If you love bananas, you’re in for a treat. I share fascinating banana facts, benefits, tutorials, recipes and videos in this epic ultimate guide to bananas.
Dieters, gym rats, and athletes are all going bananas over—what else?—but banana.
Whether it’s for breakfast, lunch or snacks, this fruit is increasingly becoming a meal staple not only for its filling goodness but also because of its awesome health benefits.
If there’s one fruit in the produce section that attracts most buyers, the banana is easily the winner.
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It can be eaten raw and is versatile enough to be used for a wide range of food preparations.
And it’s also a handy pick-me-up for when you’re too busy to have an actual sit-down meal.
Thus, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to you that it’s the most consumed fruit in the Western part of the globe.
Did you know that 51% of the world’s banana supply is eaten at breakfast?
That’s typically how most of us would start the day, right?
And we ought to thank dietitians for this suggestion.
Because instead of feasting on greasy bacon and carb-rich toasts, we have the choice to eat bananas which is kind of just the same in terms of satiety level—only minus the fat-depositing food components in a typical Westernized breakfast.
I myself have discovered a more creative way to consume bananas for breakfast: through making Green Thickies.
This doubles the health-boosting properties of bananas because they’ve joined forces with equally healthy leafy greens, plant-derived fats, and natural proteins.
I understand that it might not be easy to give up a meal we have been used to, but you can gradually make the shift to a healthier morning habit by starting with bananas.
Some of my friends were even hesitant about giving “banana for breakfast” a try, but are now looking great with their new-found lifestyle.
In this guide to bananas, I’ll show you why bananas are all the rage within the fitness and wellness community, and how exactly they address your body’s needs from nourishment down to weight management.
Table Of Contents
- 5 Fascinating Banana Facts
- 7 Brilliant Banana Benefits
- Banana For Weight Loss: Does It Work?
- Banana Nutrition
- How To Store Bananas
- How To Quickly Ripen Bananas
- How To Tell If A Banana Is Ripe
- How To Cut A Banana Correctly
- How To Eat A Banana The Right Way
- Banana Recipes
- Banana Videos
- Conclusion
- Related Guides You Will Love
5 Fascinating Banana Facts
Think you know your banana?
These fun facts about the fruit will challenge your knowledge reserves and might leave you in awe for sure.
1) The Former Scientific Name Of Banana Is “Musa Sapientum”, Which Roughly Translates To “Muse Of Wise Men” Or “Fruit Of The Wise Men”.
Curious as to why it earned such a title?
Well, according to an Indian legend, wise men used to sit under the cool shade of banana trees.
But if we’re going to loosely base the name on this concept, it’s probably because bananas actually contain amino acids and vitamins that help keep the brain working optimally.
2) It Could Be That Bananas Were The First Fruit Cultivated By Man.
Its history dates back to as early as 327 BC, during which Alexander the Great had been conquering lands halfway across the globe.
3) Bananas Float On Water.
This is a scene straight out of a grade school science class: you place the banana in a bowl of water, and miraculously it floats.
This phenomenon is due to the fact that banana is less dense than water; so are watermelon, apples, and oranges.
4) Bananas Are Actually Berries.
That’s only a botanical classification, though.
But to answer your question, what makes it related to the berry family is that its seeds are found inside the flesh.
5) A Banana Is Your Happy Pill.
Serotonin production, which is responsible for triggering the happy mood in a person, is enhanced by amino acids, Vitamin B6 and tryptophan that are all present in bananas.
So the next time you’re feeling down, ditch the retail therapy and just take a bite of a banana to lighten your mood.
7 Brilliant Banana Benefits
It’s easy to say that fruits, being plant-based and all-natural, are all nutritious.
However, each kind of fruit comes with its own package of health benefits that are independent of the rest.
Bananas are no exception.
In fact, here are some of the amazing things that banana could do that your body will surely thank you for:
1) Bananas Have Been Linked To Lower Risks Of Heart Diseases, Strokes, And High Blood Pressure.
Thanks to its high potassium content, banana can help you avoid cardiovascular diseases.
