Did you know that banana bread was the most googled food back in 2014? Granted, it’s not longer 2014, but bananas are still ever popular, and one of my favorite fruits to bake with because of how versatile they are.

Before we get into all theses fabulous healthy banana recipes, I want to share a little bit more about bananas, their nutritional profile & what they can do in recipes:

Bananas are an excellent source of potassium, an essential mineral our bodies need to maintain a healthy blood pressure.

Bananas help promote healthy bacteria in our guts. They contain fructooligosaccharides, which are a unique carb that aren’t often broken down by the enzymes in our digestive tract. Instead, they are metabolized by bacteria in our gut, which helps maintain the balance of good bacteria. (Source: WHfoods.com.)

Bananas may taste sweet, but actually have a low GI impact (depending on how ripe they are). They recieve a low rating in the GI scale, which measures the impact of food on our blood sugar.

When’s the best time to eat bananas?

The answer really depends on the situation. If you’re looking to increase your blood sugars quickly and replenish, a very ripe banana is the way to go. If you don’t want the fast hike, you could eat the banana with some nut butter, as the fat will help to slow down digestion. You can also eat the banana when it’s yellow or still slightly green to avoid any blood sugar spikes.

Green(er) bananas contain a high resistant starch, however they can also cause bloating and gas.

Yellow bananas tend to be the best to eat (before they are too ripe). They are digested fairly quickly and easier on the stomach.

If you want to bake with bananas, the best time to eat them is when they are extra ripe with cheetah like brown spots.

Now, who’s ready to dive into some healthy banana recipes? Let’s do it!

paleo zucchini banana muffins

Paleo Zucchini Banana Muffins from SRCooking

chocolate chip banana Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies

Healthy Banana Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies from SRCooking

Raspberry Banana Muffins in a muffin tin

Raspberry, Almond Butter & Banana Oatmeal Muffins from SRCooking

Banana Baked Oatmeal

Chocolate, Almond & Sea Salt Banana Baked Oatmeal from SRCooking

double chocolate paleo banana bread bars

Double Chocolate Paleo Banana Bread from SRCooking

chickpea flour banana bread

Chickpea Flour Banana Bread from SRCooking

flax almond meal banana muffins in a muffin tin

Flax Almond Meal Paleo Banana Muffins from SRCooking

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Quinoa Banana Bread in a loaf pan next to a knife and bananas

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Quinoa Banana Bread from SRCooking

chia, quinoa banana granola bars on wax paper

Chia Quinoa Banana Granola Bars from SRCooking

coconut flour banana bread

Chocolate Chip Coconut Flour Banana Bread from SRCooking

Skinny Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

30 Minute Skinny Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins from SRCooking

Healthy Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Oat Breakfast Bars

Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Oat Bars from SRCooking

healthy pumpkin banana muffins in a muffin tin

Healthy Pumpkin Banana Muffins from SRCooking

Skinny Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Skinny Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins from SRCooking

Banana Oat Protein Muffins in a muffin tin

Banana Oat Protein Muffins from SRCooking

Healthy Strawberry Coconut Chia Seed Banana Bread in a loaf pan

Strawberry Coconut Chia Seed Banana Bread from SRCooking

Oatmeal Cottage Cheese Banana Pancakes on a plate

Oatmeal Cottage Cheese Banana Pancakes from SRCooking

Healthy Carrot Cake Banana Bread with text overlay

Carrot Cake Banana Bread from SRCooking

Banana Ice Cream cone

Banana Ice Cream with Toasted Coconuts, Almonds, and Dark Chocolate from SRCooking

peanut butter banana ice cream sandwiches

Peanut Butter & Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches from She Likes Food

banana overnight oats in a bowl

Banana Nut Overnight Oats from The Healthy Maven

banana bread overnight oats in a jar

Banana Bread Overnight Oatmeal from The Roasted Root

banana zucchini oatmeal cups

Banana Zucchini Oatmeal Cups from Hummusapien

banana oat waffles on a wire rack

Chocolate Chip Banana Oat Waffles from Food Pleasure and Health

banana oatmeal cups in a muffin tin

Baked Banana Oatmeal Cups from Eating Bird Food

banana ice cream

Nice Cream Blizzard Recipe from Eat Healthy Eat Happy

banana quinoa breakfast cookies

Chunky Monkey Quinoa Breakfast Cookies from Simply Quinoa

banana donuts on a wire rack

Banana Bread Gluten-free Doughnuts with Maple Hemp Heart Glaze from Tasty Yummies

blueberry banana muffins on a wire rack

Healthy Blueberry Banana Blender Muffins from Buns in My Oven

Zucchini Banana Brownies

Zucchini Banana Brownies from Kitchen Confidante

Chocolate Banana Quinoa Muffins in a muffin tin

Chocolate Banana Quinoa Muffins from Kitchen Confidante

sweet potato banana bites

Sweet Potato Banana Bites from The Lean Green Bean

banana granola bars on wax paper

Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Granola Bars from Sweet Phi

banana chocolate chip ice cream bites in a stack

Two Ingredient Banana Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Bites from The Baker Mama

chocolate banana bread on a wire rack

Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread from The Baker Mama  

banana muffins with raisins

Healthy Flourless Morning Glory Muffins from Making Thyme for Health

banana bars

Chocolate Chip Coconut Flour Banana Blondies from Heartbeet Kitchen

banana breakfast cake on a plate

Banana Breakfast Cake from Fit Foodie Finds

green banana smoothie in a cup

Green Tea Banana Smoothie from Namely Marly

banana granola in a bowl

Peanut Butter Banana and Honey Granola from Two Peas and Their Pod

blueberry banana smoothies

Banana Blueberry Smoothies from What’s Gaby Cooking