43 free banana insight and tips just for you

Did you know that red bananas exist?

• The yellow banana cultivars have a lower concentration of beta-carotene and vitamin C compared to the red banana varieties’ levels of these nutrients. Bananas have high levels of all three types of sugar—sucrose, fructose, and glucose—which are considered to be natural sources of energy.
• According to historical documents written by Buddhists around 600 BC, Alexander the Great was the one who first discovered the taste of bananas around the year 327 BC. In the year 650, conquerors brought the banana to Palestine, and later, Arab traders spread it over a significant portion of Africa.
• The banana plant is really a herb and does not grow on trees. The stem of a tree is formed of wood, in contrast to the stem of a banana, which is comprised of fibres. It is quite likely that bananas were first planted not as a source of food but rather as a source of fibres that were then processed and woven into fabric.
• Bananas were first brought to the Americas by Portuguese colonisers. However, Europeans should be grateful to the French author, Jules Verne, for bringing the fruit to their continent in the first place. In his book “Around the World in Eighty Days,” Jules Verne describes how excited he was about bananas.
• India and China are now the world’s two largest producers of bananas. China produces around 11 million tonnes on an annual basis, whereas India generates approximately 29 million tonnes. Other countries that rank highly in terms of production include Brazil, Ecuador, and the Philippines.

Banana nutrition values and health benefits

1. One medium-sized banana has 422 milligrams of potassium, which is about 9% of the daily intake. Bananas are famous for the high potassium level that they contain. Bananas are rich in a number of essential nutrients, including potassium, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and choline.
2. Bananas that are still green have a high concentration of resistant starch, which functions similarly to fibre in the digestive process. Green bananas are often mashed into a pulp or flour and used in many functional food items as well as research investigations due to the numerous health advantages that they provide.
3. Prebiotics are fermentable fibres that help feed “good bacteria,” also known as probiotics, in the digestive tract. Bananas are an excellent source of prebiotics. Prebiotics are beneficial to digestion because they encourage the development of bacteria that are essential to the digestive process. It is a terrific way to improve gut health, digestion, and regularity by combining bananas with foods that contain living cultures, such as yoghurt.
4. The banana has a poor reputation due to the significant amount of starch it contains; nonetheless, it is a food that supports weight loss objectives since it is low in calories and has a lot of satisfying fibre. Bananas are an excellent way to feel full without overeating since they include around three grams of fibre for every one hundred calories.
5. Bananas are an excellent source of potassium, and one medium banana provides around 9% of the recommended daily amount for most individuals. There is substantial evidence that potassium has the capacity to lower blood pressure. When done on a regular basis, eating bananas can contribute toward meeting the daily potassium needs necessary to maintain healthy blood pressure and avoid future issues, such as strokes and renal disease.
6. Banana peels are often used in traditional medicine for the healing of wounds due to the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory characteristics that they contain. In order to give some comfort and protection for the healing process, the interior of banana peels is often applied to small wounds or bites from insects, despite the fact that this effect may not be entirely supported by contemporary medicine.
7. Banana allergies are rare but not unheard of in the world of food allergies. There is a disease known as oral allergy syndrome (OAS), which occurs when pollen allergens cross-react with fruits like bananas. This ailment affects certain individuals.
8. Some individuals find that when they increase their fibre consumption via foods like bananas, they develop constipation. This is despite the fact that bananas are typically healthy for digestive health. If you aren’t accustomed to eating a lot of fibre, you should gradually increase the amount you consume while also drinking a lot of water to help your body adjust to the greater amount of fibre you are consuming.
9. Because of the high levels of potassium and antioxidants that bananas contain, it is probable that eating bananas is good for your heart health. In addition, the resistant starch and pectic compounds that are included in these fruits and vegetables may be advantageous to the health of the colon. The consumption of bananas on a consistent basis as part of a well-balanced diet and active lifestyle has been shown to provide a number of positive health benefits.

