What Is Green Banana Flour & How To Use It

What is green banana flour? Learn more about this nutritious ingredient, its benefits and how it can be used in paleo, gluten-free and grain-free cooking in today’s blog post.


What is green banana & how to use it
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With taking on a gluten-free or grain-free diet comes a whole slew of new-to-you ingredients. Or at least it was that way for me! As I myself get curious about these unusual foods, I like to highlight some of them on the blog to encourage you to give them a go.

For this article, I’ll be focusing on green banana flour.

You’re probably thinking, “How many things can you possible make flour out of?!” The answer is a LOT. Most starchy fruits and veggies can be dried and ground down into something that works like wheat flour just because of its structure.

Fortunately, for those of you avoiding grains, the abundance of flour substitutes is something to embrace! It offers flexibility in terms of the types of recipes you can recreate and it also offers fabulous nutrition. Today, I wanted to talk about one of the most nutritious foods out there that I think is worth all the bold claims.


What Is Green Banana Flour?

Green banana flour and its health benefits
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For many folks, green banana flour is not a common household pantry item. This isn’t true in places where banana plants are native though. In Jamaica, the Caribbean, and Africa, banana flour is often used in place of wheat flour because it’s more economical.

Green banana flour is simply the yield of green, under-ripe bananas. Not just under-ripe either; it has to be green to have the benefits! While these aren’t exactly a tasty snack, they are nutritious for numerous reasons (which I’ll cover down the road) and dry up into a very effective flour replacement.

You can even make your own with a few bundles of green bananas, a little sunshine, and a mortar and pestle!

Not only is it a fantastic flour replacement for gluten-free eaters – it’s actually used as a supplement to boost resistant starch (a type of gut-friendly fibre).

While raw banana flour has a slight banana flavour to it, baked banana flour actually has a rather neutral, mild, and earthy flavour meaning you can use it for both sweet and savoury dishes. Pancakes anyone? That’s where my mind goes first!

The Sustainability Of Green Banana Flour

Green banana flour as a sustainable ingredient
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To begin, let’s start with the big picture. There’s plenty of controversy in terms of sustainable food, and it’s important to look at the health of our planet when we consider healthy choices for us.

The good news? Well, green banana flour is a very sustainable choice. This is because the ‘waste’ green bananas have a way to be processed into a whole food with a long shelf life and increasing demand for those – especially in western countries where this food is a bit of a fad having its moment.

Millions of bananas – and tons of produce in general – go to waste during the processing and transportation of the foods because they get damaged and don’t look ‘pretty’. Some clever producers found a way to use up those less appealing bananas into flour and other products instead. Purchasing such sustainable products helps to support makers and keeps the whole demand/supply chain going forward.

You can search for green banana flour in your local health food stores or purchase it online on Amazon or directly from the suppliers. Do a simple Google search in your country and see what takes your fancy.

P.S. If you’ve got bananas going bad, make some banana bread!

The Nutritional Benefits Of Green Banana Flour

Benefits of green banana flour and how to use it
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It’s all about the resistant starch. Resistant starch – a type of fibre – is a fantastic source of prebiotics. While probiotics replenish our gut with a variety of good bacteria, it is the prebiotics that provides the proper fuel to keep the good bacteria happy and maintain healthy gut flora.

Prebiotics are found in lots of fibrous foods such as fruits and vegetables, but it is especially beneficial in a form of resistant starch which is found in white potatoes, bananas (especially green bananas), white rice and legumes.

Provides Three Different Types Of Fibre

Green banana flour contains 42-52.8 grams of resistant starch per cup. In fact, green banana flour delivers the highest amount of resistant starch found in any food!

Resistant starch is a fermentable fibre, that passes through the intestines undigested. This fermentation process delivers short-chain fatty acids that our bodies love – namely, butyrate (a.k.a. why I love grass-fed butter!). Moreover, resistant starch can reduce the glycaemic load of foods making them easier on your blood sugar levels.

Many foods that do contain resistant starch end up losing some during the cooking process, or do not contain such a concentrated amount. Because of the low-heat processing of green banana flour and the ability to supplement with it raw, it’s easily the most effective and potent way to get in your daily serving of resistant starch.

