What colour is a banana?

[plowter]

I must be getting old. I remember when bananas were yellow. Why are all the bananas in supermarkets green?

[pastafreak]

They are green because they are not fully ripe yet...also, some people prefer them a bit green as they are less sweet, and firmer.

[tazz]

green can b bad 4 u thou spec 4 kids i heard so it best to wait till yellow

[tiggerblue10]

Bananas rippen very quickly so its best that they are sold green. The GI level is also lower when slightly green. It increases when ripe.

[natalie_1982]

Soft nanas are the work of the devil; I like them green and firm :-)

[feret]

because fruit has such a short shelf life, bananas are sold green to allow for ripening in your homes and not in the shops where waste costs ! Also its cheaper for shops to buy them green as they are given discounts to purchase under ripe fruit that is refrigerated until sold. this is also why your bananas often go black without going yellow. Bananas dont like the cold so they turn black if chilled.

x

[plowter]

You knew where you were in the old days. A banana would be firm, yellow and ready to eat. You could get ones that were green at the top and would be ripe in a day or so.

Nowadays you can't buy bananas (from supermarkets anyway) that are ready to eat. You get the green ones home, planning to eat one next day. If you're lucky it goes overipe but edible (with black spots). Usually it goes straight to black and mushy.

Seems like a waste to fly them round the world, treat them so badly and throw them out.

I could really really murder a banana butty.

[coco pops]

There were red bananas in our local Morrisons ,thought they were sweet potatoes when i saw them from a distance

[garner]

Yes coco pops and they say they taste of raspberries would you believe.

[figure]

Red bananas are delicious.

[Buenchico]

I buy Tesco's 'value' bananas. (They're just as good as the regular ones but they're 'Class II' because of tiny skin blemishes). While I occasionally find that there aren't any yellow ones, I can usually find a bag where they're either fully yellow or just a bit green around the top. So, Plowter, I suggest you take a look at the 'cheapo' produce. You might well find some nice yellow bananas there, and save some money at the same time.

Many years ago, I stayed in Singapore for a few days, on my way to Oz. I went on a night-time boat tour of the harbour, which included basic food and drink. I was handed a banana which hadn't got a bit of yellow on the skin. It was totally brown, except for large black patches. Due to the humidity, I hadn't really eaten anything all day and I suddenly felt very hungry so I thought that I'd 'give it a go'. Of course, it was a banana that had been ripened on the tree and it was the most wonderful piece of fruit I've ever eaten. It was still firm but it melted in the mouth like an exquisite ice-cream, with an explosion of flavour.

Chris

[Gef]

Totally agree with Chris. I will not eat a banana until the dkin has lot of brown spots on it at least. I buy them in advance and keep at room temperature.

[hockenc]

what a stupid question!! is there something wrong with your head!!!