This mineral is responsible for triggering the heart to pump blood.
A diet rich in potassium has been known to reduce the chances of suffering from high blood pressure, heart attacks and clogged arteries due to excessive cholesterol.
2) Bananas Help Reduce The Probability Of Developing Depression.
As previously mentioned, banana is a mood neutralizer that keeps your mental health in check.
Bananas have tryptophan which the body converts into serotonin, and throughout the process, it aids in transmitting mood-elevating triggers to the brain.
Not only is it beneficial for turning your mood around, but it also helps you sleep better at night so you won’t have time to overthink things.
3) Bananas Curb Your Appetite.
Because it is fiber-rich, a banana a day can keep your cravings at bay.
Fiber makes you feel full for longer, which eventually leads to lower calorie intake by eliminating the need to eat more.
4) Bananas Aid In Better Digestion.
The resistant starch in bananas helps increase short-chain fatty acids in the digestive tract, which are important for gut health.
5) Bananas Are Proven To Help Post-workout Replenishment.
This is ideal for those who also exercise on a regular basis.
Instead of chugging energy and electrolytes drinks, you may simply opt for water and banana to replenish your body’s fluids.
The advantage of serotonin in oxidative stress has also been noted by experts in one study when athletes have visibly improved their performance after eating bananas.
6) Bananas Help In Maintaining Strong Bones.
Although bananas only have 1% Daily Value of calcium, it makes up for its scarcity with the presence of fructooligosaccharides which are non-digestive carbs that encourages better absorption of calcium necessary for bone health.
7) Bananas Help Lower The Risk Of Kidney Cancers.
There are studies that suggest bananas could help lower the risk of developing kidney cancers.
In fact, in one particular Swedish study, it has been found that banana’s inherent antioxidants have helped cut cancer risk in women participants by nearly half.
Banana For Weight Loss: Does It Work?
Bananas work wonders for the pre- and post-workout body, which is why you often see CrossFit guys and gym regulars pack this yellow fruit in their workout bags.
Not only do they help sustain and replenish your body fuel, but they also have low-calorie content that packs in fiber—both of which can aid in reduced appetite and calorie intake necessary for managing weight.
Moreover, it has also been found in a study that resistant starch from bananas can boost fat oxidation by 23% due to the component’s ability to resist digestion and prolong satiety.
And that’s not all.
Bananas’ rich reserves of potassium can help you trim your waistline by eliminating water retention.
If your tummy looks bloated, it could probably be due water weight; at which case, you can try snacking on bananas to help hasten its reduction.
Banana Nutrition
With all the aforementioned benefits that you can enjoy from a single piece of banana, it’s hard to tell right away how many nutrients it really has.
But to give you an idea, here’s a list of nutritional content found in a medium-sized, single-serving of banana.
Calories – 105
Carbohydrates – 27.0 g
Fiber – 3.1 g
Starch – 6.3 g
Omega-3 – 31.9 mg
Protein – 1.3 g
Vitamin A – 2% DV
Vitamin C – 17% DV
Thiamin – 2% DV
Folate – 6% DV
Vitamin B6 – 22% DV
How To Store Bananas
The most common way to store bananas is to leave them at room temperature.
You can refrigerate ripe bananas; however, their skin will turn black in a few days which will not significantly affect the taste and consistency of the flesh.
If you must protect them from outside elements such as pests and dust, you may use cling wrap and consequently speed up the ripening process.
Still-unripe bananas should never be refrigerated because it will interfere with the natural ripening process of the fruit.
You may also want to use banana hangers and stands.
These can help prevent bruises on bananas and allow air to circulate around them.
If you have bought nearly-ripe bananas, you may want to wrap the stem of the bunch with plastic wrap to trap the ethylene gas which often causes premature ripening on each banana piece.
However, if you’re planning to save them for smoothie making, you may store ripe bananas in the freezer for up to 6 months—and it’s much easier if you have peeled them before freezing.
