# How ripe do you like your bananas? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2013, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304 "2013-03-18T22:18:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/1 "2013-03-18T22:18:39Z")
Poll coming. As for me, I prefer them yellow with a few brown spots. If you don’t like bananas, this isn’t the thread for you. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/2 "2013-03-18T22:20:57Z")
“Yellow with some brown” … in other words, ripe. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/3 "2013-03-18T22:21:08Z")
I prefer them when they’ve just barely turned from green to yellow, while they’re still firm. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/4 "2013-03-18T22:25:28Z")
I have a lot of rules about bananas, my second favorite fruit.\* I prefer them about from 5 minutes after they’re no longer green / barely ripe / not quite tasting like soap anymore to just before the skin gets floppy and the fruit gets mushy-soft. At that point I like the fruit mixed into smoothies or muffins or something. - nectarines ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/5 "2013-03-18T22:43:30Z")
I tend to like fruit underripe, especially bananas, which are cloyingly sweet once they start turning brown. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/6 "2013-03-18T23:22:32Z")
All of the above? Less ripe get used in place of plantains for making those smashed flat plantains when you can’t find actual plantains in the grocery store, all the way to nummy overripe banana bread bananas with the bread coming out of the oven. I just really like bananas. I would love to try breadfruit, I like pretty much most any fruit and vegetable and am willing to try anything to see if I actually like it. No skin off my back if it turns out I don’t like it. ---
**Author:** ![James\_Otto\_Sweet\_Heart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac8455/32.png) [@James\_Otto\_Sweet\_Heart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James_Otto_Sweet_Heart)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/7 "2013-03-18T23:28:04Z")
I like mine as green as possible because they stay good longer. 🙂 🙂 🙂 God bless you always!!! Holly ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/8 "2013-03-18T23:29:13Z")
Nicely speckled. Which is about a day before they become brown mush. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/9 "2013-03-18T23:33:00Z")
I can’t abide the taste or smell of underripe bananas. I like them fully ripe, or even a bit overripe, when they are awesome smooshed on toast in place of jam. Smooshing then somehow changes the taste a bit. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/10 "2013-03-19T00:00:10Z")
I like my bananas with green at the top and bottom and NO BROWN!! Brown is rotty. I like the texture firm - I want the banana to fight back. Mushy bananas are good for banana bread, though. StG ---
**Author:** ![vix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a88e4f/32.png) [@vix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vix)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/11 "2013-03-19T00:01:01Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > I prefer them when they’ve just barely turned from green to yellow, while they’re still firm. Same here. I make too much banana bread because I’ll buy bananas, eat one or two, then they all get overripe (to me). So I wait a few days for them to reach banana bread stage and bake. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/12 "2013-03-19T00:32:11Z")
Firm. I don’t bake much lately, so bananas get bought two at a time, rather than by the hand. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/13 "2013-03-19T01:16:06Z")
The hand? I’ve never heard a bunch called that, but it really fits! StG ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/14 "2013-03-19T01:23:56Z")
A little bit of green in the stem area and perhaps on the bottom is the best way to assure that you won’t get a bruised, mushy banana. By the time they are completely yellow, there’s some damage. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/15 "2013-03-19T03:15:28Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > As for me, I prefer them yellow with a few brown spots. This. > [@BigT](#): > > A little bit of green in the stem area and perhaps on the bottom is the best way to assure that you won’t get a bruised, mushy banana. By the time they are completely yellow, there’s some damage. I buy them when they still have a little green in them, but I don’t eat them until they’re ripe. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/16 "2013-03-19T03:19:53Z")
The perfect nanner is yellow with brown freckles. Any less ripe and they make my mouth itch (especially during hay fever season). ---
**Author:** ![Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pine_Fresh_Scent)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/17 "2013-03-19T04:27:53Z")
I like 'em yellow with a few spots, but I’ll eat them even if ready for banana bread. I’d heard that it undergoes changes as it ripens and [this site](http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-happening-as-bananas-ripen.htm) backs that up. > [@](#): > > On the inside, important things are happening at this time. During the earlier stages of the maturation process, the fruit has a distinctly tangy flavor that lacks sweetness. For some, the fruit at this stage is almost bitter. As the banana reaches maturity, and the interior of the peel begins to release nutrients into the fruit, however, changes take place. The starch found in the inner linings of the peel and in the fruit proper convert into simple sugars that work through the fruit, leaving a texture that is softer and considerably sweeter. I’ve tried the trick of leaving them in a paper bag overnight to speed the ripening process, but I believe that it mostly just turns the peel brown without making the fruit softer or sweeter any faster. I could be wrong, though. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/18 "2013-03-19T05:40:10Z")
I’ll start eating the bananas when there’s just a little green showing. I don’t mind eating them after a few brown specks appear. After that they are too ripe for me. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/19 "2013-03-19T05:45:04Z")
My favorite is yellow but less than 3 hours away from having brown. It’s kind of a difficult stage to reach so if I have some Sriracha or corn chips around I’ll still eat them spotted. If they’re a little too green but I need the potassium I’ll bake them with butter and sugar instead. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304/20 "2013-03-19T10:59:04Z")
I don’t like the flavor or texture of 'nanners that have any green - I voted some brown, altho I’ll eat a purely yellow banana also. Once they start getting lots of spots, it’s time to bake! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ripe-do-you-like-your-bananas/653304.md?page=2)