Bananas are the perfect ingredient in any baked recipe from mashing them into a pancake batter or bread, to blending them into smoothies and if you are hungry you can eat them as a quick snack. Aside from being nutritious, extremely healthy, and delicious, we at Azada, refuse to compromise our sourcing standards (by local and support local), it can sometimes present a challenge, albeit one we’re happy to accept. What’s more our climate here in Spain is suited to growing them, which means they have to be sourced from Gran Canarias & the Canary Islands.
But before we teach you how to choose the tastiest bananas, here are some science-based health benefits of bananas.
- Bananas are a rich source of fibre and contain several nutrients and antioxidants.
- They can help to moderate blood sugar levels after meals and have been known to reduce appetite by keeping the stomach fuller for longer.
- Bananas are a fairly resistant starch (depending on ripeness), which may feed your gut bacteria and safeguard against some types of cancer.
- Bananas are low in calories, which could aid in weight loss
- Bananas are a very good dietary source of potassium and magnesium — essential for heart health.
- They are high in antioxidants, which could help reduce damage from free radicals and lower your risk of some diseases.
- Eating a banana several times a week may reduce your risk of kidney disease.
- Bananas provide excellent fuel for endurance exercise and help to relieve muscle cramps caused by exercise.
- And finally, their versatility makes them easy to add to your diet.
Sourcing a Better Banana
As a company we had a decision to make: adhere to our local-only policy for sourcing produce and find better ingredients we’d be proud to use in our recipes. We listened to our gut feeling, did the work, and started sourcing organic, local, and national ingredients including bananas from Gran Canarias that do not disrupt the system of exploitation and environmental degradation.
How to Choose the Perfect Banana
Did you know that Canarian bananas are picked just days before they arrive in shops across Europe rather than weeks for Caribbean bananas? This means that they are much riper and tastier with more sugar and vitamins. Look for the Plátano de Canarias in your local supermarket.
No matter how quickly a banana gets to market in Europe, it will never be as tasty as the ones that you buy in Gran Canarias. This is because they are allowed to ripen for a much longer time on the tree because of the short delivery time to the European countries whereas the South American variation is harvested up to two months before it actually arrives at your local greengrocer or supermarket.
To pick a good banana, look for an even yellow colour with no bruising, and when they start getting tiny black spots on the skin it only means they are perfectly ripe.
As we continue to grow as a company, we’re committed to the same principles and standards that have guided us to this point. You can rest assured that when you buy our olive oils or cook tasty recipes from our website they have no shady ingredients and are sourced responsibly. We’d never settle for anything less and we don’t expect you to, either.
If you are in need of a tasty banana recipe this month look out for our mini Gluten-free Orange and Banana Cakes with Pomegranate Seeds.
FAQs
To pick a good banana, look for an even yellow colour with no bruising, and when they start getting tiny black spots on the skin it only means they are perfectly ripe. As we continue to grow as a company, we're committed to the same principles and standards that have guided us to this point.
Is there a difference between organic bananas and regular bananas? ›
Organic bananas are grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or genetically modified organisms, following organic farming standards. Regular bananas, on the other hand, are conventionally grown and may use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. However, both types of bananas are nutritionally similar.
What is the importance of bananas? ›
Bananas provide vitamins and minerals, including: Vitamin B6: A medium banana gives you about a quarter of the vitamin B6 you should get each day. It helps with metabolism. And it plays an important role in brain development during pregnancy and infancy, as well as immune system health.
Do organic bananas taste better? ›
One of the key factors that sets organic bananas apart from their conventional counterparts is taste. Organic bananas are often praised for their rich and vibrant flavors, attributed to the absence of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides during cultivation.
What's going on with bananas? ›
Why are they going extinct? A fungal infection known as Panama disease or banana wilt is causing a significant decrease in Cavendish banana populations worldwide. Panama disease, which is actually a fungus, inhabits the roots of a banana plant and prevents it from absorbing water and nutrients from the soil.
What does 4011 mean on bananas? ›
4011 is a code used across the country in grocery stores to ring up bananas at the register. Whether it's by an employee or self-checkout, 4011 will enter bananas and you'll be prompted to leave them on the scanner to be weighed.
Should bananas be refrigerated? ›
The ideal place to store bananas is on a countertop, away from direct sunlight. They do well in cool, dry places and will continue to ripen when left at room temperature. What is the best way to keep bananas fresh longer? Once bananas are at their peak ripeness, you can store them in the fridge or freezer for later.
Why can't you eat bananas everyday? ›
Eating too many bananas or other high-potassium foods can cause excess potassium in the body, also called hyperkalemia. This can cause serious health problems, including heart issues. While most people wouldn't be able to stomach the number of bananas necessary to cause this to happen, it's something to be mindful of.
Why do bananas matter? ›
Bananas are a very good dietary source of potassium and magnesium — essential for heart health. They are high in antioxidants, which could help reduce damage from free radicals and lower your risk of some diseases. Eating a banana several times a week may reduce your risk of kidney disease.
What is the healthiest ripeness to eat a banana? ›
Green Bananas Can Offer Health Benefits. Green bananas are less sweet and contain less sugar than riper yellow bananas. They also have more resistant starch, which may benefit blood sugar management and your overall health. Bananas are incredibly tasty and easy to eat.
Chiquita organic bananas
And not to mention unmistakably sweet and dee-lish! Ask your produce manager to stock Chiquita organic bananas if your favorite store doesn't already carry them. Chiquita's organic bananas are produced in a way that promotes a sustainable, healthy lifestyle.
Why do they say not to eat bananas for breakfast? ›
Bananas are no doubt healthy. However, they contain around 25% sugar, which can lead to a quick energy boost followed by a mid-morning crash. This can leave you feeling tired and hungry, undoing any benefits of the banana. Furthermore, the sugar boost can trigger cravings and increase the risk of overheating.
When can you no longer eat bananas? ›
Mold on bananas is fuzzy white, gray, or greenish—it looks a lot like mold on bread. If a banana smells rotten or fermented or is leaking fluid, it's time to say goodbye. If the fruit inside, not just the peel, is black, that's a sign that your banana is too far gone to safely eat.
Why does Walmart sell so many bananas? ›
We asked Wal-Mart spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan why bananas are perennially popular. "Customers love bananas because they're an easy, healthy food to pack and eat and very affordable," Buchanan said. "Kids also love bananas, and so a lot of customers are probably thinking of their children."
Do organic bananas ripen differently? ›
From planting through harvest through shipping through sale, he said, organic bananas are treated differently from conventional bananas and won't end up with the same picture-perfect hue. But that doesn't mean they can't ripen; they just won't be the color we're used to.
Is there a big difference between organic and non-organic foods? ›
Organic foods have been shown to have lower levels of toxic metabolites, including heavy metals such as cadmium, and synthetic fertilizer and pesticide residues [10,17]. Consumption of organic foods may also reduce exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria [19].
Are bananas on the Dirty Dozen list? ›
Bananas. Bananas are not included on the dirty dozen list, largely because their thick, inedible peel protects the fruit from pesticide residue contamination.
