Holy Bananas! Did you know this?

[Cathe Friedrich]

I just read in "Consumer Reports On Health" that banana's are radioactive!!!! Strange to think of them that way. Apparently they emit small amounts of radiation due to their high potassium level. Consumer Reports states that this amount is non-harmful and considered "background radiation", a form of radiation that naturally exists in the environment which we're exposed to by way of water, food and air. Fortunately they state that bananas benefits outweigh any potential risks.

 

[112toGuru]

Thanks for the banana tip Cathe, right now I'm hoping trans fat free donuts are safe!

Ya think?

 

[SusanMcL]

I'm waiting for chocolate cake to be declared a health food and that one large piece per day is required for good health

To stay on topic, I love bananas. I have one every morning.. first thing (well... right after my coffeee... lol) Then oatmeal.

 

[Fit_mommy]

To stay on topic, I love bananas. I have one every morning..

Me too! I have coffee pre-work out and a banana after my work out. I eat a bigger meal/breakfast once I get to work...

 

[Dela]

No I definitely did not know that, that is really odd.

 

[melagras]

I'm not surprised. Seems like everything we eat or drink these days is toxic.

 

[cataddict]

I'm not surprised. Seems like everything we eat or drink these days is toxic.

All radiation isn't "toxic."

I would think that most everything emits some slight radiation, I would love to see a good scientific study that expands on this topic and tests a variety of foods, particularly those we consider to be healthy and nutritious.

 

[JeanneMarie]

A cup of coffee and a banana... the perfect start to my morning, every morning!

 

[helened]

Yep, it's a good way to check if your radiation counter works properly (just make sure to protect your counter with a thin film of plastic lest it gets contaminated from the banana). Anyone with a granite countertop should also be able to measure some radiation.

 

[JeanneMarie]

Anyone with a granite countertop should also be able to measure some radiation.

Oh No! I eat my banana while sitting at my granite kitchen bar.

 

[TrainerErica]

Oh well, I love my banana's too much to worry about it too much, although its a crazy bit of info to know!

 

[helened]

Oh No! I eat my banana while sitting at my granite kitchen bar.

No worries, it's also natural background radiation. The only environmental radiation we need to worry about I think is radon which can seep through the earth into basements. So enjoy your banana and your granite countertop.

 

[JeanneMarie]

No worries, it's also natural background radiation. The only environmental radiation we need to worry about I think is radon which can seep through the earth into basements. So enjoy your banana and your granite countertop.

Thanks for the reassurance, but I was trying to be funny!

 

[aveggiegirl]

I'm waiting for chocolate cake to be declared a health food and that one large piece per day is required for good health

To stay on topic, I love bananas. I have one every morning.. first thing (well... right after my coffeee... lol) Then oatmeal.

I'm just the opposite....banana and then coffee. First thing, though.
I'm sad today because I ate the last banana yesterday and I didn't get to the grocery store yet.

 

[JeanneMarie]

I'm just the opposite....banana and then coffee. First thing, though.
I'm sad today because I ate the last banana yesterday and I didn't get to the grocery store yet.

And at the risk of steering this thread a bit off course, I am still looking for the solution to keeping bananas from going bad so fast. It seems like mine never last more than about 2-3 days. I have one of those little banana stands, where they hang instead of sit on the counter, which obviously isn't making a difference. Those green bag thingies don't work. Has anybody discovered the magic trick?

 

[RapidBreath]

Has anybody discovered the magic trick?

Try putting them in the fridge, the cold slows down the ripening process. Don't put them in with apples, that will speed it up.

I love bananas. I love banana bread, and tapioca pudding with bananas. Nummy! Mine are too green to eat today.

 

[kathryn]

And at the risk of steering this thread a bit off course, I am still looking for the solution to keeping bananas from going bad so fast. It seems like mine never last more than about 2-3 days. I have one of those little banana stands, where they hang instead of sit on the counter, which obviously isn't making a difference. Those green bag thingies don't work. Has anybody discovered the magic trick?

When you store your bananas, don't put them all in the same area, as the build-up of ethlene will make them ripen faster.

Put the fast-ripening to good use: once the bananas are fully ripe (no green on them, with lots of 'freckles'), peel them, break or cut them into chunks, and freeze them in freezer bags, ready to use in a smoothie (or to make banana 'ice cream' out of, just by blending).

I hardly ever eat bananas "as-is" (except after 5k's, when they are offered as post-race food), but use a lot in smoothies. That also has the benefit of being a bit cheaper, as I can buy the 'overripe' bananas for less (the produce manager at my local grocery store has a very different concept of 'ripe bananas' than I do: to him, any spot of brown means "too ripe". To me, that means "good for eating in the next 2 days, or freezing after that").


ANd those banana storage hanging things? They don't keep bananas from ripening too fast, but do keep them from bruising.

 

[JeanneMarie]

When you store your bananas, don't put them all in the same area, as the build-up of ethlene will make them ripen faster.

Put the fast-ripening to good use: once the bananas are fully ripe (no green on them, with lots of 'freckles'), peel them, break or cut them into chunks, and freeze them in freezer bags, ready to use in a smoothie (or to make banana 'ice cream' out of, just by blending).

I hardly ever eat bananas "as-is" (except after 5k's, when they are offered as post-race food), but use a lot in smoothies. That also has the benefit of being a bit cheaper, as I can buy the 'overripe' bananas for less (the produce manager at my local grocery store has a very different concept of 'ripe bananas' than I do: to him, any spot of brown means "too ripe". To me, that means "good for eating in the next 2 days, or freezing after that").


ANd those banana storage hanging things? They don't keep bananas from ripening too fast, but do keep them from bruising.

Thanks for the suggestions for overripe bananas. I do those things when they are too ripe, but I LOVE my banana every morning as is. Nothing irritates me more than to go into a store and find a bunch of brown spotted bananas for sale. I like mine just barely past green. It's just impossible to keep them that way for more than a day or so.

Thanks to whoever recommended putting them in the refrigerator. I'll try that!

 

[kathryn]

Nothing irritates me more than to go into a store and find a bunch of brown spotted bananas for sale. I like mine just barely past green. It's just impossible to keep them that way for more than a day or so.

In that case, I'd recommend taking a few bananas from different bunches, so they reach your prefered state of ripeness at different times: choose some that are 'just right' to eat the same day, some that are 'not-quite-right' to eat in subsequent days.

 

[jldx2in2000]

I second the fridge for keeping bananas from going bad!

You will notice the peel will go brown but the banana will stay ripe but not overipen for quite awhile.

I can buy 5-6 bananas on Saturday, store them in the fridge right away, and by the time I finish that last banana the next Saturday, it is just starting to over ripen but still edible.