01
Cherimoya
10.0best for drink1 piece : 1/2 piece
Creamy texture, blend with pineapple
10.0
bananas substitute
for drink.
In drinks, banana puree suspends in water thanks to pectin at roughly 0.8% solids; below that, it sediments inside 6 minutes in a tall glass. Sweetness reads about 14 Brix, mouthfeel needs 0.3-0.5% added fat or dairy to coat the tongue, and ice dilution drops the whole system two Brix within 3 minutes. Swaps are ranked by solubility at blender speed, how long they stay in suspension before a second stir, and whether they keep sweetness balanced when diluted across a 16-ounce pour.
top substitutes
adjustment for drink
Half a cherimoya per banana blends into a smoothie at high speed for 30 seconds to break the flesh. Suspension holds 7 minutes in a 16-ounce pour at 40°F before sediment. Add 1 tablespoon pineapple juice per piece to replace banana's pectin-acid balance that keeps solids aloft.
02
Custard-Apple
10.0best for drink1 piece : 1 piece
Creamy and sweet, closest texture
10.0
adjustment for drink
Custard-apple 1:1 by piece yields a thicker drink at 18 Brix — nearly milkshake viscosity without any ice. Blend 45 seconds then strain once to remove seed grit. Suspension holds 10 minutes in a tall glass; stir before the last sip or settled fiber catches in the straw at the glass bottom.
03
Durian
7.5best for drink1 cup : 1 cup
Creamy base, add vanilla extract
7.5
adjustment for drink
Durian 1:1 by cup makes a rich drink at 18 Brix with natural fat that coats the tongue without dairy. Add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla per cup to mute the sulfur nose. Blend 20 seconds only — longer incorporates air that amplifies the aroma. Serve at 38°F; warmer temps sharpen the smell aggressively.
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04
Sapodilla
10.01 piece : 1 piece
Soft sweet tropical match
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Sapodilla 1:1 by piece blends into a 14 Brix drink that reads like a malted caramel shake. Strain once through a fine mesh to catch the occasional fiber. Suspension at 0.8% solids stays stable 8 minutes in a 16-ounce pour at 40°F; ice dilution knocks sweetness down 2 Brix by minute 3.
05
Apples
6.01 cup : 1 cup
Applesauce works in baking as moisture swap
6.0
adjustment for this dish
Unsweetened apple juice or puree at 1:1 by cup makes a thinner drink — about 11 Brix. Add 1 teaspoon honey per cup to hit banana's sweetness baseline. Pectin suspension holds 5 minutes before clarifying; a pinch of xanthan (1/16 teaspoon per cup) stretches that window to 10 minutes at 40°F.
06
Pears
6.01 cup : 1 cup
Ripe pears mash well for baking recipes
6.0
adjustment for this dish
Ripe pear at 1:1 by cup blends to 11 Brix with a light, floral mouthfeel. Its grittier stone cells catch in a straw — strain through a chinois before pouring. Add 2 teaspoons honey per cup to bridge the sweetness gap from banana's 17 Brix. Best served within 15 minutes at 40°F before oxidation dulls.
07
Jackfruit
6.01 cup : 1 cup
Ripe jackfruit has banana-like sweetness
6.0
adjustment for this dish
Ripe jackfruit at 1:1 by cup blends to 16 Brix with a perfumed tropical aroma that reads closer to Juicy Fruit than banana. Blend 30 seconds to break the fibers, then strain; pulp clogs a straw fast. Suspension holds 8 minutes at 40°F before the strings settle at the glass bottom.
08
Pumpkin
6.01 cup : 3/4 cup
Pumpkin puree works in baking, add extra sugar
6.0
adjustment for this dish
Three-quarters cup pumpkin puree per cup of banana makes a dense drink — more pumpkin-spice latte than smoothie. Thin with 1/2 cup milk or oat milk per cup and 3 tablespoons sugar to match banana's 17 Brix. Warm service at 140°F suits pumpkin; cold-blended it runs chalky on the tongue.
09
Egg Substitute
5.01:1
Mash half banana per egg, best in baking
5.0
10
Avocado
4.01:1
Creamy texture in smoothies, not sweet
4.0
11
Plantain
2.01 cup : 1 cup
Use very ripe (black skin) for sweetness
2.0