Red bananas are a popular fruit in Central America, with a sweet, creamy flavor and meatier texture than yellow bananas. They should be eaten when soft and not refrigerated. They can be grown in tropical or semi-tropical areas and are high in potassium.
A red banana is a banana with a pronounced red to purple skin, rather than the more conventional yellow. These bananas originate from Costa Rica where they are extremely popular and are widely eaten in other parts of Central America. Many large markets also carry red bananas, to cater to Central American populations or people who want to experiment with their bananas. Some people claim that the flavor of red bananas is superior to that of the Cavendish, the classic yellow banana carried in most grocery stores.
The skin of a red banana can be anywhere from dark red to almost purple, and the flesh is cream to slightly pink in color. These bananas are meatier and smaller than Cavendish bananas, with a sweet, creamy flavor. Sometimes, there can be a hint of berry flavor in a red banana and these bananas are also very aromatic.
Ideally, red bananas should be eaten when they are soft, but not mushy. In the store, consumers should look for dark, evenly colored leather that shows no signs of cracks, holes, discoloration, or mildew. If the bananas aren’t perfectly ripe, they’ll ripen in a few days at room temperature, and refrigeration isn’t generally recommended for red bananas, because it can make them extremely mushy. A red banana will also give off ethylene gas, so people should be careful about storing these bananas next to other fruits, as the gas speeds ripening.
Like their yellow cousins, red bananas can be eaten plain, cut into fruit salads, included in baked goods, dried to make banana chips, or fried as a side dish. These bananas are a great snack, being high in potassium; For people who sometimes experience muscle cramps, adding more bananas (of any color) to your diet can help reduce cramping after exercise or stress.
People who want to grow a red banana bush can do so if they live in a tropical or semi-tropical area, roughly between USDA zones 8 and 11. Bananas also have very attractive foliage which can make them beautiful ornamentals as well as fruit producers; it typically takes about nine months for a banana bush to mature and produce fruit. Well-drained soil, full sun, and wind protection are essential for a banana bush. Once the fruit ripens, the bush should be returned to the ground, allowing a new bush to grow and produce fruit.
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