How to dry bananas at home: recommendations, recipes

AnyutaN — Nov 30th, 2016 Category: Dried fruits

Tags: Dried bananas

Fruits such as bananas are not a delicacy and are always available for sale, regardless of the time of year. Why then dry bananas, you ask. The answer is simple. Dried and sun-dried bananas are a very tasty and satisfying dessert. You can always take dried fruits with you and snack on them at the right time. We’ll talk about how to properly approach the process of dehydrating bananas in this article.

Ingredients: banana, water, citric acid, lemon juice Time to add: All year round

Useful tips

When choosing bananas for processing into chips, you should consider some nuances:

The fruits you want to dry should be ripe, but not overripe. This primarily means that there are no black or brown spots on the skin.
The peel should be a pleasant yellow color, and the banana flesh should be quite firm.
Once you have removed the peel and fruit strings from the bananas, cut them into small slices. Please note: slice as thin as possible.
Pre-treating banana slices with lemon juice will prevent the workpiece from darkening. To prevent the slices from turning black, dilute the juice of one lemon in a glass of water and soak the banana slices in the solution for five minutes.

Selection and preparation of bananas for drying

Fruits that are best suited for drying:

ripe or slightly unripe;
without mechanical damage or black spots;
with dense pulp.

When preparing raw materials for drying, they are thoroughly washed with water. Then peel and cut:

for chips - thin rings or plates;

for drying - large, small fruits are dried whole.

To prevent the sliced fruits from darkening, they are dipped in an aqueous solution of citric acid (2 tsp per 1 liter of water) for 30-40 seconds before drying.

How to dry bananas in the sun

First, we'll tell you how to make banana chips without using household appliances. Of course, this cheapest method is only available in the summer. And if the weather forecast promises several hot days, you can take advantage of the moment. Moreover, dried fruits dried in this way turn out to be especially aromatic and tasty.

Find a place that is as bright as possible, but at the same time protected from direct sunlight.
Place the sliced banana on the grill. To prevent dried bananas from falling out between the rods, place the wire rack on a baking sheet or any other suitable tray.
Don't forget to cover the banana slices with cheesecloth or other insect protection. If it is a mesh, then it should be fine mesh, since the fruit is especially attractive to fruit flies.
Be sure to bring the pallet into the house at night.
The drying time directly depends on the banana variety and weather conditions. Readiness can only be determined by testing. As a rule, the product is ready no earlier than three days.

Benefits and harms

Fresh banana pulp is considered a natural source of magnesium, phosphorus, iron, vitamins B and C. These elements are useful for the normal functioning of the heart muscle and nervous system. They increase stress resistance, improve mood and reduce anxiety.

Dried fruits contain more fructose due to loss of moisture than fresh ones. Diabetics enjoy eating them as a healthy dessert. When dried properly, the beneficial elements are not destroyed - that is, dried bananas also contain a portion of vitamins.

Sweet treats are harmful for those watching their figure. As moisture evaporates from the pulp, its calorie content increases. 100 g of fresh bananas contain 85–90 calories, 100 g of dried bananas contain 345 calories.

In the oven

Now about how to dry bananas in the oven.

Cover the baking trays with baking paper and place banana slices on top. To ensure they dry thoroughly, leave a small distance.
The oven temperature should be about 80°. There is no need to preheat the device.
Since bananas take several hours to dry (at least 2), prepare the raw materials for several baking sheets at once.
To ensure that all the moisture comes out without burning the slices, leave the oven slightly open. You can, for example, insert a cake spatula between the door and the wall of the oven.

If everything is done correctly, the chips can be stored for 2-3 months. Of course, provided that the storage container is airtight.

How to determine readiness

If you want to get dried slices, like candied fruits, then the bananas should remain soft. They are moist, chewy and slightly sticky. If you break such a piece, it will resemble toffee. But the pulp does not remain loose.

When the goal is to obtain crispy chips, the slices should be drier. They are hard to the touch. If you press on a piece, it will crumble in your hands.

When dried in the microwave, the pieces do not dry completely. They should be dried at room temperature for a few more hours. If the product is not completely dried, it will not be stored well and will quickly spoil.

And overdried bananas lose their properties. You should focus on your feelings.

How to dry bananas in the microwave

Of course, you can use the microwave to dry bananas. However, judging by the reviews, this is not the best solution. Firstly, because additional drying will be required using one of the listed methods. And, secondly, fruit dried in this way will lose a significant proportion of its nutrients.

