Last week I wrote an article called “Never throw out another avocado.” In the article, I gave the secret for how to tell when an avocado is ripe and why the common advice to test it for firmness is dead wrong. I also told you how to keep it from ripening further, and even how to keep an avocado good for as long as a month.
Well, I was floored by the feedback I got. It was one of the most popular articles we’ve ever run. So today, I’m going to talk about another food that’s notorious for being thrown out — the banana.
But the advice is going to be a little different this time. You see, unlike avocados, bananas can be eaten at different states of ripeness, depending on what health benefit you are looking for.
Here’s the scoop:
Slightly Green Bananas
Like avocados, bananas are usually picked before they’re ripe. So it’s easy to find green bananas at the store. While you might shy away from eating bananas that are still slightly green — don’t.
Here’s why:
Slightly green bananas are high in resistant starch.
I’ve told you about resistant starch in the past. It’s a type of starch that’s “resistant” to digestion. In other words, your body can’t break it down. That means it doesn’t add to your calorie count or raise your blood sugar.
Plus, resistant starch provides your body with fiber, which feeds your good gut bacteria.
So feel free to eat slightly green bananas to your heart’s content. Even if you’re on a low-carb diet.
Yellow Bananas
This is what most people consider the “Goldilocks stage” of bananas. The bananas are perfectly ripe. The texture is firm, and the taste is sweet.
The reason the bananas taste sweet is that the resistant starch has started to turn into sugar. That can cause problems for people with blood-sugar or insulin issues. But for people without those issues, yellow bananas are great. They taste wonderful.
And here’s a surprise: Yellow bananas contain more antioxidants than the slightly green bananas. So unless you struggle with insulin or blood-sugar issues, it’s perfectly okay to eat them from time to time.
Brown-Spotted Bananas
Most people avoid bananas that have brown spots. They think they’re too ripe. But a few brown spots simply mean the sugar level has gone up.
In fact, those little brown spots are essentially little sugar freckles. The more brown spots a banana has, the more sugar it contains.
This sounds bad, but don’t throw these bananas out. Why? Because the antioxidant levels in a freckled banana are through the roof. Indeed, some studies suggest that eating them can even help prevent cancer!
Plus, you can eat them before a workout for a burst of energy.
Brown Bananas
Most people throw brown bananas away. That’s because all the starch has turned into sugar and the banana has become shriveled and mushy. Brown bananas are not a pleasure to eat plain at this point, but resist the temptation to throw them away. Here’s why:
A brown banana is an antioxidant powerhouse. Its soft texture and sweet taste make it perfect for mashing. That makes it ideal for making banana bread or pancakes. (If you’re on a grain-free diet, use almond flour and/or coconut flour.) Some people even make an ice cream alternative out of brown bananas.
Brown bananas are easy to keep around too. All you have to do is stick the whole banana in the freezer. You can pull the banana out when you’re ready to eat it. Then just run it under warm water for a few seconds so you can peel it.
Then add it to a smoothie, preferably one that’s high in protein and fiber.
So when is a banana the most nutritious? It really depends on the type of nutrition you want to get from it. But the important thing is, you never have to throw that banana away.