Bananas: Six Most Popular Types

Banana is the world's favorite fruit, and banana plant is not a tree. It is the world's biggest herb. Bananas contain three natural sugars: sucrose, fructose, and glucose. Banana gives an instant and sustainable boost of energy. Bananas have many health benefits. They are a good source of potassium, fiber, 110 calories each, approximately 6 vitamins, and 11 minerals. Below are the six types of bananas that we often eat.

Manzano Banana

The Manzano banana is short and chubby with a mild strawberry-apple flavor, and the skin is black when it's ripe. It has a chunkier and heavier appearance than traditional banana. This banana is usually grown in Asia, South America, Mexico, Caribbean, and Africa, which also known as Apple banana.

Baby/Nino Banana

Baby/ Nino banana is about three inches long. When they are ripe, they turn bright yellow and have a rich, sweet flavor and creamy texture. This is one of the smallest and sweetest bananas around. It is only 3 inches long, and a native of Colombia. It is an excellent source of heart-healthy vitamin B6. This baby banana can be baked, sauteed, broiled, and even grilled.

Burro banana

The Burro banana is round and has a squared off ends. This is stubbier, smaller, and more rectangular in shape than Cavendish yellow banana. When ripe, the skin is yellow with black spots, and the flesh is creamy white. They have a tangy, almost lemony flavor. This burro banana can be eaten fresh, and cooked in all recipes.

Red Banana

The Red banana is heartier and slightly sweeter than yellow banana. When ripe, they have maroon/purple skin to almost black, and the flesh is pinkish, or salmon yellow. The Red banana has a raspberry hint of flavor. It also contains more beta carotene, and vitamin C than the regular yellow banana.

Plantain banana

The Plantain banana is starchy and lower in sugar. It has to be cooked before serving since it's unsuited to eat it raw. Plantains are native of India, and grow mostly in tropical climates. Sometimes, it is preferred to as potatoes or pasta in the Caribbean. Plantain usually has green color, when ripe, it is almost black. The flesh is creamy and yellowish or lightly pink.

Cavendish banana

The Cavendish banana is the most popular banana in the U.S. Sometimes it is also known as the Chiquita because Chiquita is the globe's largest banana producer. America eats more bananas than any other fresh fruits. Banana usually eats fresh and can be use for many purposes such as bread baking, pie, muffins, yogurts, smoothies, puddings, and custards.

Pick full-yellow bananas for salads or snacking. Use those with spots on the peel for baking, smoothies or recipes that call for mashed bananas. Avoid bananas with a gray tint or dull skin.

As with all bananas, it is best to purchase while still a bit green. Bananas are nutritious and convenient to eat. They are cheap and always available. If you want to preserve bananas, put them in the refrigerator only after they reach desired ripeness. They can be refrigerated for up to two weeks. The color of skin will be darkened, but the flesh remains its flavor.