As bananas ripen, they get sweeter and more flavorful as their starches turn to sugar, which makes them tastier to eat out of hand and great for sweet recipes like banana bread. They are perfect for baking when speckled with brown all over and have a strong fruity fragrance. Bananas also get softer as they ripen, and their mashability makes them ideal for treats and creamy smoothies.
But just how ripe are we talking about here? Should you be using those completely black bananas on your counter or is it safer to toss them in the compost bin instead? To find out, I checked with the experts at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as James E. Rogers, Ph.D., the Director of Food Safety Research and Testing for Consumer Reports.
Is It Safe To Eat and Cook with Black Bananas?
Good news for Team Ripe Banana: Extremely ripe bananas—even those with a completely black peel—are likely safe to eat. According to a spokesperson for the FDA, "Generally, as long as it is not visibly moldy, it is safe." Rogers concurs, saying he hasn't seen any studies linking foodborne illness to eating extremely ripe bananas.
That said, Rogers states that if your bananas are jet black and mushy, your safest bet is to cook with them rather than eating them out of hand or using them raw in things like smoothies or nice cream.
"The riper the bananas get, the more levels of bacteria could be on them," he says. Those bacteria include spoilage bacteria, which are typically not harmful, but could also be pathogenic bacteria (which can make you sick) picked up during harvesting, processing, or at the grocery store.
Fortunately, heat should kill any pathogenic bacteria that might have been lurking around and multiplying on the bananas as they ripened. "Cooking is a kill step," says Rogers.
Also, note that placing bananas in the fridge or freezer will turn them black. This is natural—bananas don't handle the cold well—and does not mean the bananas are bad. You can still eat them safely as long as they aren't moldy.
3 Signs It’s Time To Throw Away Your Bananas
If you notice any mold on your bananas, it's time to throw them away or toss them in the compost bin. The black skin itself is not mold. Mold on bananas is fuzzy white, gray, or greenish—it looks a lot like mold on bread.
If a banana smells rotten or fermented or is leaking fluid, it's time to say goodbye.
If the fruit inside, not just the peel, is black, that's a sign that your banana is too far gone to safely eat.
The Takeaway
Completely black bananas are likely safe to consume as long as there is no visible mold, a rotten smell, or the fruit inside is black. If none of these are true and your bananas are simply black, your best bet is to cook with them rather than eat them raw.
Mold on bananas is fuzzy white, gray, or greenish—it looks a lot like mold on bread. If a banana smells rotten or fermented or is leaking fluid, it's time to say goodbye. If the fruit inside, not just the peel, is black, that's a sign that your banana is too far gone to safely eat.
Rotten bananas will often have a fermented or alcohol-like smell. While it's okay if the banana peel is dark brown or even black, if the inside is too, then the fruit is beyond ripe and now on its way to rotten. Another sign that bananas have gone bad is if they start leaking any fluids.
A banana that has turned brown because it is overripe likely won't make you sick. However, if a banana has begun to grow mold, is releasing liquid, or has an unpleasant smell, it has likely begun to rot and is no longer safe to eat.
The riper the banana, the higher the tyramine content, so it may be best to avoid eating overripe bananas. Digestive issues: While bananas are a great way to add fiber to your diet and keep you regular, eating too much fiber can cause digestive problems, such as upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, bloating, and gas.
Bananas with black spots are safe for consumption and do not pose any health risks. However, exercise caution if a banana with dark spots emits a bad odour. In such cases, it is advisable to steer clear and opt for a fresher alternative.
According to a spokesperson for the FDA, "Generally, as long as it is not visibly moldy, it is safe." Rogers concurs, saying he hasn't seen any studies linking foodborne illness to eating extremely ripe bananas.
If the banana is totally brown with no yellow showing, is soft or squishy, is showing signs of mold, is leaking fluid or smells rotten, it is beyond saving. A banana that is ripe will have a yellow skin covered in brown spots, will smell sweetly of banana and will be the texture of a ripe avocado.
Bananas are no doubt healthy. However, they contain around 25% sugar, which can lead to a quick energy boost followed by a mid-morning crash. This can leave you feeling tired and hungry, undoing any benefits of the banana. Furthermore, the sugar boost can trigger cravings and increase the risk of overheating.
Could a late night banana harm your sleep? Bananas are rich in carbohydrates. And researchers have suggested that eating carbohydrate-rich foods in the evening reduces the release of melatonin. Some scientists also think that blood sugar spikes may interfere with sleep.
Eating bananas on an empty stomach might make your body more acidic because bananas are acidic. It will first offer you a quick surge in energy but later leave you feeling worn out and tired.
Eating too many bananas or other high-potassium foods can cause excess potassium in the body, also called hyperkalemia. This can cause serious health problems, including heart issues. While most people wouldn't be able to stomach the number of bananas necessary to cause this to happen, it's something to be mindful of.
Indigestion: Eating a large amount of any food, including bananas, too close to bedtime may lead to indigestion or discomfort. If you want to have a banana before going to bed, consume a moderate-sized snack and allow some time for digestion before lying down.
Bananas may have some skin benefits – Bananas do contain beneficial antioxidants like vitamin C, B vitamins, magnesium, and potassium. And the inside of the peel contains lutein, which may hydrate, brighten, and soothe skin. So rubbing it on your face probably provides some nourishment.
That little black nub, on the other hand, well that's always there. That's because it's not a seed, but the flower from which your giant banana berry grew. Bananas grow on trees in bunches, and the stubby end is actually the “top” of the fruit while the hard stalk is the “bottom”.
Therefore, eating a banana every day is certainly a good idea. However, if a person has any health concerns, including uncontrolled diabetes, late-stage kidney failure, or is taking medication for high blood pressure, they should check with a health professional to see if bananas are safe for them to eat.
During ripening, the banana converts its starches to sugars, sweetening and softening the flesh within. Its acid levels also recede, increasing the sensation of sweetness, and the fruit develops those banana-y aromas that complete its signature flavor profile. Overripe bananas have brown speckles all over.
But bananas are healthy and safe to eat at any stage of their development. The next time you reach for one, remember that a banana that's a little green might have slightly more gut-friendly fiber than one that's completely ripe or overripe (those might be better for one of our healthy banana dessert recipes).
Introduction: My name is Eusebia Nader, I am a encouraging, brainy, lively, nice, famous, healthy, clever person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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