{"id":120069,"date":"2025-09-07T04:26:10","date_gmt":"2025-09-07T04:26:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/120069\/"},"modified":"2025-09-07T04:26:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-07T04:26:10","slug":"how-ripe-should-bananas-be-when-you-eat-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/120069\/","title":{"rendered":"How ripe should bananas be when you eat them?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The banana is a powerhouse \u2014 a terrific source of fibre, carbohydrates, potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C and magnesium. <\/p>\n

But should you eat them green or wait until they\u2019re browning? Partly it\u2019s a matter of taste, though bananas have different benefits depending on where they are in their life cycle. This is a guide.<\/p>\n

Underripe\"Greenish<\/p>\n

Good for gut health
Underripe bananas \u201ccontain resistant starches, which act like a prebiotic by feeding beneficial gut bacteria\u201d, says Rob Hobson, author of Unprocess Your Life. \u201cThey\u2019re also lower in sugar than ripe bananas and may have a slightly lower glycaemic index, which could help some people manage blood sugar better, although individual responses vary.\u201d But avoid if you have a sensitive stomach, as \u201cresistant starch can be harder to digest and may cause bloating or gas in some people\u201d. <\/p>\n

Potential cancer-fighting properties
In 2022 a 20-year study co-led by Newcastle and Leeds Universities concluded that resistant starches, such as those found in underripe bananas, could reduce upper gastrointestinal cancers \u2014 including oesophageal, gastric, biliary tract, pancreatic and duodenal \u2014 by more than half. \u201cThe dose used in the trial is equivalent to eating a daily banana. Before bananas become too ripe and soft, the starch resists breakdown and reaches the bowel, where it can change the type of bacteria that live there,\u201d says Professor John Mathers, professor of human nutrition at Newcastle University. <\/p>\n

\u2022 Britain is going bananas for \u2026 bananas<\/a><\/p>\n

Perfectly ripe\"Yellow<\/p>\n

Peak benefits
The micronutrients found in bananas are at their most potent when they\u2019ve got that perfect yellow hue. \u201cBananas are praised for their potassium but they\u2019re an even better source of vitamin B6,\u201d Hobson says. \u201cA medium banana provides about 12 per cent of your recommended daily intake of potassium, but nearly 30 per cent of your daily vitamin B6 needs. B6 is key for converting food into energy and maintaining a healthy nervous system.\u201d There are also small amounts of vitamin C. <\/p>\n

The ideal snack
The average 120g banana has about 100 calories, making it a calorie-efficient and filling snack. \u201cWhen bananas are perfectly ripe, they strike a balance between starch and sugar,\u201d Hobson says. \u201cThey provide quick energy and are easier to digest than greener ones.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 Bio-tech firm \u2018reinvents\u2019 the banana to stay yellow for longer<\/a><\/p>\n

Overripe\"Illustration<\/p>\n

Highest in sugar, best for sport
Bananas that are a little past their prime, characterised by brown spots, have the highest sugar content. \u201cThese are great if you\u2019re pre-workout or mid-run,\u201d Hobson says. \u201cThey are also much gentler on a sensitive stomach, which is good if you are doing a bit of exercise.\u201d The only downside is that \u201cthey have a little less fibre because a lot of that resistant starch is converted into sugar\u201d, Hobson adds. The high sugar level may also make them a poor choice for diabetics.<\/p>\n

\u2022 How do I stop my bananas from going brown?<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The banana is a powerhouse \u2014 a terrific source of fibre, carbohydrates, potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":120070,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[102,6636,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-120069","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-nutrition","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120069","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=120069"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120069\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/120070"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=120069"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=120069"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=120069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}