Bananas

Americans have made bananas their favorite fruit. The average person in North America eats 29 pounds of bananas a year. Nearly an ideal food, the banana has a great deal to offer nutritionally. Bananas contain less water than most other fruits, so their carbohydrate content, by weight, is higher, which is one of the reasons that bananas are a favorite of endurance athletes.

Bananas, are not a commercial crop in the United States; they are grown in tropical regions, mostly in Central and South America. Bananas entering the United States come from Columbia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Nicaragua. Yellow bananas are available year-round, exotic varieties are more seasonal. Bananas are harvested green, because if vine-ripened, the starch in bananas doesn't turn to sugar and they become bland with a cottony texture. There are some one thousand varieties in the world today.

Selection & Storage
It's best to purchase bananas when they are 75% yellow, with a small amount of green at both ends. They should be plump, firm, brightly colored, without blemishes, but occasional brown spots on the skin are normal. There isn't any difference in the quality between small and large fruit. Bananas should be kept at room temperature because bananas stored in the refrigerator will not ripen any further and they will turn black. You can refrigerate ripe bananas for a couple of days to keep them from spoiling. While the skin will turn a dark brown, the flesh will remain firm and white, although the flavor may be affected somewhat.

Preparation
When peeling and slicing bananas that you won't be serving immediately, brush or dip them in lemon, lime, or orange juice to keep them from turning brown. Bananas that are fully yellow are best for cooking because they will hold their shape. Speckled bananas are best for eating out of hand or for topping cereal or a salad. Overripe bananas should be used for breads or muffins, and frozen bananas make great smoothies. Frozen bananas make a great low-fat snack for the kids. Peel them and wrap tightly with plastic or freezer wrap, and freeze. Later, you can put them on a wooden stick and eat them as is, or dip in melted chocolate or caramel and roll in nuts for a delicious dessert. Cinnamon is probably the best seasoning for bananas. Orange juice or orange liqueur is also good with bananas, as is rum.

Tony's Tip
Athletes trying to naturally replace spent nutrients should consider eating a few bananas before, and after strenuous workouts.

Tony's Favorite Recipe
Banana Ice Cream with Bourbon

Varieties
Cavendish or Giant Cavendish is the main commercial variety, and is the familiar yellow banana you always see.

Manzano bananas are also called apple or finger bananas because of their apple-like flavor and size. The light golden color turns totally black when ripe.

Red bananas, also known as Makabu or Morado, are stubby and round with a pinkish-orange flesh that has a sweet but hearty flavor. The dull red skin turns purplish red when ripe.

Saba and Brazilian are straight, medium-size, and somewhat tart bananas. They turn a dark yellow when ripe.

Plantains, which look like large, green bananas, are usually cooked and eaten as a vegetable.

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