Yes, you can eat bananas with brown spots, but they might taste a little too ripe, like sweeter, or in some cases, a little strange.
If the banana gets really brown, it’s ready to be used in baked goods like banana bread or muffins.
Bananas are one of the best-tasting and most useful foods you can find. Most people eat them plain for breakfast or as a snack, but they can also be baked, roasted, or flambéed when they are ripe or even when they are too ripe.
Now the question is can you eat a banana with brown spots or not? We all remain confused most of the time but guess what? Today I am going to share everything related to bananas with brown spots in this article, so stay with me till the end.
Are Brown Bananas Safe To Eat?
Yes, as I have said, it is safe to eat, but everything depends on how brown your banana is. In the end, dark bananas are safe to eat as long as they are not moldy, slimy, or too soft and squishy when you remove the peel.
It is fine to eat a banana with brown spots or freckles. These spots are one sign that a banana is ready to eat. Spots will be different shades of brown and look like little dots on the peel.
Most black or dark brown spots on a banana are likely bruises, which can be caused by the natural hardening process or by being exposed to air. Like apples, avocados, stone fruits, pears, and tomatoes, bananas are a fruit that gives off a lot of ethylene gas.
What Causes The Brown Spots On The Bananas?
Enzymes cause brown spots, which is called “enzymatic browning.”
Even though this does not just happen with bananas, have you ever made an apple pie and watched the apples you just peeled and cut turn brown? Or, the avocado made that guacamole turn brown.
What about apples, lettuce, or mushrooms? This is how even potatoes can turn brown. All of these things happen because of enzyme browning, which is one of the most common ways that food turns brown.
When Is A Banana Too Brown To Eat?
Always go with your gut instinct. It is impossible to save a banana that has become completely black with no sign of yellow remaining, that is mushy or squishy, that shows symptoms of mildew, that contains fluid, or that smells bad.
A banana that is ready to be eaten will have a yellow peel that has been spotted with brown spots, will smell delicious of bananas, and will have a consistency like an avocado. A banana that has been overripe and should not be consumed raw or cooked will either be completely brown or will have black marks.
Additionally, it will smell fermented or like alcohol, and it will have an odor similar to garbage. Bananas that are rotten can frequently leak fluid.
Can You Cook Bananas That Have Brown Spots?
Yes, you can surely cook bananas that have brown spots.
When you are making baked foods, you should always use brown bananas. Bananas that have become brown have a more strong flavor, which may be tasted even after they have been cooked.
This is because the starches in brown bananas have been converted to sugar, which intensifies the flavor and prevents any sticky or starchy texture from negatively affecting your baked goods.
Brown bananas are ideal for use in baking because they have reached an advanced stage of ripening.
It is possible that the bananas were not ripe enough when they were used in the recipe if you have ever had banana bread or muffins that were rubbery or barely tasted like bananas.
When it comes to nutrition, there is not much of a difference between the positive effects that eating bananas at their various stages of ripening has on your body; in other words, all bananas are beneficial to your health.
How Can You Use Bananas With Brown Spots?
There are plenty of ways you can use your bananas with brown spots, and trust me, those recipes will never gonna disappoint you.
10 ways of brown bananas are;
Blend brown spot bananas
Bananas can be a very significant ingredient for making smoothies.
In practically every smoothie recipe that calls for bananas, brown bananas work just as well as green bananas.
The only changes you might notice in your drink are a slightly darker color and a sweeter taste. This is because brown bananas tend to have more sugar than yellow bananas, which makes them taste sweeter.
Here are two yummy smoothie recipes that would work perfectly with brown bananas:
- berry banana smoothie
- Banana with an almond smoothie which is a super energy shake.
Include them in your bowl of cereal
If you want to sweeten your cereal without using extra sweeteners like white or brown table sugar, an easy approach to achieve this is by using some bananas that have become brown in the dish.
In addition, bananas have a high nutrient density and will provide your meal with an additional source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
If you are making overnight oats, heating with your instant pot, or using quick oatmeal packets, brown bananas are a fantastic addition to any of these breakfast options.
Put them on top of pancakes
Most of the time, bananas go well with pancakes. Sometimes they are just cut up and put on top, and sometimes they are mixed into the batter.
Some people swear that brown bananas or bananas that are very ripe make the sweetest, fluffiest pancakes when they are mixed right into the batter.
If you are interested in brown banana pancakes, try this easy banana pancakes recipe or these brown banana pancakes. You will love it!
Use them to bake
If you like bananas, you probably already know that you should use brown bananas to make banana bread.
This is probably one of the most popular ways to use brown bananas. Did you know that brown bananas are great for making all sorts of baked goods?
If you are tired of making banana bread with bananas that are past their prime, try one of these ideas instead:
- banana cakes that are healthy
- banana oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips
- breakfast bars with strawberry and banana
Drink banana tea
When you think of bananas, tea might not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, banana tea is a nice, tasty way to get nutrients like potassium and magnesium.
You can make banana tea with or without the peel, but remember that many of the fruit’s healthy vitamins are in the peel, so using it in your tea may give you more nutrients.
Eat them frozen
When making frozen banana pops, dark bananas that are too ripe might not be the best choice.
Brown bananas do not hold their shape as well as yellow bananas because they tend to get soft and mushy.
