried banana is much sweeter than fresh because the sugars have concentrated. You can use overripe bananas to make traditional banana bread or banana cake, banana ice cream and breakfast foods such as banana-stuffed French toast or as a topping on pancakes.
Storage
Keep bananas on the kitchen counter to ripen. Once ripened, you may store it in the refrigerator, but know that the skin will turn brown. The banana inside is still fine to eat however. Avoid storing unripe bananas in the refrigerator because they will not ripen properly. You can also freeze bananas if you won't eat them before they go bad; peel them and wrap in plastic wrap. Frozen bananas are a great addition to a smoothie or as is for a frozen treat without added sugar.
Member Comments