If you haven’t heard of or had the chance to experiment with green banana flour, you are missing out!

Not only is green banana flour gluten free but it is suitable for people avoiding grains, as well as vegans, vegetarians and everyone in between.

It is made from very unripe, green Cavendish bananas and has an earthy yet neutral flavour, not dissimilar to wholemeal flour. Surprisingly it tastes nothing like bananas and so lends itself extremely well to both sweet and savoury dishes.

Baking and cooking with banana flour is:

Extremely sustainable

Green banana flour is made from the Cavendish bananas that are not so pretty or are too small or too big for sale and, so, would normally be discarded. We love zero waste!

A fabulous prebiotic starch

Green banana flour is one of the richest sources of resistant starch. Resistant starch works with the probiotic strains in our digestive system to keep our microflora in balance and our immune system strong.

A major mood booster

5HTP is a powerful amino acid that helps to increase serotonin levels in the brain. Although not commonly found in foods, it is present in banana flour and with regular consumption can be helpful at alleviating mood disorders.

Mineral rich

You don’t have to bake with it to reap the amazing benefits. Simply add a tablespoon to your smoothie, yoghurt or porridge to up your intake of zinc, magnesium, phosphorous and manganese. All brilliant for skin and muscle support.

Allergy friendly

What other flour can you find that is suitable for such a range of allergy disorders? Baking with banana flour is a great substitute for those with sensitivities to gluten, grains, nuts and seeds.

How to use banana flour in cooking and baking?

Great news for those looking to bake with banana flour! It’s high starch content means you need less when substituting for other flours. So instead of 1:1, try mixing 1/2 – 3/4 cup of banana flour in place of 1 cup of normal flour. Banana flour absorbs liquid so if the mixture is too dry, add some extra water or milk of your choice depending on the wet ingredients in your recipe.

Most importantly, when experimenting with banana flour, have fun!