There’s more to bananas than just their sweet side. They work well with a variety of flavors. Going bananas for bananas? You’re not alone! Bananas are the most popular fresh fruit in the United States, likely because of their sweet flavor, appealing texture, and affordability. Bananas are also well-known […]
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Going bananas for bananas? You’re not alone! Bananas are the most popular fresh fruit in the United States, likely because of their sweet flavor, appealing texture, and affordability. Bananas are also well-known for their numerous health benefits. For example, they have been linked to improved immunity, blood pressure, and digestion — likely because they're a source of such nutrients as vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and vitamin B6, notes Cleveland Clinic.
As they ripen, the starch inside bananas turns into sugar, making them taste noticeably sweeter, notes BBC Science Focus. The yellower (and eventually browner) a banana looks, the sweeter it will taste! This is what makes overripe bananas a particularly great addition to a traditional banana bread recipe. In the same way, underripe or green bananas are the least sweet and driest in texture, which makes them best suited for a savory recipe or one in which a crispy texture is desired, as in banana chips.
Green bananas are high in resistant starch and pectin, both of which were linked to health benefits in a review published in the June 2019 Nutrients. If you eat more green bananas, you may improve your gastrointestinal health, decrease your blood glucose after eating, and even aid in weight control, they note.
Regardless of which type of banana you decide to eat, it’s clear that they are a boon to your health. If snacking on bananas straight out of the bunch is losing its appeal, it may be time to mix up your banana routine and step outside your comfort zone. While bananas themselves are sweet, this sweetness pairs perfectly with savory flavors. Bananas are not just for your breakfast cereal bowl anymore — give one of these five recipes a try today!
