Dried bananas: properties, rules of use and cooking

Everyone knows how great the benefits of fresh and ripe fruit are. Banana deservedly occupies one of the first places in a healthy diet.It is an excellent component of breakfast, snacks, desserts and dairy drinks. But not everyone knows that there is a more compact and miniature replacement for fresh fruit - dried bananas. They are also rich in vitamins and minerals that support human health.

Dried bananas are called dried, which lose some of their liquid during the heat treatment process. For the preparation of this type of dried fruit there is no need to resort to additional chemical manipulations. In addition, vegetable oils are not used in the standard formulation. In this case, the probability of harming the body is excluded.

Standard cooking rules include the following:

• fruits are peeled;
• cut into small slices;
• laid out on a baking sheet.

You can send them to the oven, warmed to 50 degrees (only the minimum temperature will retain all the nutrients). You can also put them in an electric dryer or in a sunny place. As soon as a white sugar coating appeared - dried bananas are ready. Ready-to-eat fruits change their appearance and become darker. There is one culinary secret that allows you to keep the whiteness of fruit - soak them with water and lemon juice.

After drying, the obtained dried fruits are placed in a special jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. It is recommended to keep such sweetness in the refrigerator. Here they can lie for a whole year, while retaining all the nutritional properties. Sweet slices, or banana figs, will be a great snack between meals. Their compactness is due to the loss of moisture (up to 20%) during the drying process, which allows you to take dried bananas with you on the road, to work or study. High nutritional value makes them very nourishing, satisfying hunger for a long time.

The advantages of the "banana figs":

• long shelf life;
• retains nutritional and commercial quality after long-term transportation;
• total absence of chemicals;
• compactness in storage and carrying;
• do not spoil for a long time.

All the richness of taste and benefit is concentrated in the composition of the dried delicacy. Careful processing and the correct method of preparation allow you to save most of the elements necessary for a person. For this reason, fruit chips are allowed to include in the children's diet, which will be an excellent snack during the day. In addition, the valuable composition helps to cope with some ailments and help to hold out on a diet.

According to the established technical conditions (GOST), dried bananas are included in the base of packaged dried fruits (with / without stones) intended for human consumption. This product is sold exclusively through retail outlets and catering.

The nutritional standards (per 100 g) that all honest growers of dried bananas must follow are:

• proteins - 2.3 g;
• fats - 34.0 g;
• carbohydrates - 58.0 g;
• Caloric content - 519 kcal / 2169 kJ.
• The energy ratio (BZHU) is as follows: 3: 34: 58%.

Chemical composition:

• potassium;
• calcium;
• magnesium;
• phosphorus;
• zinc;
• selenium;
• vitamin C;
• vitamin group B (B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, B12);
• vitamin A;
• vitamin D;
• vitamin K;
• vitamin PP;
• vitamin E;
• vitamin H;
• beta carotene;
• copper;
• manganese;
• iron;
• sodium;
• vitamin C;
• folic acid;
• choline;
• chromium;
• iodine.

100 grams of dried bananas contain a fairly large number of calories - from 300 to 500. Today, the shops feature a variety of so-called fruit chips, including bananas in icing, sugar syrup, etc.

The nutritional value of such combinations is very high - about 320 kcal (100 g of proteins, 8 g of fats, 5 g of carbohydrates) per 100 g of dried fruit, but you should bear in mind that the manufacturer often produces 200 g packages, which doubles the number of calories per treat.

Despite the fact that this product undergoes a special treatment - drying, the amount of useful substances in it does not decrease. As it turned out, the fruits lose their natural water, but remain as beneficial to the body as fresh ones.

