Selection of bananas according to their ripeness
I once had a neighbor who sold bananas.
He goes to the stock market in the morning and buys in bulk. Bananas were only one type there then.
He then goes to the market and divides the bananas into three parts. On some he puts the highest price, on others medium, on the third – small.
The “most expensive” bananas were always the first to run out!
Since then, I never choose bananas by price.
But how do we decide which bananas we want?
Everyone has a different idea of a “nice banana”.
Personally, I prefer to pick any fruit I’m going to eat off the tree, but with bananas I have some difficulties… 😉
How do you imagine the “perfect banana”? Hard or soft (we’re talking about eating)? Green without brown spots, with a few spots, or all brown already? Very sweet in taste or not so much?
We all know that the appearance and taste of bananas change with time and ripening. Well, they are best ripened on the tree, but… they ripen mainly in ports, warehouses and stock exchanges. We can only pray that they are not sprayed further with chemicals to delay or speed up their ripening.
But we are positive people and we will not think about such things.
And do we all know that the nutritional composition of bananas also depends on their ripening? Let’s look at them from this side.
Green bananas
Green bananas look fresh and “healthy”. They contain more starch, which has the peculiarity of making our metabolism speed up. Therefore, green bananas fill us up quickly. Well, there is no “free lunch”: at the same time, we are bloated and gassy.
The greater amount of starch also makes them easier to cook – they are not soft and have a structure that absorbs less heat.
Green bananas have another advantage – a lower glycemic index. On the other hand, they are less sweet, sometimes even bitter.
Yellow bananas
The next stage of ripening of bananas is their yellowing. Starch becomes less, sugar – more. They get softer. The glycemic index also increases, but their digestion becomes faster and easier, with less weight in the stomach and gas.
Unfortunately, as we age, there is always a loss of micronutrients. Let’s not forget that they no longer ripen on the tree! We recommend storing them in the refrigerator, then their loss is less.
But as they ripen, the antioxidants in them become more. Our immunity will certainly appreciate their greater quantity.
Spotted Bananas
These bananas are not only older, they are also much sweeter. Brown spots are not age spots, but the result of the conversion of starch to sugar. You must have noticed that the more brown spots a banana has, the sweeter it is.
They may look ugly to you, but the “freckles” on bananas are almost magical. Experts claim that they contain so many antioxidants that they are even effective in preventing cancer. I can’t say that, but I’ve read a lot, and from what I’ve read, I know that freckled bananas are certainly very beneficial.
Brown bananas
These bananas can look so disgusting that banana sellers are willing to give them up because almost no one buys them. They look wrinkled, old, soft almost to the point of puree.
This is because all the starch has already been converted to sugar and there is nothing to keep the structure of the bananas strong. Chlorophyll has also broken down and taken on a new form, almost entirely of antioxidants.
Brown bananas are easy to mash, they are practically pureed. This puree is extremely valuable for the preparation of sweets and treats with noticeable nutritional value. You will certainly not refrain from trying banana bread or at least pancakes made with such puree.
Many people use bananas for a quick and easy breakfast.
Error!
Yes, they will say. Why a mistake?
Really, how much does it cost to peel a banana. And it’s maybe a hundred and a little over calories. Low in fat. Basically very rich in potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, fiber. I say basically because this is true when the banana ripens on the tree and not in the warehouse.
Banana is high in nutritional value, but almost protein-free. Only about 4% of its hundred calories are due to protein.
So I would say that bananas are a quick and easy addition to breakfast, not the breakfast itself.
I’m probably going to be trite, but for sure the best breakfast tested by me and our family is the Herbalife Nutrition Formula 1 shake, I guarantee it with all my authority and name.
But now we’re talking about bananas.
How ripe bananas should we end up picking?
The answer to this question depends on the goal we are pursuing:
- If we are looking for a light, filling fruit for a first snack, green bananas are it.
- Freckled bananas will satisfy our need for antioxidants and improve our immunity.
- Brown bananas are a great choice to satisfy our need for sweets or if we want to prepare some kind of dessert.
Did you like the article “Choosing bananas according to their ripeness“?
We will be grateful if you write your opinion in a comment.
