Bananas are high in starch when you pick them, and as they ripen, that starch turns to sugar, says Ansel. Over time, the banana will have the same amount of carbs and calories but will contain more sugar.
One benefit of eating a banana before it reaches the spotting phase: It contains resistant starch, which slows down digestion, can keep you feeling fuller longer, and can help you absorb fewer calories. “The less ripe it is, the more resistant starch it has,” says Ansel. But, she notes, you shouldn’t eat totally green bananas since…gross