Best Ways to Use Overripe Bananas

Bananas are among the most important food crops on the planet. They come from a family of plants called Musa that are native to Southeast Asia and grown in many of the warmer areas of the world.

Bananas are a healthy source of fiber, potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and various antioxidants and phytonutrients. There are different types and sizes of bananas. It also has different color varieties ranging from green to red.

Here are ways to know that a banana is overripe

1. Sniff the banana

Smell it for a mild or fermented scent. Chances are that if you perceive this scent, it is most likely overripe.

2. Check the banana for browning

A yellow banana with a few brown spots is perfectly normal, but extensive browning shows that it is getting overripe already.

3. Press the banana for firmness

To test, softly press the banana. Unripe bananas will feel hard, overripe bananas will feel mushy and good bananas will feel soft but not squishy.

4. Check the banana for leakage

If your banana starts oozing liquid, it’s getting overripe and should be used for other recipes asides eating.

5. Taste the banana

If when you taste, you notice something off about the taste, you can just know that its overripe and should be used for other things.

Nutritional Information of Overripe Banana

Once a banana gets overripe, its nutritional benefits changes. Of course, it is still good and beneficial to the body. The fruit may help prevent diseases like asthma, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, as well as digestive problems.

Health Benefits of Overripe Banana

Considered the world’s most perfect food, banana is packed with vitamins and nutrients. Overripe banana provides tons of nutrients the body requires for proper functioning.

1. Prevents cell damage: Risks of diseases caused by damage of internal and radical cells are reduced due to the presence of antioxidants in overripe bananas.

2. Reduces blood pressure: The presence of potassium in overripe bananas helps the body system function properly, as it regulates the blood flow in the body well.

3. Relieves heartburn: Overripe helps prevent irritation and relieves heartburn by acting as an antacid.

4. Prevents anemia: It also contains iron that can help you increase your blood levels.

5. Boosts up energy: It contains high carbohydrates and sugar that can boost up your energy levels

6. Prevents cancer: The dark spots seen on overripe bananas create Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF), a substance that can kill cancerous and abnormal cells.

7. Manages ulcers: The soft texture of bananas coat your stomach lining as an ulcer patient and prevents the attack of acid aggravating your ulcer.

8. Relieves constipation: Rich in fiber, they help in bowel movement and allow easier waste passage out of your system.

9. Improves bone health: The richness of potassium in banana also produce alkali in the body to maintain the acid-base balance. This is important to note because when a body is acidic, the bones get a signal to neutralize the acid – and the bones tend to achieve this by breaking down to release the alkali. But banana can prevent this and allow the bones to maintain their structure. In other words, potassium consumption can prevent calcium loss from bones.

Best Ways to Use Overripe Bananas

Whether you find yourself with a bunch of overripe bananas by chance or intentionally, there’s a lot you can do with them. They enhance the taste of whatever you are using them for. Here are some other creative ways to put those overripe bananas to work, whether you’re in the mood for breakfast, dessert, or a snack in between.

1. Mash into Oatmeal

Breakfast is a great time to take advantage of the energy you can get from the sugars in overripe bananas. Keep it simple by stirring a mashed banana into a bowl of your favorite type of oats to make hot banana cereal. You can go ahead and add a dash of cinnamon and some chopped walnuts to make it even better.

2. Blend into Waffle or Pancake Batter

Mashed bananas can blend well into any kind of batter, whether its waffle batter, muffin batter, pancake batter or yep, banana bread batter. That’s why banana bread is the standard for sweet fruit bread.

3. Banana Cake

One thing to do with overripe bananas is to make banana cakes with them. You can keep them in a freezer to make your cake very moist. Just let them get defrost before making the cake. A very yummy cake is what will come out of this.

4. Bake Banana Cookies

You can mix bananas with other natural partners like oats, peanut butter and chocolate to make cookies. Even though they’re called cookies, they are ever ready to be eaten whenever you need to. You do not need to worry about digestion because they contain anti-oxidants that will aid this.

5. Add to a Smoothie

Smoothies are a smart, non-baking-adjacent way to use overripe bananas. The texture of bananas thickens and adds creaminess. It is a very good additive for your smoothie as it also enhances the taste as well.

6. Pancakes

Cut some banana onto your buttermilk pancakes as they get cooked, or mash up your banana and mix it into the batter. They keep the pancakes moist and sweet and you might not even need a maple syrup to eat along with it. This can easily serve as your breakfast without you having to do something so big.

7. Turn into Ice Cream

Don’t forget about dessert! Your mashed up bananas can be frozen up and turned into ice cream just the way you like it.

However, it is important to note that overripe banana poses some health issues of which some are:

Higher Sugar Content: As bananas ripen, their sugar content increases. While this can provide a quick energy boost, it may not be healthy for those with diabetes or any other health condition that requires a low sugar diet.

Potential for Increased Glycemic Index: The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food increases the blood sugar levels. As bananas overripe, their GI increases, meaning they can cause an increased rise in blood sugar. This can also be an issue for individuals with diabetes or those trying to control the level of their blood sugar.

SEE ALSO:

Recipes for Baking a Delicious Walnut Banana Cake

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7 Ways to Plan an Environmentally Friendly Date for Your Partner

The 7 Classes of Food (Examples and Functions)