Why should we eat them?
Bananas are readily available year round and typically at a good price.
A few of the reasons to eat them:
- Bananas help to normalize blood pressure. 100g of bananas contains an average of 358mg potassium and 27mg magnesium. Both compounds are known to help with cardiovascular disease by regulating blood pressure.
- Bananas are low in calories, rich in nutrients and provide a feeling of fullness.
- Bananas are packed with iron which promotes the formation of red blood cells.
- They also provide vitamin B6, which regulates blood sugar levels. • Eating slightly unripe bananas can help you better control your glycemic index.
- Bananas are rich in vitamin B6. In fact, one banana contains 20% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin B. Thanks to vitamin B6, our body can make insulin and hemoglobin, along with amino acids necessary for healthy cell reproduction.
- One banana provides about 112 calories.
How To Keep Them:
So often we buy a bunch of bananas only to see them grow dark, over ripe and too sweet. If you notice that your bananas are ripening too quickly, here is the secret for making the rest of the bunch last. Do not break off from where the stems are together. Instead, when you want one banana, cut the stem clean off with a knife just where the fruit begins and leave its stem attached to the rest of the stems. Ethylene gas is released at the stem. This causes fruit to ripen quicker. Separating this way you can allow each banana to ripen at it’s own rate.
Best Uses:
- Eat fresh as is.
- Combine with other fruits and yogurt for a delicious smoothie. If you peel and cut into slices and freeze in a zip-lock bag, they’ll be ready to make those smoothies instantly.
- Make Banana Bread with ones that do get too ripe.
- Combine with peanut butter to add some protein and fat, an Elvis Presley favorite sandwich.
Caution:
- May not be good eaten too frequently by diabetics. Check with your doctor to be sure a daily banana is good for you.
