Banana Toast

Stuck in a breakfast or snack rut? Mix things up with banana and whole grain bread!  Read below to find out more about this winning combination.

If you’ve ever made avocado toast, you’ll be a banana toast pro! If you have them, choose greenish, slightly unripe bananas for this recipe since they contain higher concentrations of prebiotic fiber compared to their fully ripe counterpart. Spot prebiotic-rich, slightly unripe bananas at the grocery store by looking for green tips with minimal brown freckling. Ripe bananas, on the other hand, are thoroughly yellow and lightly flecked with brown spots. 

While bananas are a nutritious choice at any stage of ripeness, less ripe bananas have additional gastrointestinal benefits. That’s because fewer starches have been converted to sugar through ripening, resulting in more indigestible prebiotic fiber (and milder sweetness). Prebiotic fiber—also known as resistant starch—acts as food for the probiotics (healthy bacteria) in your gut. Get it? Pre-biotics feed your body’s pro-biotics. You can also find resistant starch in other fibrous foods like whole grains, beans, and legumes.

Consuming fiber has a variety of health benefits including helping you fight bad bacteria and signaling your brain that you’re full. Without any additional toppings, just half of a banana and one slice of 100% whole grain bread provides about 5 grams of fiber towards your daily goal. That’s why the pairing of an unripe banana with 100% whole grain bread is a must! Keep in mind that women should aim for 25 grams of fiber per day, and men should aim for 38 grams.

Try this:

Prepare your banana toast by mashing half of a banana in a bowl with a fork or the back of a spoon. Spread the mashed banana on a piece of 100% whole grain toast (try bread, English muffin, or pita). Once you’ve built your base, it’s time to add flavor with toppings. Try these suggestions:

• 1 Tbsp. chopped walnuts and a sprinkle of cinnamon = 210 calories
• 1 Tbsp. almond butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon = 270 calories
• ¼ cup blueberries and 1 tsp. grated dark chocolate = 206 calories
• ¼ cup raspberries and 1 tsp. unsweetened coconut = 192 calories
• 2 Tbsp. diced apricots and 1 Tbsp. chopped pecans = 210 calories
• 2 Tbsp. fresh cherries and a sprinkle of ground coffee = 175 calories
• 2 Tbsp. sliced figs and 1 Tbsp. chopped hazelnuts = 239 calories

Don’t have any of these ingredients on hand? Experiment with your own flavor combinations. Try pairing your banana toast with a source of lean protein to create a well-balanced meal. We recommend plain or lower sugar (<9 g) fat-free probiotic Greek yogurt. Why? The banana toast’s prebiotic fiber paired with the yogurt’s probiotics supports a healthy digestive system!