First, place the banana slices in the microwave on full power (about two minutes).
Then open the device for five minutes and allow the moist air to escape.
Next, set your microwave to low power and let the fruit dry for 10 to 30 minutes.
After completing the process, do not open the door immediately - let the dried bananas cool for 5 minutes.
The slices prepared in this way should be placed on parchment paper for 2-3 hours to dry.

What to cook from dried bananas and how best to eat them

Dried bananas are often simply eaten instead of candy. They can also be used to decorate cakes and pastries and serve with ice cream.

Dried bananas are often used to prepare healthy and satisfying breakfasts, adding them to various cereals. They make compotes and make aromatic cocktails.

In all drying methods, the time may vary slightly, since each housewife cuts vegetables differently. Also, the technical parameters of the equipment used may be different. It is enough to simply check the quality at the end of the process. Do you have your own dehydration recipe? Can you share how to prepare delicious dishes with this aromatic dessert?

How to dry bananas in an electric dryer

To get the perfect product at home, it is best to use an electric dryer or dehydrator. Let’s say right away: the rules for drying in an automatic dehydrator and an electric dryer are absolutely identical. All you need to do is place the peeled and chopped fruits on the grates and turn on the device.

The duration of cooking in the dryer is determined experimentally: after 7 hours, taste the slices from time to time. Usually the whole process takes about 10 hours, but this largely depends on the thickness of the slices. Therefore, remember: the thinner the slice, the less time it will take to dry.

Shelf life of dried banana fruits

Usage time and recommended storage temperature depend on the location of the banana chips:

Place	Temperature, °C	Expiration date, months
Closet	+18-25	3
Fridge	+1-5	6
Freezer	-18	12

Sun-dried and dried fruits are a delicacy that preserves the vitamins and minerals present in fresh fruits. The simplest processing method is oven drying, the most effective is in an electric dryer.

How do you dry bananas? Share the article with your friends and acquaintances.

How to make banana chips

Real banana chips are crispy slices of slightly greenish fruit, deep fried. As for the specific recipe, there are a huge number of options. For example, you can read about fried bananas in our separate article. But keep in mind that from the point of view of benefits, fried foods are always inferior to dried and dried ones.

Now let's move on to how to make banana chips at home. Prepare the products:

bananas – 4 pieces;
peanut butter – 200 gr.;
cane sugar – 150 gr.;
cinnamon – 1 stick;
salt – 0.5 teaspoon;
water – 100 gr.

Then everything is simple:

Cut the peeled and fibered bananas into slices no more than 2 mm thick.
Fry in boiling oil on both sides.
Remove with a slotted spoon and dry on paper towels.
Prepare syrup from the above ingredients and cool it.
First, pour syrup over the cooled chips, and then drain it through a colander.
Place banana slices in syrup on a wire rack.

After the chips have hardened, they can be served.

What can you cook

Dried bananas are a ready-made dish that is suitable as a snack. They are comfortable to take with you on a trip or to work. They are filling and perfect for snacking between breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Dried fruits are used as ingredients for preparing a variety of dishes. The simplest and healthiest thing would be to add dried bananas to oatmeal - like muesli. In general, these dried fruits can be added to different porridges, it all depends on your culinary preferences.

Dried fruits are used as main ingredients in desserts and baked goods. But there are also more exotic recipes, for example, dried banana fruits are added to salads, fish and meat dishes. And the preparation of fruit compotes, liqueurs, and even alcoholic tinctures using dried bananas is suitable for internal use and is used in folk medicine.

Is it useful in dried form?

Calorie content of dried squid. benefits and harms of dried squid

Many people wonder if dried bananas are healthy. The answer is yes. They are rich in vitamin B6, which improves metabolism. Contains the daily requirement of this vitamin.

The fruit is easy to digest and quickly satiates. This makes it perfect for athletes and a healthy snack throughout the day. The production of serotonin, which the fruit enhances, helps improve mood and get rid of sadness.

Compound

The benefits of dried bananas and their harm stem entirely from the composition of the fruit. They are rich:

B vitamins, including B6;
sucrose;
potassium;
phosphorus.

It has already been noted that fruits contain the daily requirement of vitamin B6. The benefit lies in the ability to improve metabolism and nervous system function. In addition, it also contains other B vitamins. Thanks to the presence of sucrose, bananas have a pleasant sweet taste. The product also has benefits for mental activity, helping to improve it.

The benefits and harms of dried fruits are similar to fresh fruits. A high concentration of potassium has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system. The benefit lies in the positive effect of bananas on the condition of the skin and hair.

You may also be interested in reading how many calories are in a mango, how to cut this fruit correctly, and what can be prepared from it. Whether mango is used in cosmetology, you will find here.

