The other day in the supermarket. I have mega desire for a banana. All I find are dark green fruits. But is it wise to eat a green banana or will it give you a stomach ache?
In case you're wondering if the banana ate you: Yes, I didn't think anything of it when I tried to eat the green banana. Except, during and after eating it. That's when I noticed it was pretty bite sized and quite tasteless.
But it is not unhealthy or even toxic.
Green bananas contain lots of starch, more precisely 23%. Therefore, they saturate better and ensure a constant blood sugar level. When the banana is fully ripe, the starch content drops to 0.6%.
When the fruit ripens, the starch turns into simple sugars. Green bananas contain 0% of sugar, while fully ripe bananas contain 22.5%. Therefore, yellow or spotted bananas taste much sweeter than green ones. However, the number of calories remains the same.
Why yellow bananas healthier than green
Unhealthy are not the green fruits. However, one has in a Japanese study found outthat ripe and therefore yellow bananas are simply healthier.
During the ripening process, not only the color of the peel and the sugar content change. There are also changes in the nutritional values. Yellow bananas contain more antioxidants that strengthen the immune system. In fact, they contain 8 times more. By the way, the most antioxidants are found in fruits with brown skin.
Yellow bananas have 70% more vitamin C than green ones.
The researchers also found that when bananas ripen, they produce a substance called tumor necrosis factor TNF. This substance is believed to be able to fight cancer, according to the study.
But there were even more exciting findings. According to the Japanese scientists, TNF is mainly found in bananas with brown spots and is said to be able to prevent the formation of malignant tumor cells.
Bananas with brown spots are the easiest to digest.
How to make banana pancakes with just two ingredients!
What you can do if you don't want to eat green banana
In the supermarket, you often have no choice. There are green bananas or mega green bananas. However, they are not particularly tasty. But don't worry, you don't have to eat green bananas, because you can easily let them ripen.
Green banana ripen faster if you store them at warm temperatures. Very suitable is room temperature.
When I left a green banana in the car in the summer, it was already quite yellow in the evening. So if it must go fast: Off with it to a very warm place.
You don't have to throw away bananas with black skin. They are edible and look great in pancakes, oatmeal cookies or smoothies. If too many bananas are ripe at the same time, you can cut them into small pieces and freeze them. Then, if you're making pancakes or a smoothie, take as much out of the freezer as you need.
Have you ever tried ice cream made from frozen bananas?
By the way: Bananas ripen particularly quickly if you store them next to apples and tomatoes. They emit the ripening gas ethylene and color the bananas very quickly.
If you want to eat your bananas green, then you should store them in the refrigerator. The cold slows down the ripening process.
What degrees of ripeness can have bananas
You can classify bananas into ripeness levels within this table. Depending on how ripe they are, you can use them for different dishes.
Dark green to light green (level 0 to 2)
These bananas are furry, bland and very firm to the bite. The peel cracks loudly when opened. You can fry them as chips in oil and season with chili salt. Or add to curries and woks or make into soup.
Yellow-green (level 3 to 5)
Bananas at this stage of ripeness are already noticeably softer when bitten off. They already taste sweetish, but still relatively boring. Now half the starch is converted to sugar. Well suited for diabetics and fructose intolerant.
Mega delicious: Quinoa porridge with banana raspberry cream
Yellow (level 6 to 8)
This is how most people describe the perfect banana. The starch is broken down, the peel is beautifully yellow and the teeth glide through the flesh quite wonderfully. The vitamin C content is now optimal. And so is the aroma.
Yellow with first dark spots (level 9 to 11)
Now the banana slowly becomes soft and floury. It is very sweet and perfect for banana milk, in muesli or fried with honey. Also in banana bread this fruit is now doing particularly well. It can now completely replace the addition of sugar in recipes.
Dark with few yellow spots (level 12 to 15)
The banana now becomes glassy and the flesh darkens. The sugar begins to turn into alcohol. But in such small quantities that it is no problem even for children. Still good for baking, smoothies, ice cream or pancakes.
Treat yourself to these no bake brownies! *Miracle Cure for PMS*
Who should rather eat green banana
The riper the banana, the more fructose it contains. And that is quite bad for anyone who suffers from fructose intolerance or diabetes.
However, you do not have to give up the fruit. Affected people can eat a green banana because it contains little fructose.
The high starch content in green bananas is useful for the good bacteria in intestines. This starch is also called "resistant starch" because it is more difficult for the human intestine to digest.
Do you already know this banana bread with oatmeal?
Our conclusion
You can eat a green banana if you want. It's not unhealthy and it won't do any harm. Your intestinal bacteria will even be happy about it in between. However, you will find more antioxidants in ripe fruits.
At the end of the day, however, it's better to have any banana than no banana at all. Because the crooked fruits are always healthy - no matter what color they are.
Enjoy! :)
To browse further:
* Advertising & affiliate links: Our website is financed by advertising and affiliate links. As a partner of linked stores (e.g. Amazon) we earn from qualified sales.
Read more