• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

join the eatmail for exclusive recipes & meal ideas

Join now

Subscribe for new recipes, meal plans & 3 free ebooks!

  • About
  • Contact

Live Eat Learn

Easy vegetarian recipes, one ingredient at a time

free ebook

Subscribe for new recipes, meal plans & 3 free ebooks!

  • Recipe Index
  • Vegetarian 101
  • Travel
  • Meal Plans
  • Course
    • Breakfasts
    • Lunches
    • Dinners
    • Appetizers
    • Sweets
    • Drinks
  • Diet
    • Dairy Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Low Carb
    • Paleo
    • Raw
    • Vegan
  • Season
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Fall
  • Ingredient
    • Avocado
    • Bean
    • Cauliflower
    • Chickpeas
    • Eggplant
    • Mushroom
    • Tofu
    • Quinoa
    • View All
  • Collections
    • All Time Favorites
    • Air Frying
    • Budget Friendly
    • Comfort Food
    • High Protein
    • Meal Prep
    • Meatless Monday
    • Quick Dinners
    • View All
  • Visit our kombucha site
Home Learn Featured Ingredients

Bananas 101

Share
Share on:
By: Sarah BondUpdated: Mar 06, 2021 Leave a Comment

This post contains affiliate links.

Everything you need to know about bananas, including the main varieties, how to store them, how to ripen them faster, and nutrition information.

Did you know that 96% of Americans have purchased a banana in the last month? As one of the most popular fruits on the stand, it’s about time we give it the spotlight it deserves.

Bananas are full of fun facts. Like did you know they’re slightly more radioactive than other fruits, and that they measure radioactivity of common day things in “Banana Equivalent Doses”? Or did you know that they have a tumultuous history in South America, where the term “Banana Republic” was born? But today we’re sticking to the banana basics with some good, solid “Learns“.

Varieties of bananas

There are many varieties of bananas, ranging from starchy plantains to sweet, dessert varieties! A few common types are:

  • Cavendish: Most common type of banana in Western groceries
  • Apple Bananas: These are the short, stubby bananas you sometimes see in specialty stores. They’re very sweet and moist.
  • Lady Fingers: Similar to Apple Bananas, these are short and sweet, resembling mini Cavendish bananas.
  • Red Bananas: There are many types of red bananas, but they all tend to be more sweet than Cavendish.
  • Plantains: These are more like a starchy vegetable, usually sold (and cooked) while green. They’re great steamed, fried, or roasted!

How to pick bananas

When buying bananas, look for a bunch that is yellow with hints of green, and that are free form spots of gray/brown hues. Ensure none of the bananas are split open,

How to store bananas

Unripe Bananas: Leave unripened bananas at room temperature. Want to ripen them faster? Place them in a paper bag and fold shut. This traps the ethylene gas given off by bananas, which helps them to ripen faster.

Ripe Bananas: Place ripe bananas in the fridge to slow the ripening process (this may turn the skin brown, but the fruit will be fine!) You can also slow ripening by wrapping the stem with plastic before refrigeration.

Overripe Bananas: Peel, chop, and freeze in a single layer for use in smoothies, banana bread, nice cream, or popsicles (or check out all of our banana recipes here)!

Banana nutrition information

per 1 large banana (136 g)

  • Calories: 121
  • Carbohydrates: 31 g
  • Fiber: 4 g, 14% Daily Value (DV)
  • Protein: 1 g
  • Fat: 0 g
  • 25% DV of Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): A water-soluble vitamin that works behind the scenes as a coenzyme in many important reactions within your body, including protein metabolism and red blood cell formation, among countless other functions.
  • 20% DV of Vitamin C: A water-soluble vitamin that acts as an antioxidant to fight against potentially damaging free radicals (molecules with unshared electrons that float around wreaking havoc) and an important cofactor in collagen synthesis.
  • 14% DV of Potassium: A key mineral and electrolyte involved in countless processes, including healthy nervous system functioning and contraction of the heart and muscles.

You may also like...

  • Collage of healthy banana recipes
    15 Healthy Banana Recipes
  • Grapefruit
    Grapefruit 101
  • What is cinnamon?
    Cinnamon 101
  • Everything you need to know about cooking with beets…seasonality, variations, ways to cook them, and nutrition information.
    Beets 101
Previous Post
Next Post

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below.

Rate this Recipe:




Primary Sidebar

Hello!

I'm Sarah

A flavor-loving nutritionist and sensory science specialist showing you how to make easy vegetarian recipes, one ingredient at a time.

Let's Meet

What's for Dinner?

A free cookbook full of our favorite vegetarian dinner recipes!

Get in now!

Subscribe for new recipes, meal plans & 3 free ebooks!

Spring Recipes

Edible Flower Spring Rolls

Asparagus noodles recipe, a low carb asparagus pasta on a red background

Asparagus Noodles with Pesto

Buddha bowl recipe with fruits and veggies in a bowl

15 Minute Buddha Bowls

Got extra greens? Make some Leafy Greens Pesto! Here are 3 recipes for carrot top, spinach, and watercress pesto (all in under 5 minutes!)

Leafy Greens Pesto (3 Ways)

Asparagus in a steaming basket - The ultimate guide on how to cook asparagus! How to cook asparagus in the oven, in the microwave, or by blanching, steaming, or sautéing.

How to Cook Asparagus (5 Ways)

Edible Flower Ice Cubes

Dinner This Week

Vegan tikka masala with naan and rice in a white bowl

M

Chickpea Tikka Masala

Roasted Chickpea Gyros

T

Roasted Chickpea Gyros

Vegan Thai red curry in a bowl on a red background

W

Thai Vegetarian Coconut Curry

Vegan nachos on a black plate on a white background - These vegan nachos are piled high with easy mushroom BBQ "pulled pork" and a cashew-based queso cheese sauce that will knock your dairy-free socks off.

R

BBQ Mushroom Pulled Pork

Roasted Cauliflower Street Tacos

F

Roasted Cauliflower Tacos

Lemon risotto in a bowl with basil on a yellow background

S

Lemon Basil Risotto

As featured on:

Free Vegetarian Dinners eBook

Join our Eatmail newsletter to get a free copy of our “Dinner Is Served” Cookbook, new recipes, exclusive meal plans, and more!

Follow Along

  • Easy Vegetarian Facebook Group
  • Kombucha Brewers Facebook Group
Back to Top
  • Web Stories
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Collaborate
© 2022 Live Eat Learn
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled Support by Foodie Digital
2.2K shares