Keeping your bananas fresh is a challenge unless you are planning to make banana bread as a snack.
Bananas may be one of the fruits that are always present in your cupboard or pantry especially if you are trying to lose weight.
Apart from its distinct sweet taste, Healthline adds that bananas contain essential nutrients our body needs, for example when you eat unripe bananas, the starch acts as a soluble fiber which is very beneficial for gut health. They add that this food is a good alternative for carbs because one banana only consists of about 105 calories and is composed of water and carbs.
Keeping your Banana Fresh
Bananas and other food is put out on a street in the South Bronx on October 17, 2020 in New York City. The Bronx, a borough which has long struggled with poverty and neglect, has been especially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The official unemployment rate in the Bronx is 21% while the unofficial number is presumed to be almost twice that. With many residents unable to afford health care and being home to a significant amount of front-line workers, the Bronx has the highest COVID-19 death rate in New York City.
The only downside of these fruits is that it easily browns. Most people do not have the time to go to grocery stores and always get fresh bananas, that is why the debate of whether it is okay or not okay to eat a bruised banana.
People often turn bruised bananas into smoothies and banana bread, but according to Michigan State University, the reaction is caused by cells are breaking down and is exposed to oxygen. They note that the bruise is not pleasing to the eyes but eating it is not a health hazard (this also applies to other products like lettuce).
But if you are tired of making smoothies out of your bananas and want a fresh banana then here are some of the things you may do that you may do.
Read also: Tom Hunt Shares His Very Own Zero-Waste Banana Chutney Recipe
Using a Duct tape
Nope, you are not going to paste the bananas on the wall using the tape. According to Forkly, covering the top of the banana bunch where the fruits come together will help block the ethylene gas the one responsible for ripening the fruit once it is released into the air. Taste Essence adds that using aplastic wrap when the tape is not available can also do the job, just remember to prevent air bubbles as possible.
Hanging
Unless they are in a mix as a dessert with other fruits, Today shares that bananas do not go well with other fruits. In an interview with Today, Ashley Roth, MS, RDN, shares that avocados, peaches, apples, figs, and tomatoes cause banana to ripen prematurely, that is why having a separate hanger for your bananas are smarter because it avoids bruise, and diminishes the chance of exposing the flesh to oxygen.
Divide the bananas
Sometimes wrapping plastic on the bunch stem is challenging that is why Taste Essence recommends separating the bananas themselves then wrapping the ends individually with plastic wrap of duct tape in case you find yourself having trouble covering them in the bunch.
Use Your Fridge
The wrapping only slows down the wrapping process that is why, Today mentions that once the bananas ripen, use your refrigerator. They add that the cooler temperatures slow down the chemical ripening process.
Put Citrus
If you accidentally peeled so many bananas, Today shares that adding citrus may do the trick. They add that this is because the citrus slows down the oxidation process which lengthens the freshness of your banana flesh.
Bananas are great once they are fresh because you can eat them straight after peeling them. However, the time they ripen is usually faster before consuming the whole bunch. Doing these tricks might help you enjoy fresh bananas longer, before turning them into smoothies or bread.
Related article: Incredible Health Benefits Of The Banana