Resistant starch is known to be effective for treating obesity, type 2 diabetes, and reducing the risk of colon cancer.

Additionally, green banana flour contains inulin and insoluble fibre, which also act as prebiotics. This trio of fibre can act as a mild laxative effect which is one of the only downsides (or upsides, depending on what you need).

Contains Some 5HTP

5HTP or 5-hydroxytryptophan isn’t commonly found in foods, but it is a powerful supplement. It helps to increase serotonin production in the brain quite like many antidepressants.

Unlike SSRIs, 5HTP does not have any negative side effects or long-term associated dangers. This makes green banana flour a really nice supplement if you struggle with depression, moods, anxiety, sleep, and headaches.

A Mineral-Rich Superfood

Green banana flour packs in a punch of essential minerals your body will thank you for. Consider the other superfoods you add to your smoothie to get those micronutrients in, and maybe add a scoop of green banana flour next time. You can expect a healthy dose of zinc, magnesium, phosphorous, and manganese.

  • Zinc is essential for a healthy immune system, healing, brain function, skin/hair/nail health, and is especially important for young kids during development.
  • Magnesium is great for sore muscles, recovery, sleep, and pH balance.
  • Phosphorous aids the body in its natural detoxification efforts helps cells to repair themselves and keeps our hearts beating at a normal pace.
  • Manganese influences our metabolism in a positive way which may lead to an easier time with weight loss and management, in addition, to increased absorption of calcium.

… and that’s just the most important stuff. In short, mineral balance is a massive indicator of overall health, and many issues are rooted in deficiencies – even minor ones.

Any “miracle” powder that actually has substantial nutrition is a winner in my book, and green banana flour passes the fitness test, so to speak.

Naturally Gluten-Free & Grain-Free

Banana is mostly non-allergenic. It’s friendly for paleo dieters, people who follow healing diets like the autoimmune protocol, vegan and vegetarian eaters, and most average folks without a banana allergy.

When it comes to gluten-free and grain-free flour alternatives, it’s a really solid choice. It doesn’t contain the anti-nutrients and gut irritants found in wheat flour, and it’s safe for coeliacs.

Banana Flour Is Great For Weight Loss

Due to its high fibre content, green banana flour is a filling supplement in the diet that also helps you meet nutritional needs. It’s fantastic to have an easy option to fill in nutritional gaps while also helping stick to an eating plan that aids in weight loss.

I always recommend fibrous foods because they slow down digestion and keep you fuller for longer. They also keep your blood sugar stable which should lessen the frequency and intensity with which you experience cravings.

High Starch Content Actually Comes In Handy

While some folks (like people who follow the keto diet, for example) are quick to shun starch, sometimes, more is less. Because green banana has such a high starch content, you can use 25-30% less banana flour than wheat.

This can stretch your dollar and overall equate to less energy intake – another convincing argument for green banana flour for weight loss!


How To Use Green Banana Flour In Paleo Cooking

Green banana flour recipes for paleo cooking
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Hopefully, now you’ve picked up that you can use green banana flour both as a flour substitute in recipes that call for it and as a supplement. Additionally, one of the most interesting studies done with green banana flour is the use of it to increase the indigestible carbohydrates in pasta.

Could resistant starch be the key to enjoying carbs with fewer calories and less of a glycaemic load overall? Perhaps! The “enriched” pasta also had a higher antioxidant capacity, so perhaps green banana flour will determine a brighter future for carbs. I think we could all appreciate that!

If you’re not up to conducting your own science experiments in the kitchen, here are a few more approachable uses for green banana flour.

Using Green Banana Flour As A Supplement

Green banana flour has a similar texture to cassava flour or coconut flour and a mild, neutral taste. It’s usually an off-white, greyish colour and can be used in raw or in cooked recipes.

As a supplement, simply add 1-2 tablespoons to your smoothie, yoghurt, bliss balls, or whatever raw food you are having that can handle a little extra “superpowers.” Remember – banana flour is more potent and provides more resistant starch when consumed raw.

