How to Eat Red Bananas

Co-authored by Roy Nattiv, MD

Last Updated: March 26, 2024 References

Red bananas may seem mysterious, but they’re an awesome winter fruit to incorporate into your diet. Slightly sweeter than yellow bananas, they are also rich in fiber, potassium, and vitamin C.^{[1]
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Research source} Although they can be consumed deliciously as is, you can also use the bananas to make a smoothie or whip up a special red banana pineapple banana bread.

Ingredients

Red Banana Pineapple Bread^{[2]
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1 ²⁄₃ cups (390 mL) all purpose flour
¹⁄₂ teaspoon (2.5 mL) ground ginger
¹⁄₄ teaspoon (1.2 mL) teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) baking soda
1 cup (240 mL) sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) vanilla extract
¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) vegetable oil
¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) crushed pineapple
1 ¹⁄₂ cups (350 mL) mashed red bananas
9 by 5 by 3 in (22.9 by 12.7 by 7.6 cm) loaf pan

Makes 8 servings.

Red Banana Smoothie^{[3]
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1 cup (240 mL) almond milk
1 red banana
¹⁄₂ cup (120 mL) of steel cut oats, cooked.

Makes 1 serving.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Eating a Red Banana Raw

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^{[4]
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Research source} You can also feel the bananas, as the ripe ones will give when you press lightly on them.^{[5]
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2
Cut off the ends of the banana and slice the banana lengthwise. Slice all the way down to each end for easy removal, and use a cutting board to protect your counters.^{[6]
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- If you’ve succeeded at finding a ripe banana, it’s flesh should be ivory white when you peel it at home.^{[7]
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Now that the peel is sliced, slide the banana out and throw away or compost the peel.
4
Slice the banana up or consume it as is. Put sliced banana in a bowl and eat it with a fork to minimize messiness. You can pair the sliced banana with other berries, to complement the sweet, raspberry undertones of red bananas.^{[8]
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- You may note that the banana feels a bit softer than your average yellow banana, and that’s completely normal.^{[9]
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- For a special dessert, put whipped cream and chocolate drizzle on the sliced banana.
- For breakfast, top off a bowl of cereal or yogurt with the sliced red banana.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making a Red Banana Smoothie

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1
Cook ¹⁄₂ cup (120 mL) oats 5 minutes ahead of making the smoothie. You can cook oats on the stovetop or in the microwave. Doing this 5 minutes beforehand will give the oats time to cool.
- Use high-protein oatmeal for extra protein in your smoothie.
2
Add the peeled and sliced banana to the blender. To peel, use a knife to cut off the ends of the banana and then cut the banana longways. Remove the banana from the peel, and slice it into pieces.
- Slice thinly for faster blending.
If the oats aren’t quite cool yet, add a couple of pieces of ice to the smoothie to balance out the heat.
4
Pour in 1 cup (240 mL) almond milk over the oats and red banana. If you don’t like almond milk, you can substitute in soy, coconut, oat or regular milk.
- Almond milk is a rich source of calcium, vitamin E, and folic acid, which will contribute to the immune-boosting qualities of the smoothie.^{[10]
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Blend until the ingredients liquefy and taste the smoothie to check if it’s smooth enough. Add ice until you achieve desired thickness.^{[11]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Baking Red Banana Pineapple Bread

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Spread butter along the bottom and edges of the pan, using a paper towel to help distribute the butter if necessary. Sprinkle flour over the entirety of the pan.
Mix 1 ²⁄₃ cups (390 mL) all purpose flour, ¹⁄₄ teaspoon (1.2 mL) teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) baking soda, and ¹⁄₂ teaspoon (2.5 mL) ground ginger until combined, checking for a similar color makeup throughout the mix.
Beat until the eggs and sugar are a lighter color and appear thick.
Beat with the electric mixture for about 30 seconds.
5
Stir in ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) crushed pineapple and 1 ¹⁄₂ cups (350 mL) mashed red bananas. Set the electric mixer to the side, and grab a spoon to stir in these larger ingredients. Stir until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- You can mash up the banana in a bowl with a fork. For the pineapple, put pineapple chunks in the blender and set the blender on chop for 30 seconds.^{[12]
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Fold the dough as you stir to make sure flour reaches each part of the mix. Scrape flour off the sides of the bowl periodically.
7
Pour dough into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Use a spoon or your hands to spread the dough, until it sits evenly throughout the pan.
- You’re done with most of the hands on work, and can now wash your hands free of food.
8
Bake the bread for 1 hour or until golden-brown. Check the bread after the hour to see if the top is golden. If it is, remove the bread with hand mitts, and stick a fork or cake tester into it. If the fork comes back clean, the bread is ready. If not, stick it back in the oven for 5 minutes and check again.^{[13]
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- If you have any leftover bread after serving, store it in a tupperware container or cover with aluminum foil and keep in the fridge.

Expert Q&A

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Question

Does eating bananas help with peptic ulcers?

Roy Nattiv, MD
Board Certified Gastroenterologist
Dr. Roy Nattiv is a Board-Certified Pediatric Gastroenterologist in Los Angeles, California. With over 20 years of experience he specializes in a broad range of pediatric gastrointestinal and nutritional illnesses such as constipation, diarrhea, reflux, food allergies, poor weight gain, SIBO, IBD, and IBS. He completed his pediatric residency at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, and his fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). While at UCSF, he was a California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) fellowship trainee and was awarded the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) Fellow to Faculty Award in Pediatric IBD Research. Dr. Nattiv received his undergrad degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and his medical degree (MD) from the Sackler School of Medicine in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Roy Nattiv, MD

Board Certified Gastroenterologist

Expert Answer

Eating bananas offers numerous benefits, including their ability to absorb stomach acidity, potentially aiding in the faster healing of ulcers. Bananas also contain essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin B6, which are important for overall health. Additionally, bananas are believed to possess antibacterial properties. However, it's important to note that while bananas can be a beneficial addition to a balanced diet, they are not typically considered a primary treatment for ulcers and are often viewed as a complementary or alternative approach to ulcer management.

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Because red bananas have a slightly different taste, they have different ideal pairings. Some examples of sweet and savory foods red bananas pair well with are berries, citrus fruits, mint, cream, pork, chicken, black beans, limes, mangos, pineapples, cashews, and hazelnuts.^{[14]
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Any of your favorite banana recipes can incorporate red bananas; just substitute red banana where the recipe calls for yellow banana.

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