About bananas

banana recipes

Grown on huge plants in tropical and subtropical climates, bananas grow "upside down" on large stems. Each bunch of bananas is called a "hand."

Available year round, bananas are sold at different stages of ripeness, and as the color changes from green to yellow, the starch inside the fruit is converted to sugar, resulting in the familiar sweet taste.

Green-tipped bananas are best for cooking, as they will remain firm. Most commonly eaten on their own, ripe bananas can also be baked, fried, or sautéed. Full yellow, brown speckled fruit is sweetest, and often used in baking cakes, cookies, and breads. When bananas are at the desired stage of ripeness, they can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.

Bananas are quite fragile, and bruise easily. They should be stored at room temperature, as cold halts the ripening process. Because bananas discolor rapidly when exposed to air, it is best to peel them just before using. Sprinkle them with diluted citrus juice to prevent browning. Ripe bananas will keep in the freezer; peel and wrap them carefully. Or purée them, add a touch of lemon juice, and save for later use in baked goods.

Plaintains, a relative of the sweet banana, are sometimes referred to as a "cooking banana." With firmer flesh and a thicker peel than it’s cousin, the plantain is 10 to 15 inches long, with a skin that turns to yellow, then to black. Plantains must be cooked before eating, and are often served baked or fried.

As a sweet banana ripens from green to yellow, the high starch content gradually converts to easily digested sugars. The banana is not only a sweet-tasting, delicious, and convenient snack, but is an excellent source of vitamin B6 and potassium, essential in maintaining the body’s natural fluid balance (favorite food of runners and cyclists!) Bananas are also a good source of fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, and magnesium.

One average banana counts as one fruit serving and equals about 100 calories. Two to three medium bananas will yield about 1 cup of purée for recipe use.

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