Try these green banana flour recipes!

Now let me know – are you excited and intrigued by banana flour? Whether you’re using it daily or it’s a brand new item to you, I want to encourage you to seek out more knowledge about these incredible additions to the diet. Make sure to share this article if you enjoyed it. 

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Irena Macri
By Irena Macri

About the author: Hi, I’m Irena Macri. I share delicious recipes that I have cooked and loved. I am a published cookbook author, have been food blogging for over 10 years and have a Diploma in Nutrition. You will find many healthy recipes as well as my favourite comfort food. More about me here | Subscribe to my newsletter and freebies

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Comments

75 Comments
  1. This is such a great post! We love and use banana flour regularly, especially because it works well for my son who’s egg-free. But I learned so much more about it! Pinning.

  2. I have never used it before but I love that it’s a resistant starch and used that way. I’m going to have to give it a try.

  3. That’s a lot of benefits! I had no idea this existed, but like you said, what else couldn’t possibly made into flour these days! Ha! That is an affordable price too.

  4. Yay ! Thanks for the information ! I’ve been wondering about green banana flour ever since I saw them at WholeFoods. Now I can’t wait to try it and make some yummy recipes !

  5. Thanks for this informative post. I’ve wanted to try this flour, but have been hesitant. Now I’m definitely getting some!

  6. Great post Irena – it’s worth noting that green banana is not the same as an unripe yellow banana just in the same family.

  7. I have seen banana flour, but I have not seen green banana flour before. Such an informative article and makes me so curious to try making my own green banana flour for pancakes!

  8. I wanted to complement you on a nice article. Your quantification of the resistant starch content of green banana flour is probably wrong, however. It may or may not have 42-53 grams of resistant starch/cup. It completely depends on how the product was dried.

    My company makes and sells three different types of green banana flour – two are generally used for food and baking applications while the third was developed to deliver very high levels of resistant starch. My NuBana RS65 Green Banana Flour would contain 86 grams of resistant starch but NuBana N100 Green Banana Flour would contain 55 grams of resistant starch and NuBana P500 would contain none. I have seen a wide variety of resistant starch content on various green banana flours.

    Also, green banana flour is an excellent source of potassium but I have not seen any data quantifying the amount of zinc in green bananas.

    Our products will be available within the next few months. We are a B2B company and several supplement companies will be making our ingredients available. The first one just launched – Uplift Food is selling Daily Uplifter now at http://www.upliftfood.com.

    Thanks for your interest in green banana flour.

    1. Good to know, Rhonda. It is still quite a new ingredient so I am sure we’ll have more accurate info in the future.

      1. Great article! Thanks! I’m wondering how long is the shelf life of GB flour? I’m actually look to mix iniulin, GB flour, and potato starch in a powder mix. I’m going to use it like a daily supplement. I was just wondering how long it would last sitting in a jar mixed up

        1. Hey Bryan, I imagine there would be a recommended storage time on the packet. I would look at all ingredients and see which of them has the shortest storage time and use that as your guide for the mix. You could also store it in the fridge for much longer.

  9. I do not HAVE TO USE GLUTEN FREE FLOUR, and buy gluten free food if a friend comes around. SO deciced to try it… just used it and no thanks. It has a powerful smell in the kitchen which I did not like and I used it to make our favorite Date Slices, and although they turned out well and friend liked them I gave her the batch to take home. We did not think they were that good.

  10. I love this so much and i love doing it. i promise i will be the biggest banana flour producer in our country UGANDA. any support rendered is appreciated

    Regards
    PRISCILLA

    1. Hey Priscilla did you start on the green banana flour production? Am Maureen from Kenya and am in the same….

  11. My partner loves cauliflower cheese, but since he has been on a paleo diet I have not been able to make it for him – now that I have discovered banana flour that has all changed. Used as one would ordinary wheat flour, it makes a wonderful rich cheese sauce and cauliflower cheese is again on the menu.

    1. That’s a good insight. I wouldn’t have thought to use banana flour for a cheese sauce. I usually end up using cassava or tapioca flour.

