"Bananas make other fruit ripen because they release a gas called ethene (formerly ethylene)," added Dr Bebber. "This gas causes ripening, or softening of fruit by the breakdown of cell walls, conversion of starches to sugars and the disappearance of acids.
Tomatoes and bananas
This pair is actually on the list of what fruit and veggies not to store together. Fruits and vegetables that do a lot of ripening after they're picked, such as tomatoes, bananas, kiwis and honeydew melons, are best stored apart.
Bananas, pears and apples make other fruits ripen faster and should not be stored together. These fruits produce ethylene, a gas that accelerates ripening.
Avoid mixing your watermelons, muskmelons, cantaloupe and honeydews with other fruits. Try not to mix acidic fruits, such as grapefruits and strawberries, or sub-acidic foods such as apples, pomegranates and peaches, with sweet fruits, such as bananas and raisins for a better digestion.
Bananas are especially productive sources of the gas, and putting one that's in the process of going brown next to apples, pears or hard avocados will greatly speed up their ripening.
Acidic and sub-acidic fruits such as grapefruits, strawberries, apples, pomegranates, and peaches, should never be combined with sweet fruits such as bananas and raisins. This is because it often leads to digestive problems, nausea, acidosis, and headaches.
And to keep bananas fresh for longer don't put them into a bowl with other fruits that release lots of ethylene when they start to ripen. Think apples, melons, peaches, and kiwifruit. Keep bananas separately from other fruits and separate the bunch, too for better airflow.
#FACT Did you know that bananas don't belong in fruit bowls? ? Once they ripen they produce ethylene gas, which ripens other fruit. Keep your bananas out of the fridge and away from other fruits so they last longer.
1. Hang your bananas. Turns out there's a scientific reason you should be hanging your bananas from a hook. Bananas start ripening as soon as they're picked from trees—ethylene gas releases from the stems as soon as they're picked, but when you hang bananas from a hook, the gas works more slowly.
It started with a story where “nutritionists” suggest bananas are terrible things to eat at breakfast. According to the article, bananas can cause a spike in blood sugar. Although it's a fruit, it's mostly carbohydrates which could lead to a midmorning crash in your energy, which leads to later overeating.
But as per Ayurveda, banana can lead to mucus production and eating this fruit at night can choke your throat. Apart from this, banana is a heavy fruit and our stomach takes a lot of time to digest it. This is because our metabolism is the lowest at night. Eating bananas at night might lead to stomach issues.
Although the sugars are natural, when paired with the moderately acidic nature of bananas will give a quick sugar boost, resulting in a crash around mid-morning. This will make you feel more tired and more hungry, and the banana will have done more harm than good.
Do apple and banana go well together? Yes, apple and banana go great together. The taste of the sweet and creamy banana balances perfectly with the sweet and tart apple.
Bananas grow in hot climates, so they are unused to the cold. If they're kept at a cold temperature, the enzymes that enable them to ripen are inhibited. And as those enzymes become inactive, other enzymes operate more efficiently. Some cause cell damage, while others (browning enzymes) cause the skin to blacken.
Dr MS Krishnamurthy, clarifies that you should not drink water (especially cold water) after eating bananas as it can cause severe indigestion. According to him, drinking water after eating bananas makes it hard to digest because of the inherent properties of the fruit which are similar to that of cold water.
Everyone's a winner when it comes to kiwifruit and bananas. Incorporate both into meals. Make quick-and-easy snacks or a potassium power smoothie with them. And experience a taste that is absolutely amazing!
More Apple Storage Tips
As for some other fast facts to know about storage apples? Don't place them in a bowl with other fruits—they can be stored on the countertop, but because they emit lots of ethylene gas, aim to keep them at least 6 to 8 inches away from other fruits and vegetables.
Apples, and other ethylene-producing fruits, should never be stored with peppers. Doing so can cause them to overripen, discolor and spoil quickly. Always store your peppers away from other ethylene-producing foods such as grapes, avocados and tomatoes.
Serving Ideas
There are so many things you can do with bananas! Whole as a snack or for breakfast is always a great choice, but you can slice them to have with toast spread with jam, peanut butter or even hazelnut-chocolate. They make a great addition to pancakes and crepes as well.