Do you know there are over 70 different types of bananas in the world?
Astonishing, right? Despite their variety, they don’t really differ much in terms of nutrition and active ingredients, luckily!
So, we all know eating bananas is good for the body. Do you known why bananas are healthy though?
What Makes Bananas Healthy?
A lot of people sum it up to the fact that they are fruits. After all, fruits are healthy, right? Well, we’re going to take a deeper look today into what bananas are made of to tell you the exact reasons as to why the banana is such a nutrient powerhouse.
First and foremost, bananas are rich in:
- Potassium
- Riboflavin
- Iron
- Niacin
- Folate
- Magnesium
- Calcium
- B6
- Manganese
What makes them truly stand out though is their high potassium content. Potassium is the component that helps regulate blood pressure and subsequently the heartbeat. At the same time, it also helps keep the brain alert.
Banana, in juice form, provides the following benefits:
- Blood sugar regulation
- Improved digestion
- Reducing stress and anxiety levels
- Helps detoxify the body
- Improves the body’s recovery time from injuries and illnesses
As you can see, having bananas included in your diet is very beneficial to the body hence the reason it is so highly recommended by health experts. Of course, that is if you do not have banana allergies, are not taking heart medication or do not have kidney problems (don’t worry, there are plenty of other juicing alternatives available).
Banana Juice Recipes
You don’t always have to buy banana juice in order to access the amazing benefits of it. We are going to show you how to make your very own banana juice at the comfort of your own home with these healthy recipes – they are super easy, don’t worry.
1. Carrot Orange Banana Juice
For this recipe, you are going to need six ingredients only and approximately fifteen minutes of your time to prepare the juice.
You will need:
- A splash of vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp. of flaxseed
- 5 roughly chopped carrots
- 3 ripe bananas
- 4 cups of cold water
- 3 peeled oranges (removed of pith)
To prepare the juice:
- Add carrots, orange, and water to a blender.
- Blend until all the ingredients are properly mixed.
- Get a large bowl and strain the oranges and carrots into it. You want to try and extract as much juice as possible so make sure you press the solids against the strainer.
- Now that you have strained the juice, pour it into the blender.
- Add the vanilla extract, bananas, and flaxseed to the juice and blend again.
With this recipe, you’ll get six servings if you are using 8oz glasses. You can choose to save some for later or serve your family and friends if you have company.
Nutrition:
140 calories
2. Banana Carrot Juice
This is the kind of smoothie that will give you an energy boost whenever you need a little ‘pick-me-up.’ It’s also full of flavor since it has some red bell pepper.
You will need:
- 1 banana
- ½ cup of carrots (chopped)
- ½ cup ruby/red grapefruit juice
- 2/3 cup of red bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 cup of cucumbers (chopped)
- Some ice cubes
To prepare the juice:
- Put the grapefruit juice, banana, red bell pepper, cucumbers, and carrots into a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour the juice in a glass and add some ice.
Nutrition:
115 calories, 2.2g proteins, 27.6g carbohydrates, 0.6g fat.
3. Green Banana Cold Buster Smoothie
You can tell from its name this cold buster smoothie is for when you catch a cold. The banana in this recipe will help energize you while the citrus fruits provide all the Vitamin C you need. Both spinach and orange peels are great for their source of fiber and carrots will help with digestion. Of course, you can have this anytime even without a cold.
You will need:
- ½ cup of ice
- 1 banana
- 3 baby carrots
- 2 cups of spinach
- ½ small apple
- ½ cup of pineapples (frozen)
- ½ orange peel
- 1 cup of orange juice
To prepare the smoothie:
- Take all the ingredients and mix them in a blender.
- Make sure you put the ice cubes last.
- Blend until smooth.
- Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition:
173 calories, 3.1g proteins, 42.8g carbohydrates
4. Banana Carrot Ginger Smoothie
Not much to be said here – taking a glass of this smoothie first thing every morning will get your day rolling.
You will need:
- 1 banana
- 1 cup of fresh carrots (grated or chopped)
- 2 whole apples (chopped)
- ½ juiced lemon
- ½ cup of orange juice
- 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger
- 1 ½ cups of water (filtered)
To prepare the smoothie:
- Place all the ingredients in a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour into 4 glasses and serve. You can refrigerate the rest of the juice if you will be drinking it alone.
Nutrition:
102 calories, 1.1g protein, 26.2g carbohydrates, 0.2g fat
5. Banana Pineapple Nutmeg Smoothie
If you are a fan of pineapple smoothies, you’ll love how these additional ingredients bring about a captivating twist in terms of flavor.
You will need:
- ¼ cup of overripe bananas (mashed)
- ½ cup of baby carrots (chopped)
- 1 cup of pineapples (fresh or frozen chunks)
- 2 tbsp. of coconut milk
- ¼ tsp. of cinnamon
- ½ tsp. of nutmeg
- ¾ cup of pineapple juice (you can substitute the juice with water or coconut water)
- Ice cubes (optional)
To prepare the smoothie:
- Take a microwave-safe bowl, place the carrots, and fill it with water ( ¾ high).
- Cover and microwave until the carrots are soft. It should take about 3 minutes.
- Drain all the water and wait for the carrots to cool down.
- Combine the carrots with the other ingredients in your blender. Puree until smooth.
- You can add more liquid if need be, to keep the process running smoothly.
- Serve, garnish with granola, and a dust of nutmeg.
Nutrition:
499 calories, 5g proteins, 112g carbohydrates, 8g fat
Challenges When Making Banana Juice
So, bananas are pretty tricky when it comes to juicing. This is largely due to it being a relatively dry fruit, compared to others.
Here are some tips to keep in mind when you’re making banana juice:
- Avoid clogging your juicer by trying to juice a banana on its own. Bananas lack water so it is nearly impossible to extract any liquid from them.
- A lot of people also end up with just a pulp when they try extracting juice from bananas. This is why the perfect banana juice recipe will always include other fruits or vegetables.
- Too many bananas may result in your juice being too sweet. So make sure you moderate the quantities of your ingredients to reap the most benefits.
How To Make Banana Juice Without A Juicer Or Blender
If you do not have a juicer or blender, know that extracting banana juice doesn’t always require using one. You can also enjoy a refreshing glass of the juice by following the recipe below:
- Take 2kgs of bananas.
- Peel and mash them.
- Place the banana puree inside a plastic bag.
- Make sure you let out all the air inside the plastic bag.
- Heat a pot of water at 150 Fahrenheit.
- Seal the plastic bag and place it inside the pot.
- Leave the bag inside the pot for 5 hours.
- Strain the bag’s contents and enjoy. Remember to squeeze the bag to get the highest yield.
Wrap Up
At the end of the day, making banana juice using a blender will give you the maximum yield. Blenders are also less time consuming, and they make it easier to incorporate several ingredients into the juice.
So go ahead, grab some bananas and try out our recipes above. Let us know which one is your favorite!