Bananas a miracle of biology
- col-bobbie-randall
- March 30, 2023
- 1167
You might not know this, but bananas can be eaten at any stage of ripeness. There are 5 degrees of development for this fruit. Perfectly unblemished yellow bananas are sought after but each phase of a ripening banana has its redeeming properties.
The underripe, green bananas are hard and have a very distinctive flavor; they are a great source of prebiotics needed for digestive health. Barely ripe bananas are high in fiber and lower in sugar than the following stages. A ripe banana is golden yellow with a few brown spots; it provides high antioxidant levels with good fiber content.
A very ripe banana is sweet and has the lowest vitamin and mineral content than the previous stages. Then there is the stage right before the trash can, the overripe banana. These mushy, sticky, and very fragrant bananas have the highest sugar content and lowest fiber of all 5 stages.
So, if diabetes is an issue, eat barely ripe bananas to control sugar spikes in the blood stream. A barely ripe banana is also the highest in fiber of all the stages. The best qualities of an overripe, brown, banana are sweetness and a mushy texture, best used in baking, shakes and pancakes.
A banana, depending on its size, is about 110 calories, 1 gram of protein, 28 grams of carbohydrate, 3 grams of fiber and 450 grams of potassium. Bananas are also high in iron, B6 and fiber.
Two bananas can provide enough calories for a strenuous 90-minute workout. Bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood, and generally make you feel happier.
A banana is a miracle of biology. They are the fourth most-valuable crop globally. Americans consume 3 million tons of bananas yearly. Power packed with healthy nutrition, bananas are one of the world’s most appealing superfoods (pun intended).
They provide a laundry list of health benefits that range from physical to mental. These perks apply to everyone, not just those people with medical issues. Even the tough exterior of a banana has been recognized as a treatment for wound healing, poison ivy, burns, acne and facial wrinkles.
Bananas help to manage blood pressure because potassium lessens the effects of sodium in the blood stream. They can also replenish the carbohydrates, potassium, and magnesium in muscles after exercise or exertion.
Bananas have been used to fight depression. Depression is associated with low levels of vitamin B6. Bananas help raise serotonin levels, the happy hormone.
Cancer, asthma, anemia, diarrhea, and constipation can be treated with bananas. An unripe banana is a remedy for diarrhea and an overripe banana can help constipation. It proves itself to be a miracle of biology.
People eat more bananas than monkeys. When was the last time you ate a monkey? How can you easily spot an optimist? Look for an older person buying green bananas.
Why do monkeys like bananas so much? Because they are a-peeling!
Bobbie Randall is a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, Registered, Licensed Dietitian. Contact her at bobbierandallrd@gmail.com