You’d be BANANAS not to eat them!

As it’s revealed we bin £80m worth because they are ‘too ripe’, our healthy eating guru says...

IN MY opinion, bananas are at their most perfect when they are a rich, almost mustardy yellow, lightly flecked with brown spots. The fruit is soft, but not mushy, and tastes really banana-ey.

But I’m an increasingly rare breed: it turns out Britons now bin an astonishing £80 million worth of bananas a year because they are ‘too ripe’ – with perhaps a minor bruise or a black mark on the skin. It’s completely bananas.

As bananas ripen, their starch converts into sugar. Some of this sugar is a type known as pectin, a soluble fibre that turns into a gel in the digestive system and helps keep you feeling full, and your system regular.

They’re also a good source of Vitamin C, and magnesium and potassium, essential minerals for muscle contractions. So why are we throwing away such brilliant everyday superfoods?

I blame the supermarkets. They will only present goods in a uniform, plastic perfect way – and that’s what the public have got used to, but we’re losing out on a nutritional treasure trove.

With this in mind, I’ve dug out four of my favourite recipes that simply cannot be made with anything BUT the ripest, squidgiest of bananas.

When used in baking, the softer they are, the more they help cut down the amount of fat needed. In smoothies or ice cream, ripe bananas negate the need for added sugar. And, because of that clever sticky fibre, they work well in a gluten-free batter for pancakes.

So don’t chuck bananas, cherish them! Beelicious, by Sally Bee, is published on June 19 (RRP £20). sally-bee.com