Calorie content

The benefits and harms of dried bananas are influenced by their calorie content, which is higher than that of the fresh fruit. 100 grams – 390 kcal. At the same time, the protein content is 3.89 g, and the fat content is 1.81 g. Most of all carbohydrates. Their quantity in the product is 88.2 g. The indicated indicators reflect the benefits and harms of the product.

Nutritional Benefits of Fresh and Dried Bananas

Benefit for health

Dried bananas are beneficial and harmful to the body. It has already been noted that the composition, rich in vitamins, has a positive effect on health. The benefit is to improve brain function.

The benefits of dried bananas are as follows:

improvement of general condition, getting rid of weakness;
have a high fiber content (mild laxative property).

The fibrous base of the fruit makes it harmless to the gastric mucosa. In addition, the benefit lies in quickly saturating the body. High calorie content allows the fruit to become an excellent snack during the day. Even those who are on a diet can eat it in moderation. The benefits will be noticeable if you eat the fruit regularly.

Can bananas be given to children and at what age should they be introduced into a child’s diet? Are there any benefits to eating bananas for men and women?

Calorie content of dried bananas

Even fresh bananas are high-calorie foods. The energy value per 100 g is about 96 kcal. After dehydration or drying, it increases to 340-350 kcal. Slightly dried bananas contain 250 to 300 kcal. Carbohydrates predominate. The product is not only high in calories. The glycemic index is also scary - 70 units. Bananas should absolutely not be consumed when losing weight.

Even a few slices of dried banana will cause sudden spikes in blood glucose. After a few hours, it will quickly drop, and a strong feeling of hunger will appear.

The benefits of dried bananas

Dried bananas, when eaten regularly, can significantly improve human health. Being a complete source of potassium, they improve brain function, stabilize blood pressure, and have a positive effect on the functioning of the endocrine glands. The presence of B vitamins in the product makes it possible to improve the functioning of the nervous system and heart muscle. In addition, these compounds have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and curls.

The dried delicacy is good for the intestines. Due to dietary fiber, the product enhances the peristalsis of the digestive organ, thus successfully solving the problem of constipation. As a treasure trove of magnesium, dried bananas relieve the gourmet of migraines, and due to their PUFA content, they also reduce the level of bad cholesterol in the blood. They cope with anemia and increase hemoglobin.

The presence of vitamins and organic acids in the delicacy makes it possible to strengthen the immune system by eating dried bananas. Many of the biologically active compounds, and some minerals, for example, zinc and manganese, have antioxidant properties. This gives us the right to believe that the fruit delicacy can, to some extent, fight cancer and, moreover, prevent the development of cancer. These qualities also determine the ability of dried bananas to prolong youth, slowing down the process of physical aging. Indications for use of the product: insomnia, atherosclerosis, fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome, low stress tolerance, hypertension, blood diseases, poor vision, poor circulation, etc.

How does a treat help you get rid of those hated pounds? It’s very simple: as you already know, it copes with the feeling of hunger, which does not make itself felt for a long time after consuming a portion of the product. The best part is that to get this effect you need to eat very little dried bananas - no more than 50 g. However, it is better to do this in the first half of the day. Having included the delicacy in your diet, do not forget to also eat foods that will supply your body with sodium. These are kelp, potatoes, almonds, dried apricots, legumes. This measure is necessary because potassium-rich dried bananas, when eaten regularly, can wash sodium out of the gourmet’s blood, and this can lead to weakening and brittle bones. It should also be noted that the exotic delicacy shows particular effectiveness in the fight against excess weight when combined with a nutritional system aimed at losing weight with intense training. In this case, it is appropriate to consume a portion of dried bananas immediately before playing sports.

Method 1

Traditionally, fruits were dried in the sun. This option is suitable for people who have a garden plot near their home, their own house with a vegetable garden, or who live in a hot area. For drying you need to choose a special place. It should be high from the ground, blown by the wind, and well lit by the sun. Wire or rope is used as a canopy. Bananas should be hung vertically. Before this, the fruit must be wrapped in gauze.

To get an incredibly tasty product in the end, you need to follow a number of rules:

wire or rope should be suspended at a height of more than 160 meters;
the chosen place should be well blown by the wind;
the weather during drying should be sunny and dry;
if it starts to rain, bananas should be put away in the house until good weather comes;
Fruits should be hung on a sunny south side.

Some sun-dried banana lovers are experimenting with cooking bananas on the balcony. The first method is labor-intensive and time-consuming, and is not suitable for those who live in an apartment without a balcony or loggia.