First off a quick lesson in banana color !!!
Ripe Vs. Green
Does it matter … it sure does !
As the banana ages the nutritional content changes slightly. As the banana becomes spotted, several things occur, the starches in the fruit change to simple sugars and the antioxidant properties have increased due to aging. A ripe banana is sweeter due to the increase in sugar content so a diabetic person should avoid really ripe bananas. The calories for a banana about 7 inches long is about 105 but the sugar content compared to other fruits is significantly higher for the amount of calories you are consuming. That makes bananas the perfect pre or post workout snack to sustain or replace glycogen levels!
So what can you do with over ripe bananas? Do what I did and make a gluten free, sugar free banana bread !!! Its simple and healthy!!
Healthy (no sugar added) GLUTEN FREE BANANA BREAD
Ingredients
-4 ripe bananas
-1/3 cup coconut oil
-4 eggs
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1 1/2 cinnamon
-1/2 cup coconut flour ( do not sub any other flour it wont work)
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/4 teaspoon sea salt
-Optional: Coconut flakes or assorted mixed nuts
-Pre heat oven to 350 degrees
-Mix all the ingredients together
-Place into baking dish or bread loaf pans until 3/4 way full ( leave room for it to rise)
-Add some chopped walnuts to the top or coconut flakes
-Bake for 45 minutes or until top is golden brown (use a tooth pick to check the center, if it comes out clean its done)
Now enjoy as part of your breakfast or as an afternoon post workout snack !!