Before you throw out a banana because it has turned brown and seems past its eating prime, consider the potential nutritional benefits it provides. A brown banana has a higher level of antioxidants than yellow or green, unripe bananas.

If you’re avoiding bananas because you think they’re too high in calories for your weight-loss plan, you might want to reconsider.

The banana is one of nature’s most nutritious foods. It contains many simple carbohydrates, which your body can break down rapidly for energy, and it’s also rich in vitamins and minerals like potassium and vitamin B-6.

If you don't get around to eating your bananas before they become overripe, saving them in the freezer for later use is a great option. Frozen banana peels turn dark brown or black while in the freezer, but the fruit inside retains its usual color. Learn the best way to peel a frozen banana.

One common complaint among banana eaters is that they tend to go bad before they’re eaten, but by following a few steps, you can make your bananas last longer.

This infographic accompanies its partner slide show covering 16 Surprising Facts About Bananas (see link in article).

Versatile tropical fruits, bananas are nutritional powerhouses, rich in vitamin C, potassium and dietary fiber. Crispy, sweet and guilt-free, baked bananas chips are a cinch to make. A portable, high-energy treat, baked banana chips are just right for a hiking trip or as part of a healthy lunch.

In terms of nutritional value, bananas are rich in potassium, riboflavin, niacin and fiber, making them a nutritious snack. While baking a banana by itself will change the texture and temperature of the banana, the nutritional facts stay relative to the ripeness of the banana.

Burro bananas are a smaller, stubbier version of the typical Cavendish banana. Bananas are what many nutritionists refer to as a super food. They are low in fat and high in energy, with lots of potassium, fiber and vitamin B-6. You can prepare burros for the table in numerous ways.

At its best, a loaf of banana bread comes out of the oven redolent of fruit and spice, with a lightly browned, slightly domed top. A well-baked loaf should be moist but hold together well after cooling and slicing.

Bananas and plantains make up staples in several worldwide cuisines, and their popularity makes bananas -- a general term that includes plantains -- the fourth most abundant fruit crop in the world, according to Purdue University. In the United States, "banana"

Bananas turn brown because of a simple oxidation process. Oxygen oxidizes enzymes, according to food science professor Lynne McLandsborough in a July 2007 article for "Scientific American." This means that as soon as you cut a banana open, the pulp starts reacting to the air and turning brown.