GAINESVILLE, Fla., June 28 (Our Florida Times) — In Florida, a University of Florida tropical fruit specialist says bananas picked too early or stored too cold may stay green, even as unripe fruit can offer its own nutritional benefits.
Jonathan Crane, a retired tropical fruit crops specialist at the University of Florida’s Tropical Research and Education Center, said bananas harvested immature “won’t ripen properly to full flavor and/or texture.” He said bananas exposed to temperatures that are too cold during storage or transport can develop chilling injury, and that they are best stored between 56 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit.
On the nutrition side, South Carolina-based registered dietitian Lauren Manaker said ripe and green bananas both provide potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C and other nutrients, but greener bananas contain more resistant starch, which may have a gentler effect on blood sugar.
A peer-reviewed review hosted by the National Institutes of Health said the most studied benefits of green bananas were linked to gastrointestinal symptoms and diseases, followed by glycemic and insulin metabolism and weight control. Healthline has said unripe green bananas are safe to eat.