How To Quickly Ripen Bananas
In case you’ve purchased a bunch of bananas that are still unripe and green, you may help speed up the ripening process by putting them inside a brown paper bag.
Check on them every two days to see if they have turned yellow.
You may also include an apple or a tomato in the same paper bag to hasten the ripening of the bananas by one day.
How To Tell If A Banana Is Ripe
Color and smell are good indicators of ripeness, but this is not always the case with bananas.
If you’re still struggling to peel the skin, then it may not be ripe enough for consumption.
But if you see the green bananas turned yellow and fragrant, they are already in their prime.
Similarly, if you see brown specks around the skin, they may indicate the ripeness of the fruit.
How To Cut A Banana Correctly
This should be a no-brainer, but there’s actually a correct way of cutting banana.
You may simply peel the banana from its skin and slice the flesh with the knife positioned horizontally.
Trying to slice it vertically will only result in uneven slices and it is much harder. However, if you’re going to bake a banana, slicing it vertically is better. This is one of my favorite snacks topped with some vegan yogurt or drizzled with maple syrup mixed with carob powder for a healthy chocolate sauce.
How To Eat A Banana The Right Way
We can learn a thing or two from monkeys, who eat their bananas by peeling the skin starting from the bottom up.
This is perhaps the most convenient way to eat bananas since you’ll be spared from the trouble of having to tear apart the stem and remove the pulps dangling from it.
Banana Recipes
This section contains my signature banana recipes. I hope you love these banana recipes as much as I do.
Banana Smoothies
Hawaiian Smoothie
Sometimes it’s just nice to keep it simple and go back to basics with good sweet, fresh ripe fruit and no sweeteners for this Hawaiian Smoothie.
Healthy Muesli Green Thickie Smoothie Recipe
This is a great healthy muesli recipe. It is a bowl of cereal in a glass with all your added extra ingredients for a healthy balanced meal.
Sun Dream Orange and Banana Smoothie
Take this orange and banana smoothie and lie back in the sun and taste the fruity, refreshing and zingy flavours of this summery sensation.
Thick Green Tropical Smoothie Recipe
This creamy tropical smoothie recipe will give you everything you need for a balanced meal and it also happens to taste amazing.
Berry Banana Green Smoothie
A blueberry and banana green smoothie that you won’t believe actually has greens in it. Perfect for picky kids as well, as the blueberries make it nice and purple.
Green Monster Smoothie
A Green Monster Smoothie recipe that’s the perfect Monday breakfast after a weekend of overindulging on family lunches and late night get togethers. A great recipe to cleanse your system and kick-start your diet back on the right track.
Blueberry Broccoli Smoothie: Cancer Preventing
This blueberry and broccoli smoothie is packed full of cancer-preventing superfoods.
Perfect way to get your raw broccoli bursting full of nutrients.
4th Of July Drink: Red, White And Blue, And Still Green?
This 4th of July Drink is a very posh green thickie for special occasions. This colourful layered smoothie has the wow factor but still has the same amount of healthy greens, oats, nuts and fruit.
Loch Ness Monster Smoothie
Get all the goodness from the ocean in this Loch Ness Monster Smoothie and find out about the amazing health benefits of Spirulina.
Peachy Pail Green Smoothie
This Peachy Pail peach smoothie recipe is a great snack. Add spinach to it for an injection of nutrients straight into your body.
Sunny Side Up Pineapple Smoothie
If a smoothie can be happy, this is the smoothie that is! A delicious, sunny recipe for you to enjoy any time.
Warming Spicy Apple Halloween Smoothie
This spicy Apple Halloween Smoothie is guaranteed to warm you up during the cold months of winter. Your kids will eat less candy after this filling drink.
If you've never tried adding warming spice to your smoothies, you are in for a treat today. You are going to love this smoothie.
Lemon Meringue Pie Smoothie
Gorgeous lemon meringue pie smoothie recipe and a free 1 day sample of the Green Thickies 7 Day Diet Plan for weight loss and improved health. Get yours now.
Blackberry Smoothie With Basil
This fresh, sweet and aromatic blackberry smoothie has a twist. Basil is a match made in heaven with the blackberries in this Green Smoothie.
