Banana chips: benefits and harms, composition, properties, calories

It is already difficult to surprise a potential consumer today. On the shelves in supermarkets you can find various overseas products. For example, a rather popular alternative to bananas is a dried product. The so-called dried bananas will be a wonderful treat for those who monitor their health. But as with everything, there is a flip side to the coin. This article details the benefits and harms of banana chips.

Product manufacturing

Typically, crunchy banana slices are produced in the Philippines and Vietnam. The cooking process is not particularly difficult, as it requires only a few names of products: fresh bananas, sugar syrup, palm oil. Banana fruits are cut into thin slices and fried in oil. And to make the crisps crisp, they are dipped in sugar syrup. But this product is not always sweet. Some manufacturers produce banana chips with salt, cinnamon and other aromatic spices.

Calorie content

Speaking about the benefits and harms of banana chips for the human body, it is worth noting that this product is high in calories. If 100 grams of fresh banana contains 96 kcal, then in the dried version more than 500 kcal. For those who control weight, nutritionists are advised to limit the use of this product. About thirty grams of the product is allowed to be eaten per day. It is certainly not a dietary dish, but the periodic use of this delicacy contributes to the speedy recovery of the body.

Structure

When processing fresh bananas, the fruit undergoes changes in composition, but insignificant. Sweet taste, pleasant aroma and beneficial components of the product are preserved, among which are:

• iron - 19%;
• potassium - 13%;
• fiber - 9%.

In addition, the dried product contains vitamin A, phosphorus and magnesium. Recall again: despite the fact that the composition of banana chips is not much different from fresh fruit, its calorie content increases several times.

About the benefits

Who cares about their health probably thought about the dangers and benefits of banana chips. Most experts believe that the useful properties in a dried product are slightly less than in a fresh one. Nevertheless, in the use of dried fruits, a certain therapeutic effect can be distinguished.

Dietary fiber

In a dried product, the percentage of fiber is exactly the same as in fresh bananas. Fiber helps to normalize the digestive system, reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

High nutritional value

A dried product is a tasty and healthy snack option. Due to the high fiber content, dried fruits are able to quench hunger for a long time and enrich the human body with energy. The use of a dried product after physical training contributes to the rapid growth of muscle mass.

Vitamins and Minerals

According to nutritionists, in half a small cup of these dried fruits (about 34 grams) contains four percent of a daily serving of nutrients:

1. Phosphorus, which is part of dried bananas, is involved in the central nervous system.
2. Calcium and potassium favorably affect the work of the heart, blood vessels, and skeletal system.
3. Vitamin A helps strengthen immunity and improve vision.

An interesting fact is that bananas are the only fruit that can cheer you up. The fact is that the high content of amino acids, vitamin B6 in the product helps the body produce serotonin.

Harm

Despite the huge number of useful properties, this product can cause damage to the human body. We suggest that you take a closer look at the dangers of banana chips.

Chemistry

Banana chips - a product that has gone through various stages of processing, which implies the content of chemical enhancers of taste and aroma. A variety of additives can adversely affect health, but this can only be avoided if you cook this delicacy yourself.

Sugar

In addition, the addition of sugar in large volumes was noted in dried fruits. So, 34 grams of dried product contains 12 grams of sugar. Probably everyone knows that a large amount of sweets leads to diabetes and obesity. Therefore, when buying chips, it is recommended to pay attention to the composition and give preference to the product without sugar.

Fat

Speaking about the dangers of banana chips, one cannot fail to note the high fat content. The technology for the production of dried foods provides for frying pieces to a crisp state, which indicates a high content of saturated fats. Their use increases cholesterol, which can be an impetus in the development of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Contraindications

When using purchased banana chips, it is worth remembering that any product made at the factory is processed with chemicals, and this, in turn, can cause an allergic reaction. In order not to harm your body, experts recommend excluding this product from the diet in the following cases:

• with obesity;
• with diabetes;
• in people suffering from hypertension, varicose and cardiovascular diseases, chips seasoned with salt and various additives can cause swelling;
• with HB, dried bananas can cause allergies in the baby and digestive problems.

Storage Features

A dry product must be stored for a longer period than fresh bananas. But in order for dried fruits to retain their beneficial properties, they must be stored in an airtight container with a tightly closed lid. Also, glass containers or a special plastic zip bag are suitable for storage.

How to make banana chips at home?

The store has a huge amount of products, but often they are crammed with harmful additives. Therefore, after learning about the benefits and dangers of banana chips, many decide to make them at home. It should be noted that this product is not harmful to health only if it is not abused. In addition, the treat will become even tastier and healthier if you cook it yourself. Making banana chips at home is easy. There are various ways to do this:

• baking;
• drying;
• frying.

Oven Banana Chips

The most traditional way of making banana chips is drying in an oven. To make the taste of the dish more vivid, it is better to take ripe, but hard fruits. We suggest considering a banana chip recipe at home step by step with a photo. For cooking, you will need the following ingredients:

• lemon - 1 pc;
• bananas - 10 pcs;
• salt to taste.

