The average American consumes about 28 pounds worth of bananas every year! How many bananas are you eating every day? If you’re buying bananas by the hand, you might find your bananas going bad before you can enjoy them.
By freezing bananas, you can discover new ways to put your bananas to good use.
Why freeze bananas when you can eat them fresh? Keep reading to find out! In this guide, we’ll review the 11 benefits of freezing bananas you can enjoy every day.
Don’t let this abundant, affordable, and versatile fruit go to waste. Instead, read on to discover the delicious benefits of this tropical fruit!
1. Great Recipes
If you don’t like the taste or texture of fresh bananas, consider freezing them. By freezing bananas, you can create a ton of delicious, healthy treats you can’t enjoy with fresh bananas.
Make sure to peel the skins away and pre-slice them first. Otherwise, you might struggle to get your banana fruit free from the peel once it’s already frozen. Try to delay freezing your bananas until they’re a few days beyond ripe.
You should see a few brown spots and mushy bits. Once they’re overripe, they’ll taste perfectly sweet. Freezing your bananas will ensure they’re perfect for these recipes.
Recipes
For example, you can add a banana to any smoothie to make the recipe a little thicker. A thicker smoothie is more likely to keep you full longer. It’s also a great frigid, non-dairy option if you want to make your smoothies creamy.
Are you a fan of ice cream but lactose-intolerant? Consider making vegan ice cream! You can use a milk alternative and bananas to whip up a velvety treat.
Try using a food processor or blender.
Once your ice cream is ready, top it off with natural ingredients such as cocoa nibs, coconut flakes, almond slices, or fresh fruit!
Banana freezing is perfect for making popsicles, too. First, blend a frozen banana along with a cup of almond milk and your favorite mix of fruits. Then, pour your blend into an ice cube tray or popsicle mold.
Add toothpicks or popsicle sticks within each mold. Then, let it freeze. Once they’re frozen, enjoy!
You can also use frozen bananas to make delicious snack bites. Add a dash of cinnamon and nut butter to each frozen banana slice. Next, place your slices on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
Let your slices freeze to set for about an hour. Now you have an amazing treat for when you’re on-the-go!
Give these banana freezing recipes a try to see which youprefer!
2. Longer-Lasting
If you decide on freezing bananas, you can keep your fruit lasting longer than you would by keeping them fresh. Don’t worry; frozen food is safe to eat, even months later. In fact, food stored at a constant temperature of 0°F is considered safe.
However, the longer you freeze your fruit, the more likely quality will suffer.
Make sure to freeze your bananas while they’re fresh and ripe. Freezing foods at their peak quality will ensure they taste their best once thawed. Banana freezing can help retain their flavor, color, texture,and vitamin content, too!
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When freezing your bananas, the cold temperature slows the movement of molecules within the fruit. This causes the microbes to enter a dormant stage. As a result, you can keep microorganisms from growing, which could otherwise cause foodborne illness or spoilage.
In order to experience these benefits of freezing bananas, consider checking their consistency after freezing them. Are they oozing or look soft? This could indicate the bananas are spoiled.
Remember, it’s important to freeze bananas while they’re fully ripe. Otherwise, you could lose their taste. They likely won’t taste as sweet if you freeze them too early as well.
Try to let your bananas rest at room temperature for three to five days. If you want to ripen them sooner, place them in a brown paper bag with an apple.
Once they’re ripe, store your peeled banana in an airtight container. The container will ensure they don’t lose moisture. Otherwise, theymight lose their flavor.
Consider keeping your frozen bananas in a separate drawer or shelf when you freeze them, too. This will keep them from absorbing the scents of other foods.
3. Reduce Waste
As of June 2020, the average cost of bananas was $0.58 cents. Imagine how much money you waste every time you toss out bananas that have gone bad. One of the best benefits of freezing bananas is you’ll reduce waste.
That included wasted money, shopping time,and produce.
If you don’t plan on eating the bananas you have at home right away, consider freezing them. Freezing your bananas will benefit your wallet, the environment,and your health!
