In my opinion, bananas are one of nature’s perfect foods. My day wouldn’t be complete without a banana or two. I eat a banana every morning before I workout and sometimes afterwards too. If you’re looking for a super easy, nutritious dairy alternative, banana milk is worth making. The best part? It’s as simple as turning on your blender.
How To Make Banana Milk
Banana milk is incredibly easy to make–probably the easiest of all non-dairy milks. All you need is one banana, 8 ounces water, and a blender. If you want to take it up a notch, you can also add a little vanilla, pinch of sea salt and cinnamon. (Plus banana milk lends itself to loads of variations–strawberry and chocolate peanut butter are my faves.)
The Health Benefits of Banana Milk
Bananas contain a good amount of vitamin B6, as well as being a decent source of vitamin C, dietary fiber, biotin, and trace minerals like copper and manganese.
The potassium in bananas provides cardiovascular benefits; helping the heart function normally, and lowering blood pressure. That potassium is also excellent for preventing muscle cramps, making it a favorite of athletes and anyone needing to replenish their electrolytes.
Bananas are the “B” in the classic B.R.A.T. diet recommended for anyone suffering from a stomach virus or other illness requiring a mild diet and to combat diarrheas. Conversely, if things aren’t moving along nicely, bananas can also help regulate the digestive tract thanks to their high fiber content.
Even though bananas are sweet, they are actually on the lower end of the glycemic index. One regular banana contains roughly 105 calories, 3 grams dietary fiber, and about 14 grams of carbs. The fiber in bananas can help lower and/or regulate blood sugar, making them a great food for anyone with blood sugar issues.
Banana milk offers all of the same benefits of bananas, but in liquid form and makes a great replacement for non-dairy milks and beverages. Blend some up to have before or after a workout.
Bonus: bananas are very inexpensive, making this one of the most budget-friendly non-dairy milks.
How To Use Banana Milk
Banana milk can’t be substituted for milk in every use, but it doesn’t hurt to try! Some of my favorite uses are as cooking liquid for oatmeal (it tastes like banana bread!) and other porridges, with cold cereal or granola, as a stand-alone beverage, for making chia pudding, in smoothies (making banana milk means you’re already halfway there!), and for use in pancakes.
One thing I’ve noticed is that like whole bananas, banana milk will turn brown quickly. This can be avoided or slowed by adding a little fresh lemon juice or citric acid. The milk is best the day it’s made, though it will last for several days in the fridge.
Banana Milk
Ingredients
- 1 banana
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- Pinch ground cinnamon optional
- Pinch sea salt optional
Instructions
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Place banana, water, and vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt, if using, into a blender. Puree until very smooth. Pour into a glass and serve immediately or refrigerate for up to several days.
Recipe Notes
To prevent banana milk from darkening, add a little fresh lemon juice.Variations:-Berry: add 1/4 cup strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries and omit cinnamon, if desired.-Peanut butter + chocolate: add 2-3 teaspoons natural peanut butter (or 1 tablespoon peanuts) and 1-2 teaspoons cacao powder.