Working process:

1. For crispy slices, the fruit must be peeled and cut into a thickness of 2 mm. If you want the dish to be softer, then bananas shred from 4 to 6 mm. Depending on the thickness of the slices of ten bananas, you can get about three hundred slices.
   
2. Squeeze the juice from one lemon, dip each piece of banana into the prepared mixture. This will give the dish a refined aroma and additionally enrich it with vitamin C. Moreover, bananas will not darken.
   
3. Salt with sea or regular salt to taste.
4. Put the slices of fruit on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
   
5. A baking sheet with billets is placed in a preheated oven to 60 degrees and baked for about five hours. It is not recommended to set a higher temperature, as the chips can burn out on the outside and become soft inside. Time directly depends on how crisp the cook wants to get.
   
6. To speed up the cooking process, two hours after the start of cooking, it is recommended to turn the chips over to the other side.
7. Finished slices are taken out of the oven and completely cooled.

In the microwave

Now we propose to consider a banana chip recipe at home with a photo in a microwave cooked.

To do this, you will need:

• bananas - 3-4 pcs;
• lemon - 1 pc;
• spices if desired (turmeric, cinnamon, red or black pepper, nutmeg and more);
• water.

Cooking process:

1. The peeled bananas are placed in a saucepan, poured with water, brought to a boil, after which they are boiled over moderate heat for about ten minutes.
   
2. The boiled fruit is removed from the pan and cooled.
3. After the fruits have cooled, peel is removed from them and cut into thin rings or slices 0.5 mm thick. To avoid uneven cooking in the microwave, you need to prepare pieces of the same thickness.
   
4. The workpiece is laid out on a flat dish, suitable for microwave, in one layer at a small distance from each other. Pieces are salted to taste, sprinkled with various seasonings if desired.
   
5. A plate with the contents is placed in the microwave and cooked at maximum temperature for eight minutes. In the process of cooking, do not move away from the microwave, since every two minutes you need to turn the slices.
6. Ready dried bananas are removed from the microwave, cool.

Cocoa Banana Chips

Such a recipe is simple to execute, does not require the addition of harmful components, it will become a useful and tasty treat.

For this dish you will need the following ingredients:

• bananas
• vegetable oil;
• cocoa powder;
• powdered sugar.

Working process:

• Peel the bananas and finely chop.
• We put sliced ​​slices on a dish for a microwave oven.
• Lightly grease with oil.
• Bake for about 7 minutes at a power of 750 watts.
• Turn the chips over and set to bake for another 7 minutes.
• Take out from the microwave, sprinkle with icing sugar and cocoa powder.
• After the banana chips have cooled, they are ready to eat.

In order for dessert to bring the maximum benefit to the human body, it is recommended to use olive oil instead of sunflower oil during cooking. The specialty of the dish is crisp and pleasant taste, which can be changed depending on personal preferences by adding a variety of spices and spices.

In the dryer

The cooking process in an electric dryer is similar to the options presented above. To do this, you will need:

• bananas - 2-3 kg;
• lemons - 1-2 pcs;
• salt and spices to taste.

Working process:

1. The fruits are peeled and chopped. So that the blanks do not turn black, they are immediately placed in a container with cold water, where they should be stored until the next cooking step.
2. Sliced ​​pieces are placed on the grid of the electric dryer in one layer. It is important that the slices do not touch each other.
3. Squeeze the juice from the lemon and sprinkle it with slices of fruit.
4. After that, pieces can be sprinkled with salt, spices or Provencal herbs.
5. The timer of the electric dryer must be set to work for 24 hours at 57 degrees.
6. When the fruit chips become completely dry and acquire a pleasant caramel color, they should be removed from the appliance.
7. Dried fruits should be removed along with the racks on which they lie.

Deep-fried

We suggest considering a sweet recipe for banana chips at home.

Essential Ingredients:

• bananas - 4 pcs;
• soybean or sunflower oil;
• cinnamon;
• powdered sugar.

Working process:

1. Peel the bananas from the skin and cut into thin circles.
2. So that the bananas do not stick together, they are washed with ice water.
3. Pour oil into a preheated pan at the level of 20 millimeters from the bottom (it is important that it completely covers the pieces when frying).
4. We fry our workpieces to a golden hue.
5. We put ready-made chips on paper napkins to remove excess fat.
6. After the product has cooled, sprinkle it with cinnamon and powdered sugar to taste.

Finally

The benefits and harms of banana chips are diverse, as are the ways to make them. The dried product is added to salads, cereals, and also used as an independent dish. Like fresh fruits, dried bananas contain a large amount of vitamins and nutrients. It is worth noting that the benefits of the product are directly related to the method of preparation. The greatest health risks are dried bananas cooked in deep fat. But despite the various cooking methods, it must be remembered that everything needs a measure.