When making baked goods an increasing number of people are choosing to avoid gluten. Fortunately there’s an increase in the types and variety of gluten free flours including a number of alternative flours such as those make from cauliflower or legumes.  The newest gluten free flour option on the market is green banana flour.

What is green banana flour?

Yes, that is right - green bananas are being made into flour and it’s now available in grocery stores. Although usually found at ethnic stores, it’s making its way into traditional grocery stores and is even available on Amazon.

Historically green banana flour has been used to replace wheat and rye flour. It was mainly produced in Africa and then exported to Central America and Australia. The process for making it is to peel, chop, dry and then grind the green bananas into a flour. In traditional societies this was done by hand but now it is being done on a larger, automated scale. 

The health benefits of green banana flour

The use of green banana flour as a functional ingredient has been growing due to its nutritional benefits. A big driving force is that it is gluten free. For those with celiac or who are sensitive to gluten, this can be a good option. Appealing to the gluten-free crowd this type of flour may also wind up being a hot new favorite among those who want to eat lower carbs.

A lower carb option

Yes, green banana flour contains resistant starch, often referred to as the third fiber (after soluble and insoluble) making it a lower carbohydrate option. Resistant starch is not digested in the small intestine but moves on to the colon where it is fermented by microorganisms. This fermentation process is beneficial for gut health. This includes protecting the lining of the intestine, reducing inflammation, and promoting a healthy immune system.

Additional health benefits may include:

• decreased appetite
• weight loss
• glycemic contro
• improved intestinal function
• lipid profile improvement
• and heart disease prevention

One study found that resistant starch, including the kind found in green banana flour, had the potential to reduce the risk of a number of different kinds of cancer. Although study participants over a 2 year period of time did not exhibit a reduction in colorectal cancers, other types of cancer were reduced by nearly 50%.

Types of resistant starch

There are four different kinds of resistant starch, and some foods may contain different kinds of resistant starch.

• Type 1 - found primarily in grains, legumes, and seeds.  This type resists being digested because it is bound up in the fiber of the foods
• Type 2 - found in starch-type foods such as green bananas and raw potatoes
• Type 3 - this kind of resistant starch is created when certain starchy foods are cooked and then cooled, this includes potatoes and rice
• Type 4 - this is not a naturally occurring form of resistant starch but is created through a chemical process

Green banana flour for weight control

One study found that among overweight women, green banana flour consumption improved weight and body composition, lipid profile, and inflammatory parameters. This again goes back to the fact that the flour is low in sugar and high in fiber. 

If you have ever taken a bite of a green banana and a really ripe banana, you will definitely recognize the sweetness difference. Green banana flour is low on the glycemic index which can help stabilize blood glucose, lower cholesterol levels, and help with appetite control which can be beneficial for most.

Nutritional properties of green banana flour

This type of flour is also high in antioxidants which protect from free radical damage and reduce their harmful effects. Nutritionally it is an excellent source of potassium which can be helpful in lowering blood pressure and vitamin B6 which is important for energy production and helps to prevent neurological problems.

How to use green banana flour

At this point you may be wondering how to use green banana flour. The good news is that it has a mildly sweet taste that blends well with other ingredients and can be used in place of grain flours. 

It is recommended to use 25-30% less of the green banana flour because of its starch content. This means you would need to use ¾  to ⅔  cup for every one cup in your favorite baking recipes. For volume purposes you may need to replace the remaining ¼-⅓ of a cup with another gluten free option such as almond or coconut flour. 

If you need your baked goods to rise you can add 2 teaspoons of baking powder for each cup of green banana flour. It can also be used as a thickening agent in soup, stews, and smoothies. The flour can even be used to make ice cream as it has the optimum acidic and pH levels.

In conclusion

There can be a lot of waste in the food industry including the banana industry. This kind of product can be a good way to minimize the amount of waste generated from the crops and provides higher returns for the farmers. Plus with the health benefits, this crop provides a win-win situation.

From a food labor standpoint banana flour production has, unfortunately, been linked to underprivileged workers. This makes it important to make sure you purchase from reliable and ethical sourced companies.

Are you willing to try green banana flour? What would you make with it? 

[expand title="Sources"]

Bojarczuk, A., Skaska, S., Khaneghah, A., and Marszatke, K. Health benefits of resitant starch: a review of the literature. Journal of Functional Foods, Volume 93, June 2022

Falcomer, A., Riquette, R., Romão de Lima, B., Ginani, V., and Zandonadi, R. 2019. Health Benefits of Green Banana Consumption: A Systematic Review. Nutrients 11, no. 6: 1222

"Green Bananas Can Prevent And Reduce Cancers By Over 60%, Study Finds". Brighter Side News, 2023, https://www.thebrighterside.news/post/green-bananas-can-prevent-and-reduce-cancers-by-over-60-study-finds?utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=topic%2Fhealth. Accessed 18 Aug 2023.

Pico, J., Xu, K., Guo, M., Mohamedshah, Z., Ferruzzi, M., and Martinez, M. Manufacturing the ultimate green banana flour: impact of drying and extrusion on phenolic profile and starch bioaccessibility. Food Chemistry, Volume 297, 1 November 2019

Tavares da Silva S, Araújo Dos Santos C, Marvila Girondoli Y, Mello de Azeredo L, Fernando de Sousa Moraes L, Keila Viana Gomes Schitini J, Flávio C de Lima M, Cristina Lopes Assis Coelho R, Bressan J. Women with metabolic syndrome improve antrophometric and biochemical parameters with green banana flour consumption. Nutr Hosp. 2014 May 1;29(5):1070-80. doi: 10.3305/nh.2014.29.5.7331. PMID: 24951987.

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