As bananas ripen, they get sweeter and more flavorful as their starches turn to sugar, which makes them tastier to eat out of hand and great for sweet recipes like banana bread. They are perfect for baking when speckled with brown all over and have a strong fruity fragrance. Bananas also get softer as they ripen, and their mashability makes them ideal for treats and creamy smoothies.
But just how ripe are we talking about here? Should you be using those completely black bananas on your counter or is it safer to toss them in the compost bin instead? To find out, I checked with the experts at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as James E. Rogers, Ph.D., the Director of Food Safety Research and Testing for Consumer Reports.
Good news for Team Ripe Banana: Extremely ripe bananas—even those with a completely black peel—are likely safe to eat. According to a spokesperson for the FDA, "Generally, as long as it is not visibly moldy, it is safe." Rogers concurs, saying he hasn't seen any studies linking foodborne illness to eating extremely ripe bananas.
That said, Rogers states that if your bananas are jet black and mushy, your safest bet is to cook with them rather than eating them out of hand or using them raw in things like smoothies or nice cream.
"The riper the bananas get, the more levels of bacteria could be on them," he says. Those bacteria include spoilage bacteria, which are typically not harmful, but could also be pathogenic bacteria (which can make you sick) picked up during harvesting, processing, or at the grocery store.
Fortunately, heat should kill any pathogenic bacteria that might have been lurking around and multiplying on the bananas as they ripened. "Cooking is a kill step," says Rogers.
Also, note that placing bananas in the fridge or freezer will turn them black. This is natural—bananas don't handle the cold well—and does not mean the bananas are bad. You can still eat them safely as long as they aren't moldy.
3 Signs It’s Time To Throw Away Your Bananas
If you notice any mold on your bananas, it's time to throw them away or toss them in the compost bin. The black skin itself is not mold. Mold on bananas is fuzzy white, gray, or greenish—it looks a lot like mold on bread.
If a banana smells rotten or fermented or is leaking fluid, it's time to say goodbye.
If the fruit inside, not just the peel, is black, that's a sign that your banana is too far gone to safely eat.
The Takeaway
Completely black bananas are likely safe to consume as long as there is no visible mold, a rotten smell, or the fruit inside is black. If none of these are true and your bananas are simply black, your best bet is to cook with them rather than eat them raw.
Rotten bananas will often have a fermented or alcohol-like smell. While it's okay if the banana peel is dark brown or even black, if the inside is too, then the fruit is beyond ripe and now on its way to rotten. Another sign that bananas have gone bad is if they start leaking any fluids.
Mold on bananas is fuzzy white, gray, or greenish—it looks a lot like mold on bread. If a banana smells rotten or fermented or is leaking fluid, it's time to say goodbye. If the fruit inside, not just the peel, is black, that's a sign that your banana is too far gone to safely eat.
According to a spokesperson for the FDA, "Generally, as long as it is not visibly moldy, it is safe." Rogers concurs, saying he hasn't seen any studies linking foodborne illness to eating extremely ripe bananas.
Nausea: Although potassium is good for the body, ingesting too much of it increases the risk of side effects such as nausea. Headache: Bananas contain phenylethylamine and tyramine, which can result in an increased flow of blood to the brain and subsequent headaches.
Bananas with black spots are safe for consumption and do not pose any health risks. However, exercise caution if a banana with dark spots emits a bad odour. In such cases, it is advisable to steer clear and opt for a fresher alternative. Trust your senses when it comes to ensuring the quality of this nutritious fruit.
Do not wait, Life Hack warns, for the banana to become completely black, as this is evidence of reduced nutritional benefits. If the bananas are moldy, smell rotten, or have a black center — aka black center syndrome, a fungal condition — do not eat them. As The Whole Portion confirms, these are bananas to avoid.
In fact, eating a banana late at night may cause a big rise in your blood sugar — and this could make your sleep worse. ZOE's scientists run the world's largest nutrition study, with over 50,000 participants so far.
Is it good to eat a banana every day? Bananas are healthy, delicious, and versatile fruits. They're full of nutrients that could help prevent constipation, improve digestive and gut health, and promote recovery from intense activity.
Banana is a great source of energy since it is high in nutrients. However, overconsumption can prove harmful for the body and can lead to complications, if left unaddressed. Regular intake of bananas is considered safe unless you're having only 1-2 per day. Do not go overboard and increase your risk of hyperkalemia.
Therefore, eating a banana every day is certainly a good idea. However, if a person has any health concerns, including uncontrolled diabetes, late-stage kidney failure, or is taking medication for high blood pressure, they should check with a health professional to see if bananas are safe for them to eat.
If the bananas have any visible signs of mold, throw them out. If they smell off, that's another good indicator that they are no longer okay to use. Rotten bananas will often have a fermented or alcohol-like smell.
A person with diabetes should include a variety of fresh, whole foods in their diet, such as nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables. Bananas are a safe and nutritious fruit for people with diabetes to eat in moderation as part of a balanced, individualized eating plan.
Bananas are incredibly tasty and easy to eat. What's more, they're rich in many essential vitamins and minerals. Most people eat bananas when the fruit is yellow and ripe, but green unripe bananas are also safe to eat. However, some people dislike their taste and texture.
Here's the secret: overripe bananas don't necessarily mean too-ripe bananas for banana bread. It really comes down to personal preference. Those brown-speckled, mostly yellow bananas are still ripe and will bake into a great loaf.
Introduction: My name is Trent Wehner, I am a talented, brainy, zealous, light, funny, gleaming, attractive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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