118g a medium banana has 105 calories (438kj), 1.3g protein, 0.4g fat, and 27g carbs including 3.1g fibre

How to store banana and how to buy them

• It is possible that you will find it more convenient to harvest them at a time that is more or less mature, depending on when you want to use them and how you intend to keep them. If you are simply purchasing items for your own use, you may choose bananas with a deeper shade of green so that they don’t all get overripe at the same time.
• As soon as you get them into your house, remove the bananas from the plastic produce bags in which they came. When storing bananas, you should never use plastic bags since they absorb an excessive amount of moisture, which may lead to the fruit going bad.
• If you have unripe bananas, the ideal location to store them is in the pantry. You have two options for where to put the unripe banana. Either on the counter or in a fruit bowl would do, or you should just put the bananas in a cool, dark spot, keep them out of direct sunlight, and wait for the fruit to mature gradually over time. Do not store unripe bananas in the refrigerator; doing so may prevent them from ripening properly and will likely result in the bananas’ not tasting as delicious as they normally do.
• The ripening process may be sped up by putting unripe bananas in a brown paper bag and placing them in a warm location. Put an apple or a tomato in the bag with the bananas, and you’ll get perfectly ripe bananas in less than 24 hours. The ripening process may be sped up even further by placing the bananas in a dish with other pieces of ripe fruit, such as other pieces of ripe bananas, which act as a catalyst to help the process along.
• The ripening process is substantially slowed down by refrigeration, but it cannot be stopped altogether even when it does not totally prohibit it. Beyond that point, the skin will continue to turn brown, but the fruit will continue to be crisp and fresh for another week or two after that point. When stored in the refrigerator, ripe bananas may maintain their exquisite flavour for an extended period of time, despite the possibility that their skins will turn black.
• Make sure the bananas are properly peeled before you freeze them, and then put them in the freezer. Put as many as you can into a container or bag with a zipper for storage, and then store them in the freezer so that you can use them at a later time. Bear in mind that if you freeze bananas while they are still in their skins, it will be very difficult to peel them after they have been frozen. In addition, when they thaw, they turn into a sticky mass that leaks liquid. Bananas that have been frozen and then peeled may be used to make smoothies.
• Bananas are considered completely ripe when they have a firm inside and a brilliant yellow skin. When bananas are allowed to mature for too long, brown patches will begin to appear on the skin. It is important to keep in mind that the presence of black stains on the peel does not always indicate that the fruit is spoiled. When the once-firm flesh begins to become brown and mushy, it is time to begin contemplating whether or not the fruit should be thrown out. If the banana begins to seep fluids, it has reached the end of its useful life.

Cooking techniques, secrets, and tips from the kitchen

1. Using bananas that have reached their peak ripeness to create banana bread is a fantastic treat that is appropriate for any event. If it is too late for you to retain them and consume them in a way that pleases you, then it may be time to make this delicious specialty instead. Because, after all, you don’t want to toss out what was once a mouth-watering assortment of bananas, do you? To prepare this scrumptious delicacy, you will only need a few simple ingredients, such as bananas, almonds, flour, eggs, butter, and cinnamon.
2. If you’re in a hurry but still want to enjoy some homemade ice cream, you don’t need a complicated churner to make banana ice cream. For this particular variant, you will need to chop your overripe bananas and then freeze them in a tray. After the mixture has been frozen, combine it in a food processor with some milk. Even better, it’s counted as one of your daily “five-a-day” servings. What more could you possibly ask for?
3. Making a smoothie out of bananas is yet another way to take advantage of the many health benefits that come from their high potassium level and overall nutritional value. Bananas are delicious when paired with a variety of other nuts and fruits, including hazelnuts, mango, citrus fruits, and berries, among others.
4. French toast is the perfect dish to serve for breakfast, lunch, or even as a dessert if you’re looking for something sweet. The flavour profile of double cream, maple syrup, mashed banana, and chocolate will knock you off your feet and leave you picking up your socks from the floor.
5. Why not flavour your oatmeal with bananas rather than bathing it in refined white sugar, which will just produce a rise in your blood sugar level before causing it to plummet again? Your favourite bowl of steel-cut oats might benefit from having some mashed banana and cinnamon added to it. Split the banana along the middle.
6. In Thai cuisine, banana leaves are often used as a kind of wrap (instead of tin foil). When food is cooked within banana leaves, not only does it appear lovely, but it also has a delicate scent and flavour thanks to the banana leaves. It is possible to cook meals by grilling, baking, or steaming using this. In contrast to alternatives such as tin foil and parchment paper, these materials not only serve the purpose of wrapping food, but they also impart a nice taste to the food they enclose.
7. The price for a substantial quantity of banana leaves is really affordable. You may get banana leaves at your neighbourhood Asian grocery store, either fresh or frozen, packaged in wide, flat plastic bags. If you are unable to locate them on the shelf or in the vegetable department, you should look in the freezer. Simply wrap the leftover leaves in plastic and store them in the freezer so that you can use them at a later time.
8. Banana flowers, also known as banana blossoms, are just what their name implies; they are the blooms that grow on banana trees. They are a delicacy that may be consumed in its whole and can be purchased fresh at roadside kiosks and farmer’s markets, anywhere bananas are cultivated; nevertheless, they are most often found in Asia. They are often used in dishes such as soups, salads, and curries.
9. You would obtain something that is quite similar to the Filipino staple banana ketchup, also known as catsup, if you swapped bananas for the tomatoes in traditional ketchup. This dish is often seen on tables all around the nation. Banana ketchup is still widely used today and can be found in traditional Filipino dishes like tortang talong (an omelette made with eggplant), hamburgers, fried chicken, and Filipino-style spaghetti. In place of tomato sauce and ground beef, this version of spaghetti uses banana ketchup and sliced hot dogs.
10. Blueberries, caramel, cherries, chocolate, cinnamon, coconut, coffee, ginger, guava, hazelnut, honey, lemon, lime, mango, molasses, orange, papaya, pineapple, and vanilla complement the banana well. It pairs excellently with brandy, Calvados, Madeira wine, and rum. Although bananas are not the most common fruit used in mixed cocktails, there are a few that may spark originality.