  12. Does baking with green banana flour or adding boiled water to it affect the starch resistance factor, making it less resistant starch?

    1. I am not 100% sure but I know that people often consume potato starch mixed with water as supplemental resistant starch so it would work in a similar way. When baking, you might be adding the liquid but the finished product would solidify again, so the flour dehydrates while cooking, so I would say you would still get the same resistant starch benefits.

    1. Plantain flour would depend if it’s made with green or ripe plantains as the starch and sugar content differs. I imagine green plantain flour would be very similar.

  13. I was searching for the lowest glycerin and I came across banana flour ,I’ve never heard of if it but I’m very interested in using it .

  14. I’m not sure I understand. I thought cooking resistant starch nullified the resistant properties. Please clarify because these sure look good!

  15. Hello,
    thank you for posting this. I just picked up a small package of this last week and have been searching for gluten free/dairy free recipes I can use with this. I prefer a flour that I only have to use it and not a combination of other flours to make the recipe work.

    About 2 weeks ago I got an allergy test done and found out there is a lot I am allergic to and need to cut out, with all of my allergens it certainly makes one feel overwhelmed trying to plan snacks and meals. My allergies are: all legumes, potato (except sweet potato), corn, nuts (except coconut), seeds (except sesame & flax), gluten, wheat, both baker’s and brewer’s yeast, goat & sheep’s milk just to name a few.

    If you know of any other versatile flours that don’t include any of my allergens and work well on their own please let me know. I like having a combination of flours I can experiment with instead of just one, I am learning to use Cassava flour. By the way, if you know of any gluten and dairy free way of making Paneer cheese or creamed cheese please let me know.

    Please keep up the amazing work.

    1. Cassava flour is great, so definitely keep using that. They now also make sweet potato flour. You might be able to tolerate quinoa flour and buckwheat flour, so I would try those as they are also great for baking. Finally, I know you mentioned nuts, does that include chestnuts? Chestnut flour is also quite versatile.

  16. I tried the banana flour waffles you reference. The batter was very runny and once made, the waffles were terrible.

  17. How about something with no cereal grain or nut flour? Most recipes have so much stuff in them that I can’t eat, the recipes are useless, as are the suggested substitutes.

    1. These are the recipes I found and I can’t tailor my posts to every single individual dietary need. I wish I could!!! You’re welcome to provide your own suggestions if you make something without those ingredients and I am sure they would be helpful to others.

  18. I have a recipe calling for it. banana bread with olive oil. im substituting teff flour but will be looking for it at our new Asian grocery store

  19. Iam looking for a sandwich bread to make using green banana flour . To use to make a chicken salad sandwich. Can y suggest a recipe please .

  20. Although green banana flour does not inherently taste good, I fin I can mix it with a few tablespoons of yoghurt and put in one ounce of trail mix and it goes down easier.
    Any other thoughts on a quick mixture?

  21. Before I bomb another baking experiment, do you know if green banana flour can replace cornstarch as a thickener? It’s been awhile since I used it, yet I think the green banana flour was almost gritty seeming in a batch of banana almond coconut maple syrup cookies. I was thinking of adding it to a berry cobbler to thicken the sauce. Thanks!

    1. That’s a good question, I am not 100% sure. It’s a starch so in theory, it should thicken whatever you add it to, but I am not sure exactly what texture you would get in a sauce. I would be brave and experiment, then report back 🙂

    1. I am not 100% sure to be honest. I know that with LOW FODMAP diet (also avoiding specific carbohydrate groups), green banana starch is fine unlike ripe bananas, so perhaps it is similar for SCD.

  22. Very stimulating information. Thanks. I lived in the tropics and banana is aplenty. Many varieties too. I am interested to learn how to turn banana into powder.

  23. Thanks for the information about resistant starch. However, although I’ve been prescribed this, I find it does have a dominant flavour in smoothies, drinks etc, raw. The taste makes me nauseaous. Do you have another way I can take it raw?

  24. Great information if people will undetstand about resistant starches we all be slimmer and healthier, fantastic work keep it up

  25. I have trouble mixing itccwith liquids… I want to combine it with yogurt or kefir but I get lumps of dry flour that make me choke. Does soaking for a time help or do I have to use a blender?

