Description
- 2 types of bananas – sweet banana and plantain banana
- Plantain bananas are usually cooked and considered more like a vegetable due to their high starch content. They also have a higher beta-carotene concentration than most sweet bananas.
Health Benefits
- Bananas are high in Vitamin B6, Vitamin C and Potassium
- The potassium in bananas help to maintain normal blood pressure and healthy heart function
- Help to prevent heart disease
- Potassium helps to promote bone health
- Protect against stomach ulcers and ulcer damage
- Bananas contain pectin, a soluble fiber (called a hydrocolloid) that can help normalize movement through the digestive tract and ease constipation
- Bananas protect your eyesight
How to Select and Store
- Base your choice of bananas depending upon when you want to consume them.
- Bananas with more green coloration will take longer to ripen than those more yellow in hue and/or with brown spots.
- Bananas should be firm, but not too hard, bright in appearance, and free from bruises or other injuries.
- Their stems and tips should be intact.
- The size of the banana does not affect its quality, so simply choose the size that best meets your needs
- They should be left to ripen at room temperature and should not be subjected to overly hot or cold temperatures
- If you need to hasten the ripening process, you can place bananas in a paper bag or wrap them in newspaper, adding an apple to accelerate the process
- Ripe bananas that will not be consumed for a few days can be placed in the refrigerator
How to Enjoy
- Bananas can be added to almost any smoothie
- See our smoothie section for numerous recipes containing bananas!
Content courtesy of whfoods.org