Raw Spiced Butternut Squash Smoothie
This spiced butternut squash smoothie is actually raw, very healthy and extremely filling. This is a perfect meal replacement smoothie full of antioxidants.
Anti-inflammatory Cranberry Smoothie
This Cranberry Smoothie is great for reducing inflammation and has all it's antioxidants present, unlike commercial cranberry juice drinks.
Orange Juice and Pumpkin Smoothie
This orange juice and pumpkin smoothie is a refreshing break from all the stodgy autumnal recipes. You can use either cooked or raw pumpkin in this drink.
Pineapple and Frozen Orange Juice Smoothie (4 Way Smoothie)
This Pineapple and Frozen Orange Juice Smoothie has 4 options (4 Way Smoothie). You can make a fruit smoothie, green smoothie, thickie or green thickie.
Rippled Raspberry Smoothie
This pretty rippled raspberry smoothie doesn’t require any chopping if you use frozen fruit.
Pear, Cardamon and Apple Smoothie
This autumnal pear and apple smoothie is delicately seasoned with cardamon to give it a beautifully rounded taste.
Banana and Caramel Smoothie
The caramel in this banana and caramel smoothie makes it so sweet and creamy. This smoothie feels like a really indulgent treat.
Zucchini Bread Smoothie
Zucchini is low in fat and great for people trying to lose weight. Despite its low calories, this zucchini bread smoothie is creamy and filling.
Raw Buckwheat and Banana Smoothie
This lovely Raw Buckwheat and Banana Smoothie is great for those on a raw food diet or gluten intolerant. Despite the name buckwheat is actually a grain!
Lime, Chili & Chocolate Smoothie
Give your taste buds a treat with this Lime, Chili & Chocolate Smoothie. Experience the tang of lime, kick of chili and the melt in your mouth chocolate.
Basic Green Thickie Recipe: How To Make A Green Thickie
Use this basic Green Thickie Recipe as your starting point to create your own fabulous smoothies. These are the green smoothies you can make a meal of!
Creamy Filling Dairy Free Chocolate Chia Smoothie
This healthy Chocolate Chia Smoothie will fill you up until your next meal.
Healthy Ginger Cake (Frugal Full Meal Green Smoothie)
These Cheap Smoothies are not only frugal and healthy but they are a complete meal drink. This Healthy Ginger Cake green smoothie will save you a fortune.
Sweet Almond Surprise (Frugal Full Meal Green Smoothie)
This smoothie will save you a fortune, is extremely healthy, will give you energy until lunch time and tastes gorgeous. Wow!
Mint Refresher (Frugal Full Meal Green Smoothie)
It's hard to find a recipe for cheap smoothies but this is the third in the series of frugal smoothies that will save you a fortune and fill you up.
Mango and Passion Smoothie for Good Eyesight
I drank this gorgeous Mango and Passion fruit Smoothie (Green Thickie) every day for a month after giving birth. Options for green smoothies and thickies.
Natural Protein Shake without Protein Powder
Finally - a natural protein shake that is high in protein and HAS NO PROTEIN POWDER! This vegan smoothie gets the protein from one ingredient which is...
Sweet Potato and Banana Pie Smoothie
If the thought of a sweet potato smoothie sounds a bit strange, have no fear, this smoothie tastes just like a sweet pie.
Homemade Healthy Weight Gain Smoothie
Do you struggle to gain weight? You don't need to eat junk food to put on weight. This homemade healthy weight gain smoothie will help you gain weight in a natural way.
Hot Chocolate Green Thickie Smoothie (Warming Winter Smocolate)
Too cold for smoothies? Think again! This delicious, healthy and warming hot chocolate green thickie smoothie recipe will keep you healthy all winter long.
Green Smoothie Detox Recipe For A Healthy Lean Body
The easiest, tastiest and most effective way to detox is with green smoothies. Try this green smoothie detox recipe and use the tips for success with your green smoothie detox.
