GAINESVILLE, Fla., June 28 (Our Florida Times) — Green bananas are not necessarily a sign of bad produce, a University of Florida fruit specialist says. Jonathan Crane said bananas harvested while immature “won’t ripen properly to full flavor and/or texture,” and fruit kept too cold during storage or transport can stay green or greenish-yellow.
Crane, a retired tropical fruit crops specialist at the University of Florida’s Tropical Research and Education Center, said bananas are best stored between 56 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit. He said cold exposure can cause “chilling injury.”
Nutrition experts say the ripeness of a banana also changes its makeup. Lauren Manaker, a South Carolina-based registered dietitian, told Fox News Digital that 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 review published on the National Institutes of Health’s PubMed Central said the best-studied green banana benefits were tied to gastrointestinal symptoms and diseases, followed by glycemic and insulin metabolism and weight control. Healthline says unripe green bananas are safe to eat and are typically harvested while still green so they do not over-ripen before sale.
