Dried bananas

In our country, bananas quickly gained popularity, especially since this fruit is available almost at any time of the year. A much less popular, but no less tasty option is dried bananas, or figs.

They got their well-deserved popularity because they are very convenient to use: they take up little space, while remaining a nutritious and very healthy snack. This is especially useful if you watch your diet, or you can’t eat normally at work. However, it is important to remember that when dried, bananas also acquire a much higher calorie content: they contain about 5 times more calories than fresh fruits, which in themselves are not very dietary. Therefore, if you want to lose weight, treat dried bananas with caution. In any case, remember that only eating in moderation makes foods truly healthy.

Dried bananas are not very popular in our country, but in Asian countries they are even used to make chips. To do this, they are dried very strongly, adding sugar to them, and sometimes even salt. The result is a very original snack that harms the body much less than the usual potato chips. Although, of course, the combination of salt and banana is a combination only for true gourmets. True, when eating, it is important to remember that they have the same properties as seeds – you can eat a huge amount of them and not even notice it. Therefore, try to either add dried bananas to meals, especially cereals like oatmeal, or strictly dose the amount that you are going to eat, because even the most healthy foods can become harmful if used frequently.

How to choose dried bananas

If you do not cook on your own, but want to buy ready-made dried bananas, pay attention to how they were dried. If it’s a sweet snack that has been prepared with caramel, it’s best to skip the purchase and buy fresh fruit and cook it at home. Remember that dried bananas themselves are quite high-calorie foods, and adding sugar caramel or honey to them will only increase the calorie content, and the sugar content in the product will provide a sharp jump in blood sugar levels.

How to dry bananas at home

Dried bananas can be prepared quite easily at home, no special devices or preservatives are needed for this. To do this, you need to peel fresh fruits, cut them into neat circles about 5 cm thick, put them on a baking sheet and dry them in a warm place at a temperature of 30 to 40 degrees. The result will be bananas that will have a rich brown color. If you use the “baby” variety, you can not cut them, leave them whole, just peel them first.

During the drying process, up to 80% of the water comes out of the banana, so they will become much smaller. However, they will remain as healthy as fresh fruit, retaining an almost complete supply of vitamins and minerals. Place finished products in a glass or cardboard box and store in a dry place for up to 12 months.

To prepare dried bananas at home, it is best, of course, to use a special fruit dryer. Otherwise, you need at least an electric oven, or something else that can keep them at their optimum temperature (about 40 degrees). Exceeding the temperature will make the bananas baked rather than dried. Cut them into slices about 5 centimeters wide, and then dip them in a mixture of lemon juice and water, if desired. This is necessary so that they retain their color and do not darken. To do this, lemon juice with water must be mixed in a ratio of one to two, but if the color of the finished product is not important to you, you can safely skip this step.

Bananas must be placed in this mixture for half a minute, then removed, spread on a baking sheet and dried. At the optimum temperature of 40 degrees Celsius, you will need about 18 hours to completely dry the product. Remember that in the oven at the same temperature, you will need about 5 hours. In addition, you can dry bananas and just in the fresh air, if it’s very hot outside. To do this, it is also necessary to lay them out on parchment, but be sure to cover them with gauze so that midges do not sit on them. In this case, place them directly under the open sun, and then check the condition regularly. As soon as a characteristic sweet crust forms on the fruit, we can assume that they are ready.

Composition of dried bananas

One dried banana contains a daily amount of vitamin B6, which we need in order to speed up the metabolism, as well as maintain the efficiency of the nervous system. In addition to vitamin B6, they contain a wide range of other B vitamins, sucrose, which gives them a sweet taste, and phosphorus, which is essential for mental performance.

Dried bananas have a lot of useful properties, in principle, the same that you can find in fresh fruits. They contain a high concentration of potassium, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system, as well as to improve communication between neurons. In addition, it is very useful for the good condition of the skin and hair, its deficiency immediately becomes noticeable and affects the appearance.

Useful properties of dried bananas

Dried bananas can even be used for medicinal purposes, in particular, they are very good at helping to cope with constipation, in this they are very good at replacing pharmaceutical drugs. The main thing is not to get carried away with such treatment, since there are still too many calories in bananas. It is very useful to periodically use them for people who suffer from anemia, as the substances contained in them stimulate the production of blood cells. They are also prescribed for those who suffer from chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, such as ulcers or gastritis, since dried bananas are very easy to digest, give the body the maximum amount of nutrients, and also improve bowel function.

They are also well suited for those who have problems with the cardiovascular system, as they support the work of the heart and the good condition of blood vessels, and are also able to remove harmful salts from the body. Dried bananas help the body remove excess fluid, along with salts, which helps relieve swelling. They can also be taken for ulcers, as their fibrous composition is very easy to digest and does not damage the gastric mucosa.

They help with:

• smoking;
• cardiovascular diseases;
• to support the nervous system;
• for the proper formation of the body;
• with edema.

Bananas, both fresh and dried, are recommended for smokers. Firstly, they help at least slightly reduce the harm that nicotine causes to the body, and secondly, they help fight cravings for smoking. When consumed regularly, bananas even help to cope with stress and reduce anxiety and nervousness (like tomatoes and sesame seeds), this was made possible thanks to the vitamin B contained in them. Vitamin E, which is also found in fresh and dried fruits, is very beneficial for the condition. skin and hair. With regular use, it will become noticeable, not only the mood will improve, but also the appearance.

Dried bananas for kids

Many are interested in the question of whether dried bananas can be given to children. Many berries and fruits can cause allergies in a baby, especially if he is very young, but bananas, both fresh and dried, remain a hypoallergenic product, so you can safely include them in your children’s diet. What’s more, dried bananas are even good for children, as they contain a high concentration of vitamin C, which promotes a good immune system and helps with colds.

Interesting facts about bananas

Not everyone knows this, but bananas, both fresh and dried, contain substances that stimulate the production of the hormone of joy, so we can say that those people who regularly consume them are the happiest people in the world. In any case, their regular use can improve mood, increase efficiency and keep the nervous system in order. Dried fruits are very good for athletes, because they contain a high concentration of calories, which means they can provide a lot of energy. Their natural composition saturates the body with useful substances, which is also very important for those who play sports.

How to eat dried bananas

Because of the high calorie content, it is best to consume bananas in the morning. For example, a very healthy breakfast would be oatmeal with the addition of fresh or dried fruits. You can also use them as a decoration and addition to confectionery products, such as cakes and pastries. But, of course, it is best to use dried bananas in their pure form: firstly, they themselves are a very good substitute for desserts even for the most capricious children, and secondly, they are already quite high in calories. You can even make compotes from dried bananas if you are ready to experiment and want to try such a drink.

Contraindications and harm

Any most useful product has its contraindications. Dried bananas, for example, should not be consumed by people who want to lose weight. At the very least, it is necessary to strictly control their amount in the diet. Due to the high concentration of sugar, they are contraindicated for people who suffer from diabetes.

The amount of dried bananas eaten must be strictly dosed also for people who suffer from excessive blood clotting, including one that leads to blood clots, as well as after a heart attack or stroke.

It is advisable to avoid combining with milk, as this can cause bloating. On the other hand, the combination of banana with milk helps to gain weight, so in small quantities it can be consumed by those people who need to gain weight.