Bananas are a healthy and tasty food you can easily store in your kitchen, but they can quickly go brown. Experts say there is a great way stopping them from going brown too early
Bananas are a tasty and healthy addition part of many Brits’ five a day and one expert has a tip to help them stop going brown.
Full of potassium, bananas have plenty of health benefits and BBC Good Food calls them a “nutritional powerhouse, packed with energy-giving carbohydrate and heart-healthy potassium”. Bananas can help with gut and heart health, heartburn, low energy and also boost your mood.
Nutritionist Jo Lewin said to Good Food: “[Bananas] provide an impressive hit of potassium, fibre and tryptophan, meaning they can support your gut, heart and mood. What’s more, bananas contain carbohydrates and natural sugars, making them an energising choice for before a workout. However, as with most other foods, they should be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet.”
Bananas can go brown quickly, however, and people can take steps to slow down this process. Experts at Real Simple said buying a holder with a hook as this can help with bruising.
Real Simple said: “Depending on their ripeness when purchased, bananas will last on your countertop for anywhere from two to six days. If you always have bananas around, it’s worth investing in a holder with a hook. Hanging the fruits eliminates the potential for bruising, which happens when bananas are lying on top of each other. You should also aim to keep the fruits away from direct sunlight, as the heat from the sun can cause them to ripen rapidly.
“As with many fruits, refrigerating and freezing can extend the lives of bananas. However, if things get out of hand and you come home to a bunch of blackened bananas on your countertop, there’s always one answer: banana bread.”
For storing sliced bananas, another good tip involves sprinkling them with a bit of lemon juice. Real Simple said this “lowers the pH levels and will keep browning at bay”.
You can also put bananas in the fridge, but be careful doing this as it can slow or halt the ripening process. Real Simple said: “You can absolutely store bananas in the fridge. Just keep in mind that the cool, dry climate slows the ripening process, which is why bananas aren’t refrigerated in the supermarket. In other words, if you put green, unripe bananas in the fridge, they’re likely to stay that way.
Additionally, putting a banana in the fridge too soon can actually ruin the fruit and cause what is known as a “chilling injury,” which stops the ripening process and causes bananas to taste bitter.”
