Soft, sweet and nutritious, bananas are high in sugar, but they contain complex carbohydrates that fuel the body. A single banana has between 100 and 200 calories, and none of those calories are from fat. It's not necessary to reduce the sugar in the banana if you are worried about your health, but you can limit the amount of sugar you consume from bananas.
Step 1
Put the banana in the refrigerator. This will slow down the ripening process, according to the Chiquita website. The skin will darken because of the change in temperature, but the fruit underneath will remain firm.
Step 2
Consume the banana before it is fully ripe. The darker the skin gets, the more sugar the banana contains, unless you put the banana in the fridge. In this case, the darkened skin is a result of the cooler temperatures. Eating the banana before it is yellow or brown is a good way to limit the amount of sugar and calories you are consuming.
Step 3
Let the banana become overripe before you eat it. At this point it will contain a lot of sweet, complex carbohydrates, but it will also be soft. Soft bananas are perfect for baking or cooking. Throw the banana in a blender and add some fiber, which will reduce the effect of the sugars, or bake it into a whole-grain banana bread.
Tips and Warnings
- To ripen a banana quickly, place it into a paper bag with an apple. Close the bag and leave it overnight. Smaller bananas have fewer calories if the bananas are all at the same level of ripeness, so eating a smaller banana is another way to reduce the amount of sugar you are consuming.
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