    1. It depends on how much you’re using. I would dilute it and whisk it in some liquid first before adding to a smoothie. Maybe dilute it in some hot water first, then let it cool down before using?

  26. Wow I was introduced to banana flour at a health retreat 5 years ago and since then has been right off my radar..so can’t wait to try your recipes…I have rheumatoid arthritis and lymphocytic colitis. Had a lousy few years and tried meds years ago but the side effects were horrendous. So have just been managing it myself…so thankyou

    1. I am not sure. The starch is helpful for general gut flora but it could potentially also irritate those with severe IBS. I would test out with a small amount first and see you go.

  27. I love green banana cook. I used it for one of my vegetables instead of potatoes I used green banana I didn’t know that it was starchy so is it bad for your health or is it healthy to eat as a meal

  28. Thanks for sharing dear. You have given me More insight on what I wish to do on industrial level.
    Thanks very much once again

  29. Hello IRENA MACRI
    The information is useful and can be believed when it is written by qualified nutrition coach with an Advanced Diploma in Nutrition.
    I would like to know whether it is advisable to be used by Diabetic person as a supplement. I see there is no difference made in Banana powder of Raw and Ripen but actually it is, as ripen banana powder may be having sweet character & carbohydrates which is harmful for Diabetics but Raw Banana powder don’t. This is my thinking after reading material on it which needs acknowledgement from Nutrition expert like you.
    It is requested to guide regarding role of Raw Banana powder as a supplement for Diabetic.

    Thanks
    Basweshwar

    1. I would think that ripened banana powder would be quite sweet so it would really depend on how much of it you are using. With diabetes, it is often the case with sweet foods, you might be okay with a very small amount but would want to avoid in larger quantities or too frequently

  30. Shall I kindly know addresses for companies that can purchase green banana flour from me, please. I can establish a small scale milling facility for green banana flour.

    Kindly teach me professionally how to prepare green banana flour in large quantity.

    George

  31. Do you have a pasta (spaghetti) recipe made from Green Banana flour to replace whole wheat spaghetti? Will it have less carbs? I am a diabetic looking for a low carb spaghetti. I am trying to find a homemade recipe that will replace store bought spaghetti.

    1. Hi Betty, I don’t think there is a green banana flour spaghetti out there and to be honest it would still be high in carbs. There are lots of good brands out there that are lower-carb, higher-protein and fibre pasta that would suit a diabetic. Which country are you in? Looks for something like a lentil or pea spaghetti, or anything that will say on the packet high-protein, high-fibre (this will slow down the glucose absorption in the body). There is a brand called Atkins that does low-carb pasta. There are also some noodles/pasta that are made from konjac and they are 0 carbs but the texture is more like rice noodles than spaghetti. Another version is made with edamame beans. If you’re in Australia, check out some options here: https://www.lowcarbemporium.com.au/collections/pasta-rice

  32. Thank you for your article on green banana flour,Could you please tell me how much resistant starch is in 2 tablespoons of green banana flour?

  33. Hello, thank you very much for the interesting article. I would like to dehydrate the bananas.
    Consume them as snacks, and also as flour.
    Are the flours made without the shell? Or is it better to make them with shell?
    The fiber of this fruit is found mainly in the skin?

  34. This article on green banana flour benefits and uses is a must-read for anyone looking to explore healthier alternatives in their diet. From its high resistant starch content to its versatility in gluten-free baking, green banana flour offers a range of health benefits and culinary possibilities. As someone interested in nutrition and wellness, I found this piece informative and inspiring. Thanks for highlighting the potential of green banana flour and providing practical tips on incorporating it into our diets!

    https://sthint.com/2024/02/22/exercise-equipment-to-include-in-your-home-gym/

  35. I’m very impressed with what you’ve written in this blog, it’s really very inspiring for me as a reader who is visiting your site for the first time. Really Appreciated!

  36. I would like to make tortillas wraps with green bananas flour. Do you have a tested recipe you can share? Thank you
    Karen

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