4. Boost Energy
Need a boost of energy before an intense workout? Consider blending your frozen bananas with your favorite protein powder. Bananas are a great pick-me-up, especially if you’re feeling tired after a long day.
They’re also more nutritious and lower in sugar than energy drinks or sugary snacks. As an added bonus, you won’t have to deal with a sugar crash later in the day.
In fact, bananas are high in pectin. This fiber is what gives bananas their spongy texture.
Pectin can help moderate your blood sugar levels, especially after meals. It might also help reduce your appetite by slowing the digestion process.
5. Highly Nutritious
As one of the most popular fruits in the world, bananas are jam-packed with helpful nutrients. By eating a medium-sized banana, you’re getting:
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin C
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Fiber
Bananas are also high in antioxidants, including dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical messenger involved with your memory retention, motivation, and memory. Antioxidants like dopamine and catechins could help reduce your risk of degenerative illness and heart disease.
6. Better Heart Health
By freezing bananas and adding them to your favorite recipes, you could also improve your heart health.
Potassium helps your body’s circulatory system by delivering oxygen to the brain. By eating frozen bananas, you can maintain a regular heartbeat.
Many people don’t get enough potassium in their diets. Potassium is essential for your heart health and blood pressure control. By adding frozen bananas to your morning smoothie, you could reduce your blood pressure levels.
In fact, people who eat bananas are at a 27% lower risk of heart disease, including stroke.
The magnesium in bananas could benefit your heart, too!
7. Less Constipation
Why freeze bananas? Many people don’t realize they’re a natural laxative. By improving your digestion, you won’t have to worry about constipation.
Bananas contain two different types of fiber: resistant starch and pectin. The amount of pectin decreases as bananas get riper. Resistant starch, on the other hand, is more prominent in unripe bananas.
Resistant starch escapes digestion. This could cause it to travel to your large intestine. Then, the banana will become food for the healthy bacteria in your gut.
8. Feel Fuller
If you find yourself feeling hungry throughout the day, freezing bananas can help. Remember, bananas include resistant starch, which is an indigestible carb. Resistant starch works as a soluble fiber, which can help you feel full.
Pectin can also produce appetite-reducing effects. By increasing your sense of fullness, you’ll feel less inclined to snack throughout the day.
This could benefit your weight-loss goals, too.
Bananas have fewer calories than other fruits. Since they’re high in nutrients and fiber, frozen bananas are also an ideal snack when you’re feeling peckish. Instead of reaching for chips or sugary snacks, frozen bananas are an ideal alternative.
By eating frozen bananas, you can reduce your appetite and start shedding those pounds!
9. Athletic Support
The easily digested carbs in bananas are also great for athletes. If you have a high-intensity workout planned, try eating a banana beforehand. Frozen bananas might also help ease your exercise-related muscle soreness and cramps.
As an added bonus, frozen bananas can also fuel your workout. Consider adding protein powder and a milk alternative to your blend for a refreshing smoothie. Then, get moving!
10. Soothe Ulcers
Eating frozen bananas could increase mucus within your digestive tract. This process could help prevent or heal existing stomach ulcers.
Bananas also leave a protective coating against the inner walls of your digestive system. This could reduce digestive irritation and promote intestinal health.
Do you struggle with heartburn? Bananas are also a natural antacid. Try eating frozen banana snacks to soothe the burn and neutralize acidity.
11. Fight Pain
Remember, bananas are rich in vitamins and minerals. Replenishing your body with these vitamins could help if you’re experiencing a hangover. Throw your frozen bananas into a blender with yogurt, honey, and cinnamon to restore your blood sugar levels.
Freezing bananas could help if you’re fighting morning sickness, too. Bananas contain vitamin B6, which could help if you’re struggling with morning sickness.
BlendThings Up: Experience These 11 Benefits of Freezing Bananas Today
It’s time to get blending! By freezing bananas, you can experience these benefits for yourself. Quit letting your bananas go bad by freezing them instead.
Start blending your new favorite recipes using frozen bananas today!
Ready to go bananas? Explore the other health benefits of freezing bananas with these helpful guides.
