How to Ripen Bananas

Many of us love eating bananas, as they are really healthy and nutritious. Like many other fruits, they are produced in mature conditions, but are not ripe. Bananas take several days to ripen in their natural condition. Thus, a better option is ripening them at home. Also, if you own a banana farm or are in its export business, then their transportation is quite troublesome, as it could damage their firmness while they are carried from one place to another.

You can keep the bananas in a paper bag containing apples or tomatoes and place it in a dry area. These foodstuffs produce ethylene gas which helps in the maturing process.

Using plastic bags does not help, as circulation of this gas is not possible in such cases. The ripening process takes about 24 to 36 hours according to the banana's rawness. Make sure you remove them as soon as they mature, since overdoing it will spoil the fruit.

The best way, to make them mature quickly, is to keep them in an oven that is preheated up to 300°F. This will result in black skin and make them warm from within. Another widely used and commercially popular method is the use of calcium carbide.

In case they are over-ripened, you can use them to make recipes like banana pie, banana bread, and smoothies. Placing them in the refrigerator keeps the bananas firm even though their skin may turn black. By this method, they will remain undamaged and healthy.

The fruits are locked in a room containing calcium carbide which emits acetylene that heats up the surrounding space, and causes them to ripen fast. They can also be ripened by either plastering them with mud, by external application of some chemicals that release ethylene gas, or by smoke.

As the banana ripens, not only the color but the thickness of the peel also reduces, making it easier to peel it off. The chlorophyll content from the peel begins to decrease, changing it from green to yellow. The sweet taste of the ripened ones is due to the chemical changes occurring within it. The starch gets converted into sugar, making them sweeter.

Truly speaking, there isn't any fixed stage to consume these fruits; whether green or yellow, they can always be used as healthy options. Since bananas are available throughout the year and they contribute to many health benefits, they are one of the best fruits for consumption.