Bananas are high in many vitamins and minerals, including potassium, vitamin B6, fiber, magnesium, and vitamin C. This fruit is an excellent source of potassium which is a mineral and electrolyte that helps to maintain a healthy balance of water and offset the effects of excess salt intake. Bananas are also easy to digest and can improve your overall digestive health.
How to Store Your Bananas
- Store at room temperature away from direct sunlight.
- Do not refrigerate green bananas as this can disrupt normal ripening.
- To speed up ripening, store in a brown paper bag or place bananas near ripe fruit. On the other hand, if you want to slow ripening, store bananas away from other ripe fruits.
- Do not store in plastic bags as this traps excess moisture and promotes rotting.
- If a banana has ripened to a brown color, remove the peel and chop or mash the fruit to include in baked goods or freeze to be added into smoothies.
How to Add Bananas to Your Diet
- Add a sliced banana to a fruit salad.
- Swap an equal amount of mashed banana for butter in baked goods like muffins, quick breads, or cookies.
- For a frozen treat, slice a peeled banana in half and turn the fruit into a popsicle. Dip the banana into yogurt and sprinkle with nuts, chopped dried fruit, or other toppings. Freeze for a few hours.
- Add a banana or frozen banana into your smoothie.
Written by: Lauren Hinze, EFNEP Student Intern
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/bananas/