Bananas first originated in Malaysia around 2000 B.C. In 327 B.C., Alexander the Great brought the fruit from India into the western world. Around 1500 A.D., bananas crossed the Atlantic with crops grown in the Caribbean. These crops were mostly grown by local farmers for their own use. Not until the late 1800s did the banana that we use today in traditional banana bread reach the American shore.
History of Banana Bread
With the popularity of baking soda in the 1930s, quick breads, breads made without yeast as a leavening agent, became popular in American cookbooks. Soon banana bread became a favorite as a breakfast bread or an after-school snack. Banana bread traditionally uses white flour and white or brown sugar to sweeten. With the advent of healthier lifestyles using whole grains and less sugar, the childhood favorite is seeing a make-over.
Whole-Grain Benefits
Although Americans are advised to eat a minimum of three servings of whole grains per day, most eat no more than one per day, according to "Nutrition Research Reviews." Whole grains have the complete grain kernel intact, the germ, endosperm and bran, where the nutrients exist. Whole grains provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, lignans and phenolic compounds that are associated with reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, some cancers and overweight.
Sugar-Free Whole-Grain Banana Bread -- Recipe 1
Mix two slightly beaten eggs, 1/3 cup of buttermilk, 1/2 cup of applesauce and 1 1/4 cups of overripe mashed bananas in a bowl. Sift 1 cup of granulated sucralose with 1 3/4 cups of whole-wheat flour, 1 1/2 tsp. of baking soda, and 1/2 tsp. of salt in another bowl. Mix the banana mixture and flour mixture together and add an optional 1/2 cup of your favorite nuts, such as pecan or walnuts. Pour into a greased or sprayed 9-by-5 inch loaf pan and bake for about one hour at 325 degrees or until an inserted toothpick in the center pulls out clean.
Sugar-Free Whole-Grain Banana Bread -- Recipe 2
In a large bowl combine 2 cups of spelt flour, 1/2 tsp. of salt, 1/2 tsp. soda and 1 tsp. of baking powder. In another bowl mix 2 eggs, 3 overripe mashed bananas, 1/2 cup of fruit juice concentrate, 1/2 cup of milk and 2 tsp. of vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix. You may add 1/2 cup of nuts or 1/2 cup of chopped dates if you like. Turn the batter into a greased or sprayed 9-by-5 inch loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle pulls out clean.
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