Healthy Start Complete Meal Green Smoothie Recipe
This super fast, super healthy green smoothie is a full meal in a glass. Try it today and start feeling even more healthy!
Healthy Apple Pie Smoothie
We all love our desserts but we don’t love what they do to our waistlines and health. Unless you make a healthy thick dessert smoothie – A Thickie!
High Protein Shake Recipe Without Protein Powder
Today I’m sharing my High Protein Shake Recipe Without Protein Powder. This shake will help you put on muscle, while still losing weight and meeting all of your nutritional needs, giving you a crazy amount of energy that will propel you through your workouts. Today I’m going deep into the science behind my choice of ingredients so you can understand why each item in this smoothie is so powerful for your health.
1 Minute Meal Replacement Shake Recipe: Natural & Nutritionally Complete
This delicious nutritionally complete meal replacement shake is the ultimate healthy fast food on the go. Perfect for weight loss, the secret ingredient is...
Other Banana Recipes
Sweet Mango and Banana Spinach Ice Cream
If you’ve never tried fruit ice cream you’ve been missing out. Here I take it to another level with this simple spinach ice cream. It’s sweet, gorgeous and very healthy
Beautiful Banana And Blueberry Chia Pudding Recipe
I finally found an amazing homemade pudding recipe that’s so healthy, you can even eat it for breakfast.
Find out how I make my beautiful banana and blueberry chia pudding recipe...
10 Best Nicecream Recipes
Here are my 10 best nicecream recipes for you! So what on earth is nicecream? It is healthy, but delicious ice cream made from frozen bananas. Even if you’re not a fan of bananas, believe me, frozen bananas taste completely different, very creamy and mild - quite like normal ice cream. You are going to love it!
Chocolate Chia Dairy Free Ice Cream
This Chocolate Chia Dairy-Free Ice Cream has a consistency of soft serve or cool chocolate pudding. It is refined sugar-free with easy to find ingredients.
Banana Videos
I have created a series of banana recipe videos and tutorials for you.
Basic Green Thickie Recipe
Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie
How To Freeze Bananas (3 Quick Ways)
How To Store Bananas
How To Ripen Bananas (Fast & Easy)
How To Store Bananas
Banana Pancake Recipe (Only 1 Ingredient)
How To Make Banana Chips
10 Second Banana Ice Cream Recipe (Using Only Bananas)
Conclusion
Bananas should make up a major part of your diet if your aim is to extract as many nutrients as your body needs.
After all, they aren’t popular for nothing.
It’s a good thing that we have a surplus of this particular fruit worldwide; hence, we should make the most out of it.
Aside from simply eating it straight, you can even step up your diet by incorporating banana in your smoothies, pastries, and desserts; the possibilities are endless!
With all the benefits it could bring to your health, I can only wonder how glad your body will be as it enjoys the natural goodness of bananas.
I also hope that you’ll now be encouraged to make eating bananas a habit, all minus the hassle of storing and consuming them.
Related Guides You Will Love
Over 50 Spinach Recipes: The Complete Collection
The Complete Guide To Green Smoothies
The Essential Guide To Meal Replacement Shakes
The Ultimate Smoothie Blender Guide
The Only Guide To Protein Shakes You’ll Ever Need
Complete Guide To Smoothies: 200+ Recipes, Diets, Tutorials & Videos
Complete Guide To Raw Food: 100+ Recipes, Diet, Benefits & Videos
Complete Guide To Fruit: Facts, Benefits, Tutorials, Recipes & Videos
Complete Guide To Mangos: Facts, Benefits, Tutorials, Recipes & Videos
Sources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6286402
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8092089
- http://glycemicindex.com/foodSearch.php?num=34&ak=detail
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12680234
- https://www.degruyter.com/downloadpdf/j/prilozi.2017.38.issue-2/prilozi-2017-0033/prilozi-2017-0033.pdf
- https://academic.oup.com/fqs/article/2/4/183/5164297
- https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/fstr/15/3/15_3_275/_pdf
- https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-7075-1-8
- https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0037479#abstract0
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