Useful properties of dried bananas:

• maintaining the work of the heart due to the content of magnesium and potassium;
• restoration of water-salt balance;
• cleansing action eliminates toxins, excess fluid and salts;
• replenishing iron deficiency, help to cope with anemia, anemia;
• completely hypoallergenic composition suitable for baby food;
• establish the functioning of the central nervous system;
• have a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora;
• valuable fiber and coarse fibers improve the digestive tract;
• marked mild laxative effect;
• affect the production of the hormone serotonin, stimulate brain activity;
• regular consumption tones the body, relieves fatigue and tension;
• ideal for a diet menu as a sweetie replacement;
• replenish the stock of energy and strength due to the content of glucose;
• have a positive effect on the body in cardiovascular failure;
• marked diuretic effect;
• help in the treatment of constipation, hemorrhoids.

As it turned out, dried bananas have several advantages that are beneficial to human health. But there are times when doctors do not recommend eating this product. The impact will be negative in the following diseases:

• diabetes mellitus - the level of sucrose in bananas is too high, which threatens with sharp jumps in sugar;
• poor blood clotting;
• overweight;
• suffered a stroke, heart attack;
• coronary heart disease.

An important feature when buying dried bananas is the choice of a truly high-quality product, without any impurities. To date, the variety of dried fruit is so great that it is often possible to buy quite the wrong "sweetness".

Carefully inspect the pack and composition. Do not confuse dried bananas with chips. The latter are very unhealthy, since their preparation was based on palm or coconut oil. In addition, the processing of such delicacies is accompanied by high temperatures, which kill all the valuable components of the fruit, as well as they are filled with cholesterol, carcinogens and hard to digest fats. It is not surprising why the caloric content of a 100-gram sachet exceeds the allowable 500 kcal.

Nutritionists recommend paying attention to dried fruits for people who stick to diet and proper nutrition. Their weight loss is due to the complex carbohydrates and natural sugars that are ideal for morning meals and snacks. This delicacy is an environmentally friendly product, as the drying of bananas takes place without the use of chemicals, additives and flavors.

In addition, fiber and organic fibers have the ability to clean the intestines from toxins and slags, helping to lose weight. Regular use can relieve constipation, settle the stool. Well, the vitamin composition will fill the lack of elements that are so necessary during the period of restriction in food. An important rule is to take only small portions and not to abuse the delicacy.

Pediatricians say that not all children can eat such a sweet dish. It is recommended to try dried bananas not earlier than 7-8 years. A child can have a snack at a break in school or between meals. It is important that at the same time present good nutrition. Then the product will be exclusively good.

The product is allowed to include in your diet nursing moms, but only as a snack and from the 2nd month after birth. The most useful during breastfeeding will still be fresh bananas, which contain more trace elements, and are not able to cause discomfort in the stomach of a woman and child. Therefore, experts advise not to abuse the dried fruit - it is enough to take them with you for a walk or on the road. They are strictly prohibited to women with diabetes and overweight.

Preparing a popular delicacy at home is a snap. On the contrary, homemade recipes will include exceptionally fresh and high-quality ingredients, and you can personally control the process to make sure that the product is useful.

How much fresh fruit to use is up to you. It all depends on the planned portion.

Step by step cooking.

• Washed bananas should be dipped with a paper towel.
• After they have dried, cut them into 5-mm circles right in the skin. In principle, you can immediately get rid of it, but in this way the cutting will be more uniform.
• Peel each banana ringlet. Keep in mind that after drying the fruit will become much smaller, so do not make the ringlets too thin and small.
• Now put them on a baking sheet or wire rack away from each other, because they can stick together during cooking.
• The oven should be heated to 50-60 degrees, not more. Having sent the fruit to dry, do not completely close the door. Steam should come out and fresh air should go inside.
• Cooking time - 1 hour. Do not forget to turn the circles several times for more uniform drying. To preserve the light tone, you can sprinkle them with lemon or orange juice.

Dried bananas will be an excellent snack and just a delicious treat for children and adults. The most useful product, of course, is home-cooked dried fruit. If you plan to purchase it in stores, carefully examine the packaging and study the list of ingredients used, especially supplements. Palm and coconut oil speaks of poor quality products that can harm your body.

To learn how to cook dried cinnamon bananas, see the next video.