To understand the alkalinity or acidity of banana fruit, one must first understand and or know the pH scale. An acidic component is a component with a pH of below 7 on the pH scale while an alkaline component on the other hand is a component with a pH scale of above 7. Any component with a pH of 7 sharp is considered a neutral component. So, is a banana acidic or alkaline?
Bananas are alkaline and the low acid level in them can be useful in neutralizing stomach acid. That is not everything about their PH because bananas contain pectin that will keep food flowing optimally in the digestive tract.
From the face value and because of the sweet taste of ripe or brown bananas one would rush to a quick conclusion that the fruit is acidic. However, this is never correct scientifically given that ripe banana fruit is slightly acidic because of its pH level.
Are Green bananas alkaline?
Green bananas at a glance are typically acidic. The fruit in its green stage has a sour taste, a typical description of an acidic component. They have got a pH value of between 5.6 and 6.4, making them acidic. However, the pH value of green bananas varies depending on the type but it is also good to note that in their green state most banana fruits are slightly acidic.
Are ripe bananas alkaline?
When a banana fruit ripens, its pH value increases to between 6.7 and 7.4. This makes ripe bananas alkaline. However as brown bananas continue to ripen, their pH level falls to 5.8 making an overripe banana moderately acidic.
With these observations, it is correct to conclude that bananas are slightly acidic in their unripe green state and slightly alkaline in their brown ripe state.
As a result, the fruit is considered an almost neutral fruit given its slight fluctuation on the pH scale except for the overripe fruit.
It is also worth noting that raw bananas are more alkaline compared to cooked bananas. However, this does not mean that they should be the most preferable diet for an individual looking for an alkaline diet. Boiled bananas with their less alkalinity are still a good diet for people and or individuals on an alkaline diet.
Finally, the more natural a banana plant/tree is, the more alkaline its fruit will be.