History of banana from the beginning until today

• Bananas are thought to have originated in Southeast Asia, where they are thought to have been cultivated. Their consumption is documented in early Greek and Latin texts, as well as in writings from Arab countries. Alexander the Great is believed to have discovered bananas while travelling through India.
• Bananas were first planted in Hispaniola, but swiftly spread to other islands and the mainland after being carried to the New World from the Canary Islands not long after Europeans discovered the Americas. The Canary Islands are where bananas originated. The production of bananas advanced to the point that they were a staple food in many regions, and in the nineteenth century, bananas first began to appear in the marketplaces of the United States of America.
• If you are fortunate enough to live in an area where bananas may be grown, the farmer’s market or other stores in your area may have a selection of bananas for sale. The following is a guide to the six distinct varieties of bananas:
  1. Apple bananas are very sweet, hence their other name, Candy Apple Bananas. They are cultivated in the tropical rain forests of Hawaii. Their flesh is solid and somewhat reddish in colour. The sweet, juicy fruit is ideal for snacking or sweets, and it is especially suitable for fruit salads and other raw dishes since it does not brown as rapidly as other banana varieties.
  2. Cavendish bananas are the most prevalent kind. They are the long, golden, somewhat sweet bananas seen in American stores. They range in colour from under ripe green to absolutely ripe and yet hard mellow yellow, to a riper deep yellow with one or two brown spots, to very mushy and browning.
  3. Lady’s Finger bananas are shorter and sweeter than the widespread Cavendish, which are longer and milder. They may be used in the same manner, but make especially portion-controlled snacks for children.
  4. Bananas from the Pisang Raja variety are popular in Indonesia, where they are often used to produce banana fritters. Additionally, referred to as Musa Belle bananas, additionally,
  5. There are several varieties of red bananas, but they all have two characteristics in common: they have a unique appearance, and they tend to be on the sweeter side of the banana taste spectrum. Eat them raw or add them to meals, but they are ready to eat when they are red.
  6. Cooking bananas, such as plantains, are more like potatoes than bananas. They may be roasted, steamed, and fried into excellent chips, as well as used in the same manner as other starchy vegetables.
• The vast majority of bananas farmed across the world today are produced either for personal use or for sale in their respective communities’ marketplaces. However, despite India’s position as the world’s leader in this form of production, many other countries in Asia and Africa with climates and soils that are conducive to agriculture also have large populations of banana growers who sell at least some of their fruit to consumers.
• Bananas play an important part in the cuisine of the Philippines and may be found in a variety of traditional dishes and desserts, including maruya, turon, halo-halo, and saba con yelo.