Black bananas have a sweet taste and are very easy to peel. The skin of black bananas is shiny and smooth with a deep black color. But are black bananas safe to eat? Yes, black bananas are safe to eat. They are perfect for cooking, baking, and making smoothies.
The black banana is a product of the natural release of ethylene and is not a result of genetic engineering. Black bananas are simply overripe bananas.
When bananas ripen, the starch in the fruit turns into sugar. That is why overripe bananas taste sweeter than yellow bananas. The longer a banana ripens, the more sugar it will contain.
Keep reading to get answers on “are black bananas safe to eat,” “what do black bananas taste like,” and how you can add black bananas to your diet.
5 Reasons Why It Is Safe to Eat Black Bananas
You might stay away from black bananas due to their off-putting appearance. However, bananas are a healthy alternative to other fruits and vegetables. Here are five reasons why it is safe to eat black bananas:
1. They Are a Rich Source of Potassium
The potassium content in the banana is higher than in other fruits and vegetables. They can act as preventive measures for illnesses caused by a lack of potassium.
The high potassium levels make it an ideal meal for people with heart disease and stroke.
Enough potassium in the body can also maintain proper levels of fluids in the body cells.
2. They Contain High Levels of Fiber
Fiber helps keep your digestive system regular and increases the rate of digestion. It can help prevent constipation or irregularity caused by stress or anxiety disorders. It also helps reduce cholesterol levels.
3. They Help in Weight Loss
If you want to lose weight, add black bananas to your diet. They are low in calories and will help you feel full for a longer period.
They are also rich in fiber and a great energy source during exercise.
A black banana a day can help keep the doctor away! So, don’t be afraid to add them to your diet.
4. They are Natural Antacids and Have Numerous Health Benefits
A banana can reduce acidity in the stomach and relieve pain caused by acid reflux disease. You can take it with water or juice to neutralize stomach acid.
Neutralizing stomach acids can mitigate indigestion, ulcers, and even cancer.
5. They Help Reduce Blood Pressure
Eating two bananas a day can help lower blood pressure levels.
Black bananas contain flavonoids that can help reduce stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, leading to high blood pressure in some individuals.
Best Recipe for Black Bananas – Black Banana Pancakes
Black bananas are a great addition to your fruit bowl.
They are rich in vitamin additives and can serve as the best ingredients to prepare a good recipe.
Here is one of the best recipes to use to make delicious black banana pancakes.
Ingredients:
2 medium-sized black bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup milk or water, plus more if necessary
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tbsp all-purpose flour, plus more if necessary
1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled slightly (optional)
Steps
- Mix the mashed black bananas, milk or water, and eggs in a bowl until smooth
- Stir in flour and baking powder until just combined
- Add more milk or water if the mixture is too thick. The batter should be thin enough to pour easily
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes
- Coat with a bit of cooking spray and pour in pancake batter by ladlefuls or spoonfuls (do not use measuring cups!)
- Cook pancakes on one side until bubbles appear on the surface, about 3 minutes
- Flip over and cook for another 3 minutes or so until golden brown underneath
- Serve when warm with a cup of coffee, tea, or a glass of juice.
FAQs
What does it mean when a banana goes black?
A black banana is simply an overripe banana. Bananas are picked when they are green and then shipped to grocery stores.
During shipping and storage, the bananas slowly ripen and turn yellow. Bananas that ripen further will eventually turn brown or black.
The longer a banana ripens, the sweeter it will taste. Black bananas have a sweet taste because they are full of sugar. They are also softer and easier to mash than yellow bananas.
How can you tell if a black banana is rotten?
A black banana is not necessarily rotten. However, you should avoid eating black bananas if they smell bad or have mold patches.
The smell test is the best way to tell if a black banana is rotten. If the banana smells sour or unpleasant, it is probably rotten, and you should not eat it.
You should also avoid eating black bananas if they have patches of mold. These patches will appear as fuzzy gray or white spots on the surface of the fruit.
Mold can cause allergic reactions in some people. If you see mold on a black banana, throw it away.
Can black bananas make you sick?
Unfortunately, in some cases, black bananas can make you sick. They have different degrees of ripeness, meaning that some are overripe or rotten.
Taking these bananas can give you stomach problems that sometimes lead to food poisoning.
As a general precaution, you can wash the black bananas before eating them since they can carry bacteria from the farms where they grow.
If you do not wash them well enough, they can contain pesticides or fungicides that could make you sick.
How long are bananas good for?
The shelf life of bananas depends on how ripe they are when you buy them. Yellow bananas with no brown spots will last for 3-5 days. Bananas with some brown spots will last for 6-7 days. Black bananas will last for 1-2 days.
You can store bananas in the refrigerator to make them last longer. However, this will cause the bananas to turn brown more quickly.
If you want to keep bananas fresh for longer, store them in a cool, dry place such as a pantry.
Can you freeze black bananas?
Yes, however, bananas do not freeze well. You should only buy enough bananas for your family’s use. They are one of the fruits most prone to spoilage due to their high moisture content.
Bananas that don’t get used in time will turn brown and dry out.
You must store bananas at room temperature or higher because they tend to ripen much faster when stored at lower temperatures.
Though freezing is an effective preservative method, the best way to keep bananas fresh for longer is to use them within three days of purchase.
Are black bananas safe for baking?
Black bananas are safe for baking, but you should use them in moderation because they contain high levels of potassium and phosphorus.
Excess potassium can lead to high blood pressure, while too much phosphorus can lead to bone loss or kidney stones. However, you’d have to eat a LOT of bananas to reach those levels!
How to tell if a banana is too ripe for banana bread?
The best bananas for banana bread are overripe bananas. You can tell if a banana is too ripe if it is brown or black. The banana should also be soft and easy to mash.
If the banana is hard or difficult to mash, it is not ripe enough for banana bread.
You can also use overripe bananas to make banana pancakes, banana muffins, or banana cake. Just add a little extra baking time if you are using overripe bananas.
Why do bananas ripen so fast?
Bananas ripen quickly because they are a tropical fruit. Most bananas are grown in warm climates such as Central America, South America, and Africa.
Bananas ripen fastest when they are exposed to warm temperatures.
The ethylene gas that bananas produce also speeds up the ripening process. You can also use the gas to ripen other fruits, such as avocados and tomatoes.
Final Word
You might classify a black banana as a waste in the kitchen. Most individuals will prefer yellow bananas as they are considered the best quality.
However, black bananas can be a fantastic substitute for regular bananas for baking and smoothies.
If you have a sweet tooth and love banana bread or pancakes, black bananas will be your best friend.
They add the same sweetness as regular ones but with a rich taste that you will not get from any other kind of banana.
So there you have it! The next time you see a black banana, don’t just throw it away. Instead, add it to your smoothie or oatmeal, or bake it into delicious banana bread.
