Have you ever left bananas in your fruit bowl for too long and ended up with brown, mushy fruits that are way past their best? If so, you might want to know whether they are safe to consume.
Overripe bananas should be perfectly safe to eat provided that they have no signs of decay on them. Some people prefer bananas when they have gone overripe, as they are often sweeter and softer than bananas that are just ripe. They have more sugars in them, which makes some people enjoy them more.
In this article, we’ll explore whether overripe bananas are safe to eat and what indicates that they are not safe. We’ll also touch on a few tips for storing your bananas properly to stop them from becoming overripe.
How Do You Tell If A Banana Is Overripe?
There are a few different definitions for whether a banana is overripe or not. Some people define an overripe banana as any fruit that has started to develop a few brown spots, while others say that a banana isn’t overripe until it is mostly brown. However you classify it, you should look out for:
- Soft flesh that squashes very easily under your fingers
- Brown spots or splotches on the peel or on the fruit itself
- A mushy texture
- Sweeter fruit than you would expect
- Some wetness on the fruit
The ripeness is definitely a scale when it comes to bananas, and some people count bananas as overripe much sooner than others do – but the above signs appearing in some form or another might indicate that the banana is going past its best and becoming overripe.
This can happen in a matter of days, especially if you buy bananas that are already ripe. If you buy bananas that are tinged with green, they will last for a lot longer,
Are Overripe Bananas Safe To Eat?
The next question is whether you can eat a banana that has become overripe, and the answer is that it depends on whether any mold has started to develop or not. If the banana is too ripe but not moldy, it will be fine to eat, but if it has begun developing bacteria or mold in its flesh, it could make you sick if you eat it.
The best way to tell whether a banana is going off is to smell it. Bananas develop an alcoholic scent when they have gone off, because the sugars in the fruit start to ferment. You should also check it for mold spots, especially if the skin has split anywhere, letting mold spores get to the soft flesh inside the peel.
If the banana has turned black, you should also be much more cautious about eating it, because this makes it more likely that it is starting to ferment. This doesn’t apply if you put the banana in the fridge or freezer, as this makes them turn black before they are overripe.
You should look out for things like fruit flies, which indicate that the fruit may be starting to ferment and go off. On their own, they aren’t a sign that the banana is unsafe to eat, but they indicate that you should be more cautious.
Are Overripe Bananas Healthy?
Overripe bananas are not as good for you as ripe bananas, because many of their nutrients will have been lost and they will have become significantly more sugary. They have less fiber in them, meaning the sugar will have more of an effect on your bloodstream.
However, overripe bananas are still considered pretty healthy. They will have lost some micronutrients like vitamin B6 and vitamin K, but not significant amounts. That means that you can still get some excellent benefits from eating overripe bananas, although they are healthier when they are just ripe.
Where possible, opt for yellow or even slightly green bananas for the best health benefits. It’s worth noting, though, that brown spots that are due to bruising rather than ripening do not indicate that the banana’s quality has decreased, so bruised yellow bananas should be very good for you.
In some cases, overripe bananas actually have higher levels of vitamin C, but this depends on how overripe they have become. When they are extremely overripe, they are almost always less healthy than when they are ripe or a little overripe.
How To Stop Bananas From Becoming Too Ripe
Storage makes a big difference to your bananas, and unlike many fruits, you can’t just toss them in the fridge to slow down the ripening process. If you do this, the peels will turn black. However, it’s worth noting that this doesn’t generally affect the inner fruit, and some people do choose to keep their bananas in the fridge and not worry about the black peel.
The other thing you can do is wrap the top of the banana in plastic wrap or a plastic bag with an elastic band on it. This slows down the movement of ethylene gas, which is what makes the banana ripen. Some studies indicate that keeping the bananas in a sealed bag can also decrease the ripening speed.
You should make sure that they are in a cool place away from direct sunlight, and aim to use them up within a few days of purchasing them. Bananas don’t tend to last for more than a week at the most, and if you don’t use them quickly enough, they may develop mold spores.
If you want to keep a banana for longer, you will need to freeze it, but doing so often makes the fruit mushy and unpleasant – so you’ll probably have to use frozen bananas in baking or cooking, rather than eating them fresh.
Conclusion
Overripe bananas are generally perfectly safe to eat, and some people actually prefer them in this form. You should check them for mold first, however, as if the banana has turned moldy or if it smells alcoholic, it will need to be composted rather than consumed. Always be cautious, as moldy fruit is not safe to eat.
