General Information
Red bananas are a group of varieties of banana with reddish-purple skin. Some are smaller and plumper than the common Cavendish banana, others much larger. When ripe, raw red bananas have a flesh that is cream to light pink in color. They are also softer and sweeter than the yellow Cavendish varieties, some with a slight mango flavor, others with an earthy flavor. Many red bananas are exported by producers in East Africa, Asia, South America, and the United Arab Emirates. They are a favorite in Central America but are sold throughout the world.
Red bananas are eaten in the same way as yellow bananas, by peeling the fruit before eating. They are frequently eaten raw, whole or chopped, and added to desserts and fruit salads, but can also be baked, fried, and toasted. Red bananas are also commonly sold dried in stores.
The red banana has more beta carotene and vitamin C than yellow banana varieties. All bananas contain three natural sources of sugar: sucrose, fructose, and glucose, making them a source of instant and sustainable energy.
History
The first bananas to appear on the market in Toronto (in the 1870s and 1880s) were red bananas.[3] Red bananas are available year round at specialty markets and larger supermarkets in the United States.
