Introduction
Bananas are probably one of the most popular fruits and boast important health benefits. Often, on a nutritional level, and depending on the subject, green bananas should be preferred over the yellow ones and even more over the trigrate and more ripe ones. Green bananas are a little harder to peel and less sweet than ripe bananas, but they are very healthy.
Green Bananas: Nutritional Values
Both green and ripe bananas have a similar nutritional profile. The main difference is that the carbohydrates in green bananas mostly translate into the form of starch . It slowly turns into sugar during the ripening process, which is why most people prefer to eat ripe bananas because of the sweet taste that distinguishes them from green ones. One medium-sized banana has 105 calories , approximately 1 gram of protein , 27 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber and only a trace amount of fat . Bananas also provide various vitamins and minerals. They’re a particularly good source of potassium , with 422 mg in one medium banana. The starchy carbohydrates in green bananas provide long-term energy, and their potassium helps replenish electrolytes post -workout. Thanks to its energetic and remineralizing properties , and due to the presence of vasoactive substances, in fact, the consumption of bananas is recommended for athletes.
Green Bananas and Blood Sugar
Because the carbohydrates in green bananas come primarily from starch rather than sugar, they have a much lower glycemic index than ripe bananas. The glycemic index of a green banana is 30 , while a ripe banana is 51. Foods with a lower glycemic index will raise blood sugar more slowly than high glycemic index foods . Green bananas are a good choice if you have diabetes , insulin resistance , metabolic syndrome . Compared to ripe ones, unripe bananas allow you to better control glucose levels and heart rateinsulin metabolism .
Gut health
Much of the starch in green bananas is in the form of resistant starch , which also functions as a prebiotic fiber . It passes into the large intestine , where it feeds the healthy probiotic bacteria that live in the colon , and helps the microbiome thrive. One of the main benefits of consuming unripe bananas is the regulation of intestinal transit, and the contrast of both diarrhea and constipation . By consuming more green bananas for intestinal health , we do not exclude the possibility of indirectly reducing the risk of colon cancer . When the cellsof the large intestine metabolize resistant starch, produce short-chain fatty acids, such as butyrate , which plays an important role in colon health.
| Yellow banana | Values per 100 g |
| Power | 89.0 kcal |
| TOTAL Carbohydrates | 22.84 g |
| of which soluble sugars | 12.23 g |
| fibers | 2.6g |
| TOTAL fats | 0.33g |
| of which saturated fatty acids | – g |
| of which monounsaturated fatty acids | – g |
| of which polyunsaturated fatty acids | – g |
| Protein | 1.09g |
| Vitamins | |
| Thiamine ( vitamin B1 ) | 0.031 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.073 mg |
| Niacin ( vit PP ) | 0.665 mg |
| Pantothenic acid (vit B5) | 0.334 mg |
| Pyridoxine ( vitamin B6 ) | 0.40 mg |
| Folate , DFE | 20.0 mcg |
| Choline | 9.8 mg |
| Vitamin C ( ascorbic acid ) | 8.7 mg |
| Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol ) | – mg |
| Vitamin A – RAE | – mcg |
| Minerals | |
| Iron | 0.26 mg |
| Magnesium | 27.0 mg |
| Manganese | 0.27 mg |
| Phosphorus | 22.0 mg |
| Potassium | 358.0 mg |
| Zinc | 0.15 mg |
| Sodium | 1.0 mg |
| Waterfall | 74.91 g |
Bananas: Better Green or Yellow?
The degree of ripeness of bananas is extremely subjective. Many prefer unripe bananas, but most people eat them ripe. What makes the difference is the nutritional value which varies significantly depending on the maturation. First of all the sweetness. Ripe bananas, therefore yellow or striped, are sweeter because the enzymes alter the starch. The riper the fruit, the more starch will be converted into simple sugars such as sucrose , glucose and fructose . It is when the starch becomes simple sugar that the banana ripens and is easier to digest , however some nutrients are reduced as it ripens.
When the banana is yellow and with some dark spots , it produces a substance called TNF (tumor necrosis factor) capable of fighting malignant cells, therefore evident scientific studies have shown that the more bananas ripen, the more they develop anti-carcinogenic properties . Even for the immune system , it is better to consume yellow and ripe bananas than green ones, because they are much more effective in strengthening the immune system .
When it is better not to consume them
Those suffering from gastroduodenal ulcers should exercise caution in consuming bananas, both unripe and ripe. Several people, in fact, accuse stomach acid after eating them. Given the high sugar content that could raise blood sugar levels, bananas must be eaten rather unripe, especially by those suffering from diabetes and obesity.
