What Exactly Is Banana Flour & How Do You Use It?

Whether you're eating gluten-free, keto, paleo, or just looking for better-for-you food options, chances are you've come across some interesting flour substitutes that promise to deliver more nutrition than traditional all-purpose (AP) flour. Almond and coconut are among the most popular alternatives, and there's also rice, oat, and rye, to name a few others. However, the newest addition is a little more unexpected. Enter: banana flour.

Since the flour itself is made from bananas, you'll reap the same benefits you'd get from eating a banana in whole form. "Banana flour is mostly made of carbohydrates, but it also provides some fiber and protein, as well as zero grams of fat," says registered dietitian Mia Syn, RDN. "It's also a great source of potassium, which is important for heart and muscle health."

Because it features green, unripe bananas, the flour is also a resistant starch, which "acts as a prebiotic to help feed the good bacteria in our gut and thus support gut health," explains Syn. And even though bananas are naturally sweet, you don't have to worry about blood sugar spikes, thanks to the low glycemic index.

Another plus is banana flour helps mitigate some food waste. "It's a more sustainable option since it's made from bananas that are damaged or don't look nice," says Gawthorne.

First off: Does banana flour taste like bananas? In short, the answer is no. Since banana flour is made from green bananas, the taste of sweet ripe bananas doesn't come through. It may add a slight sweetness, but it likely won't be too noticeable.

It's also fairly seamless to substitute banana flour for AP flour. "It's very versatile and can be used in all different recipes, not just baking," Gawthorne says. For a simple swap, she suggests using the ration of 1 cup AP flour to ¾ cup banana flour. This is due to the higher starch content. "And if you need to make it rise, add 2 teaspoons of baking powder to 1 cup of the banana flour." TBH, it sounds like classic banana bread is about to get way better. 

"Besides baking, you can use banana flour as a thickening agent in soups, stews, and even smoothies," says Syn. To do so, start with 1 tablespoon and gradually build from there.