Why do we eat spoiled bananas?

When shopping, it’s hard to find a stand more overstocked than the ones selling bananas. We hunt mainly for the perfectly yellow ones, those that are still a little green are also quite popular, while brown ones often “survive” alone at the bottom of the cartons. Is our consumer intuition right?

Nothing divides Poles more than…food 😉 Who among us has not at least once taken part in a heated and sometimes very emotional discussion about the best mayonnaise, who has not thoroughly analysed the composition of the perfect miszia? Food is one of the main topics of conversation in both Polish homes and workplaces. Even within our editorial team, opinions on the colour of the tastiest – and by this I mean best – bananas are strongly divided. Who is right, then?

How did bananas get into our diet?

It is worth starting our deliberations by tracing the path the banana has taken to Polish tables. It is assumed that bananas may have been known to our ancestors more than 10 thousand years ago and are considered to be one of the first fruits “domesticated” by man. At first, they were only supposed to be found in Oceania and South-East Asia, in a completely different form than the ones we know from shops today.

From there, by trade, they began to spread to India, Africa and what was then Polynesia. In the following centuries, the expansion of the fruit continued. It was Alexander the Great himself who popularized it on the Old Continent and the first plantations and banana trade routes were established in the Far and Middle East. Europeans became interested in importing this filling, exotic delicacy on a larger scale only around the 15th century, coinciding with the beginnings of colonialism.

We are still talking, however, about very ancient times from today’s perspective and about a banana which, as we mentioned earlier, did not exactly resemble the modern one. It took on its current, more elongated and yellowish form only in the last two centuries. As a result of the crossbreeding of varieties and the development of mass production, it was also almost completely devoid of seeds – nowadays, we can only find very tiny, black seeds.

By the way, you know the saying: “‘those were the days’, right? However absurd it may seem, it makes perfect sense in the context of bananas and their taste. In post-war Poland, besides the fact that tropical fruit was a luxury commodity, the most popular variety on the market was Gros Michel. It was characterised by a more distinctive taste and aroma, but it did not survive the disease epidemic and disappeared from the market completely in the 1960s.

So if your grandmother says bananas used to be better, she’s probably right 🙂 Gros Michel was quite quickly replaced by the Cavendish variety, ubiquitous in our market to this day. Here’s a nice animated pill about banana history from National Geographic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpAHPXNhAwk

Green, yellow or brown – which colour bananas are best?

Green bananas are in fact far from being ripe fruit. However, due to the unfavourable climate on our continent, we are forced to import them. First, the huge green bunches arrive on a ship in a cold store, where they then face a long sea journey. Once in Europe, they are placed in special ripening facilities to continue their journey to markets and shop counters.

In that case, are such unripe, green or even greenish bananas good to eat? Yes, and for some it is even advisable. As the fruit ripens, its glycemic index rises, and for a very ripe brown banana, it can exceed 70 points. Green bananas, due to their lower sugar content (GI around 30 points), are recommended for diabetics and people suffering from insulin resistance.

In addition, they are a rich source of resistant starch, thanks to which they reduce appetite and the feeling of satiety after a meal lasts longer. The positive effect of green bananas on the regulation of insulin levels and their cancer-preventing properties are also the subject of ongoing research. In India, green bananas are also quite a popular remedy for diarrhoea.

Yellow bananas attract our attention with their attractive, almost bookish appearance and balanced, sweet taste. Often, even amateurs of those with brown spots buy just such and let them rest and ripen.

Bananas are a rich source of vitamins such as A, C, E, K and those from the B group, as well as minerals, especially potassium. They are also particularly popular due to their relatively high calorific value, as 100 grams of the product contain approximately 90 calories. Thanks to that, not wanting to give up healthy eating habits, we willingly reach for bananas in emergency situations.

Interestingly, these oblong fruits also contain dopamine, which in turn has a positive effect on our mood and memory. Thanks to their high fibre content, they can be part of a balanced weight loss diet. Unfortunately, the glycemic index of yellow bananas is estimated at around 50 points, so they are not recommended in a diabetic diet.

Well, time for the eponymous ‘spoiled’ bananas. Their unattractive, unappetising appearance is mainly responsible for their unfavourable rating. They differ from their colourful counterparts only in that they have a high glycaemic index of up to 70, but this is typical of ripe fruit.

Brown bananas are sought after for their sweetness and softness and are also rich in antioxidants such as flavonoids and polyphenols, which may reduce the risk of cancer. Because of their properties, they are increasingly used as a natural sweetener in cakes and other sweets.

So, as you can see, the aversion to brown bananas, especially those with brown spots, should only apply to those keeping an eye on the GI in their healthy diet. Also, in keeping with the less waste lifestyle, we heartily encourage you to use them even in the form of sweeteners and additives. Banana peels left over can be used as fertiliser and compost, among other things.

User recipes for banana delights

Banana Bread from Vicky2017:

• Cold-pressed rapeseed oil 154 g
• Bee honey 110 g
• Whole hen eggs 120 g (2 pieces)
• Banana 555 g
• Drinking milk without fat 2% 80g
• Buckwheat flour 224 g
• Cinnamon 2 g
• Baking soda 6 g
• White salt 8 g

Preheat the oven to 165 degrees and grease a tin with oil. In a bowl, mix the oil and honey, add the bananas and milk. Then add the baking soda, cinnamon and mix. Finally add the flour and mix gently. Pour into the mould and bake for 50 to 60 minutes.

Banana blueberry pudding:

• Drinking milk 1.5% fat 225 g (1 glass)
• Buckwheat 52 g (4 flat tbsp raw)
• Bee honey 15 g (1 level spoon)
• Banana 185 g (1 medium)

Boil the milk. Rinse the buckwheat under running water. Pour the groats into the boiling milk. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring from time to time. Peel, cut and mash the banana with a fork. Add to the cooked porridge together with honey. Blend all ingredients to a smooth paste. Sprinkle blueberries or other fruit on top.

Banana pancakes with strawberry sauce from Liandra:

• Buckwheat flour 50 g (half a glass)
• Maize flour 30 g (3 level tablespoons)
• Natural buttermilk 180 g
• Banana 185 g (1 medium)
• Unrefined cane sugar 3 g (1/2 level teaspoon)
• White salt 1 g (1 pinch)
• Baking powder 2 g (1/2 level teaspoon)
• Whole hen eggs 60 g (one piece)

Sauce:

• Strawberries 133 g (1 glass)
• Potato starch 12 g (1 level teaspoon)

Mix the dry cake ingredients (flours, powder, salt, sugar). In another bowl, crush a very ripe banana with a fork, add the egg and buttermilk, mix well.

Add the mixture to the dry ingredients and mix the dough thoroughly with a spoon or mixer. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare the sauce – crush the strawberries with a fork or dice finely. Briefly boil the fruit in a small pot – add the potato starch mixed in a small amount of water (1-2 tablespoons) – stirring vigorously, briefly boil the sauce and remove from heat

Heat up a non-fat frying pan or use frying spray. Spoon in portions of batter, flattening slightly with a spoon. Fry until golden, turning with a spatula. If you fry in fat, drain the pancakes on paper towels.

Spread strawberry sauce over the pancakes.

If you need more ideas for healthy recipes with bananas, you can find them in the Fitatu application in the “Recipes” section. More information about Fitatu can be found at: https://www.fitatu.com