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Go Bananas – 22 Ways To Use A Banana

BananasOur love affair with the world’s most favourite fruit shows no signs of slowing down. According to Banana Link, in Britain, we eat over five billion bananas each year. That’s a lot of bananas.

Why We Love Bananas

Bananas are probably one of the most versatile fruits we have available. Depending on your tastes, and what you are using them for, they have varying stages of ripeness and sweetness.

They are rich in potassium, vital for conducting nerve impulses in the brain, regulating the heartbeat, blood pressure and controlling energy production in the body. Two bananas contain enough potassium to provide you with your daily requirements.

Did you know bananas can be frozen? In fact, if you have any under ripe bananas you can freeze them overnight, and then defrost them for an hour in the morning – the result is soft and ripe bananas, ready for baking.

22 Things You Can Use A Banana For

Whether you’ve bought too many, or your bananas are starting to turn bad, there is always a use for them. Not only will you be cutting down on unnecessary food waste, you’ll be spreading the natural health benefits of our favourite yellow fruit.

  1. Banana Bread – the riper the bananas the better. Check out my tried and tested banana recipe.
  2. Banana Smoothie – it’s the ideal fruit to blend up in your smoothie maker. They make your drink taste sweeter (assuming you are using a ripe one), and they work well to make you feel fuller for longer.
  3. Banana Ice Cream – this is a favourite one in our family. We quite often use up our ripe bananas in our Andrew James Ice Cream Maker.
  4. Frozen Banana Yoghurt
  5. Sweet topping for pancakes, waffles, ice cream.
  6. Baked banana with melted chocolate. This is beyond delicious. In the summer we love wrapping a banana in foil and popping it on the BBQ. When it’s cooked we drizzle Nutella all over it. Yum.
  7. In a curry – they add a tasty sweetness to a curry, especially if you include some sultanas too.
  8. In a soup – as above. Like with a curry, bananas work really well when blended into a soup. I made a curried banana soup in my soup maker and the spice from the curry powder combined with the sweetness of the banana compliment each other well.
  9. As a healthy dried fruit snack (you can use your oven or a food dehydrator)
  10. As a skin cleanser
  11. As a conditioning hair mask
  12. As a healthy lolly – slide a stick inside a banana and put it in the freezer.
  13. As a baby’s first food. They are a perfect introduction to solids as bananas are easy to mash and digest.
  14. As a cereal topper. They are a rich source of protein making them a good food to include with breakfast. Add a chopped banana to a bowl of porridge and you’ll have plenty of energy to see you through the morning.
  15. To settle an upset stomach
  16. As a natural remedy for ulcers.
  17. To help you feel fuller for longer.
  18. As an energy booster both before and after exercise.
  19. It may seem contradictory but as well as being energising, bananas can also be used to help you feel sleepy. They contain an amino acid called tryptophan which acts as a natural sedative.
  20. As part of a weight loss/healthy eating plan. The average banana has around 100 calories, yet is nutrient rich. They are high in fibre, making them great for healthy bowel movement.
  21. As a portable snack when you are on the go. It even has it’s own natural wrapper.
  22. The peel can be used as a fertiliser for your garden. Banana peels contain a rich source of minerals and nutrients that your plants and soil require.

Do you have any other uses for a banana? Let us know in the comments!

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