Luckily, there are many ways to enjoy a frozen brown banana. For example, you can make this simple but tasty banana ice cream with just two ingredients, or you can make a frozen yogurt shake with frozen berries and bananas.
Try to cook them
Did you know that bananas, like their related food, the plantain, can be cooked on the grill or on the stove? Plantains can be eaten raw, but most of the time, they are cooked.
Brown bananas can also be cooked in a variety of traditional ways, such as:
- grilling
- baking
- sautéing baking
Keep in mind, though, that these kinds of recipes often call for extra sugars, so they may be best as a dessert.
Use them instead of eggs
If you don’t have eggs, are allergic to them, or are following a vegan diet, you can use applesauce, ground flax seeds, or even mashed brown bananas in their place.
Because they are sweet and can hold things together, mashed brown bananas work best as an egg substitute in baking recipes.
Mash up 1 small brown banana or 1/2 of a large one for each egg you want to replace in a recipe.
Use them to take care of yourself
If you have more brown bananas than you want to cook with, you can use them in many other ways.
You might even want to use some of them in your skin and hair care routines.
Freeze them for later use
One of the best things about bananas of all colors is that they keep well in the freezer.
If you have dark bananas but don’t have much time to do anything with them, freezing them for later use is a great way to keep food from going to waste.
Are Brown Spots Bananas Beneficial For Your Health?
Yes, brown bananas have many amazing health benefits, among which 6 benefits are discussed below;
Improves immunity system
Eating bananas with dark spots makes our immune system better at fighting cancer cells.
Since bananas have antioxidants, TNF and antioxidants together improve the immune system and make more white blood cells, free radicals, which can lead to cancer, are also killed by antioxidants.
Release from heartburn
Bananas with dark spots help with heartburn because they have potassium, which eases heartburn.
Potassium, an alkalizing element with a pH of 14, is found in large amounts in bananas that are ripe or have spots. So, eating just one banana helps correct the acidity of the stomach as a whole and reduces the signs of heartburn.
Controls blood pressure
Potassium, which is found in bananas with dark spots, helps lower blood pressure.
In addition to having a lot of potassium, bananas with spots are also low in salt. This helps to keep the blood pressure in check.
They are a fast way to get energy
Dark bananas with spots have fiber and three natural sugars: sucrose, fructose, and glucose. Researchers have found that eating just two bananas before a hard workout can make you stronger for at least an hour. Potassium can also help keep your muscles from cramping up.
Helpful for digestion and constipation
They are good for digestion and can help with constipation because of this. Bananas with brown spots are a great source of dietary fiber, which gives you roughage and helps your digestive system work well.
They also have a substance called pectin, which is a type of fiber that makes bananas softer and changes their structure as they ripen. Because of this, bananas are very easy to digest.
Helpful for stomach ulcer
Even if you have stomach ulcers, you can eat them. When you eat bananas with spots, it means they are ripe and can help with digestive problems because they make your stomach less acidic. They also help to calm an upset stomach because their smooth, soft, mushy texture coats the walls of the stomach and protects it from acids.
Do Dark Bananas Have More Nutrients?
You might think that dark bananas are less healthy than yellow bananas, but there is not much difference between the two. Brown bananas still have vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are good for you.
But dark bananas have fiber and sugar that you should be aware of. When bananas are fully ripe, the fibers begin to degrade, and the complex starches transform into sugars that are easier to digest.
So, if you are worried about how much sugar you eat or how high your blood sugar is, you may want to choose yellow bananas that aren’t as ripe as brown bananas.
Can Bananas That Have Brown Spots Make You Sick?
No, brown spot bananas will not make you sick.
Most likely, a dark banana won’t make you sick, even if it is too ripe. But a banana that has started to grow mold, leak juice, or smell bad has probably started to rot and is no longer safe to eat.
Because the fruit’s nutrients change as it ripens, you may find that you can digest one stage of ripeness better than another.
In fact, many people say they find it easier to handle brown bananas than yellow ones. However, people with irritable bowel syndrome or other digestive health problems may find the opposite to be true.
How Much smSugar Is There In A Banana With Brown Spots On It?
A medium banana, which is measured as being between 7 and 7 7/8 inches in length, has 27 grams of carbs. These carbs include 3 grams of fiber in addition to a little over 14 grams of sugar that comes from its natural state.
FAQs
Can You Eat Bananas With Brown Spots?
Yes, you can eat bananas with brown spots.
In the end, dark bananas are safe to eat as long as they are not moldy, slimy, or too soft and squishy when you peel them. It’s okay for a banana to have dark spots or freckles. These spots are one sign that a banana is ready to eat. The smell is another sign, but we’ll talk about that in a minute.
Why Should You Not Throw Brown Spots Bananas?
You should not throw brown spot bananas for various reasons like:
1. Higher content of TNF
2. Higher antioxidant content
3. Fights chronic diseases
4. Natural antacid
5. Relieves constipation
Conclusion
If you just want to eat a plain piece of fruit, you might not choose a brown banana, but most overripe fruit is still safe to eat, and there are many tasty ways to use brown bananas.
Try one of the clever ideas we gave you here the next time you have a few bananas with brown spots, and trust me, those dishes might get included in the list of your favorite dishes.
