Most people judge bananas by their colour or the number of spots on the peel, but it turns out there’s another clue that reveals how sweet they’ll taste. Shoppers often debate whether green-tipped or fully yellow bananas are best, yet one small detail can actually make all the difference.
A man on Instagram confessed that it took him “45 years” to discover this simple supermarket hack for choosing the sweetest bananas every time. His tip has since surprised thousands of people who thought they already knew how to pick the perfect bunch. Before your next grocery trip, it might be worth checking this one overlooked feature that guarantees better flavour.
What you should check
The creator, who goes by @Amintips, took to the popular social media site to share: “It took me 45 years to learn this. This is how you choose the best bananas.
“Find the banana stem. If the stem is short, then the bananas will be tasty and sweet, but if the stem is longer, then they will have less flavour.”
Over 2,000 people liked the post, with one person commenting: “How am I just finding this out now at 62 years old. I have done it right and wrong lol.” Another said: “Yes!! This works every time!!”
A chef with over 20 years of experience, Cristian Feher from Food Chain TV, also suggests that shoppers should be looking at the banana stem. He said, “So, you’re at the store, you’re looking at bananas, but how do you know which ones taste the best?
“The secret is actually the length of the stem.” He showed two bananas side by side, one with a short stem and one with a longer stem. Cristian continued: “It just so happens that the bananas with the shorter stems are a lot sweeter and have a lot more flavour than the ones with the longer stems.”
Other ways of spotting sweet bananas
1. Colour
The best bananas to buy are mostly yellow with a little green at the ends, reported the Spruce Eats. This stage offers the best balance of freshness and sweetness.
Avoid those with bruises, dull, or grey colouring, as these may have been damaged or stored improperly. Fully yellow bananas with no green are ripe and ready to eat, while green ones will ripen over a few days.
2. Spots
Bananas with small brown spots have reached peak flavour and sweetness and are best for immediate eating. If the skin shows dark, moist, or sunken areas, the fruit inside is likely bruised.
3. Peel
A banana that’s hard to peel or separates poorly from the skin is still unripe and will taste starchy and bitter.