Somebody's got to say it ....
ripe bananas are NOT green or bright yellow ...

 

    a RAW banana                   a RIPE banana

...they are spotted and softened,
much more digestible and sweeter.

Responsible, cognizant banana growers and packers
wrap the cut stems of a banana bunch with waxy film which seals the end, prevents premature drying and ripening; locking the volatile oils and flavor within.

Bananas are picked very very green and very hard so they can be tussled about and transported from tropic climes to remote produce stands worldwide and yet survive all the handling and abuse en route.

Eventually the skin - the peel - will turn more yellow. At this point the flesh inside is still very white, very firm, verging on hard, and definitely chewy. That means the fruit is still in its starchy, simple bad carb state. When it's digested it tries to turn into fructose, but not much of it is available yet so a lot remains as bulky poorly digestible starch and empty calories.

Given a few more days, the peel gets speckled. A few more and it's more spotted with brown. At this stage and with little yellow left on the peel, the meat inside is at its most nutritious, most valuable and sweetest. It's closer to fructose (sugar) in this state, a more complex carbohydrate which our bodies really love, need and thrive on. No pesky starch to cut through and break down. AND the flavor is MUCH more complex.

Sure, it's softer and closer to mushy, so what? If you want all this goodness find another way to use it, like in a smoothie or oatmeal or a muffin recipe. Tons of absolutely great bananas get tossed out just when they're at their peak.

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