Bananas in blossom
For the last few months the bananas in our backyard have been blossoming and producing the sweetest green and gold fruit (technically a berry). If you’re lucky enough to eat bananas straight from the tree or watch them ripen in your kitchen after being picked, you’ll know that you can taste the difference. Home grown food is the best. You know where it comes from and can trust it contains no pesticides. But if you can’t grow your own (and even if you do, there’s only so many bananas per bunch) there’s sure to be a nice choice of organic or biodynamic bananas at your grocery store (look for organic labelling or red tipped). The bonus - bananas are cheap and easily accessible.
Bananas are an excellent source of potassium which is required for cardiovascular health and cell function, especially in nervous and muscle tissues. Bananas also play an important role in gut health! But we all like different bananas, so here’s the run down on your fave type:
The GREENER BANANA is high in resistant starch which your gut microbiome love! They also contain less sugar. This type of banana is a better choice for people with diabetes but not so much for those who are prone to bloating and digestive upset as the resistant starch can cause gas and exacerbate symptoms.
The YELLOW AND MORE RIPENED BANANA has a higher sugar content but also contain more antioxidants (carotenoids). They’re a little easier to digest and a better option for people who can’t digest the green type.
Research has identified that the ingestion of bananas before and during exercise can assist with energy utilisation and support performance due to their carbohydrate and potassium content.
Bananas have the added benefit of being already packaged so are great for lunch boxes or notorious breakfast skippers. Otherwise, here’s some other suggestions:
add them to cakes, bread and muffins (use a buckwheat based flour for capillary and digestive health)
as a toast topper with cinnamon and butter
on your porridge or oats
in a smoothie
frozen and combined with coconut milk for a dessert
Keep it simple with a banana!
