9 Benefits of Green Bananas that You Probably Don't Know About
Being a food with high amounts of resistant starch, it seems impossible for the benefits of green bananas to be multiple. However, these benefits can range from weight loss, glucose control, lowering cholesterol levels, and maintaining the health of each person who consumes it.
For all these reasons, green bananas are considered one of the best foods to incorporate into balanced diets. Are you interested in knowing more about this? Then be sure to read the details we’ll provide in the article below.
The properties of green bananas
Like the yellow banana, it can be added to your diet to obtain various benefits. The important thing is to do it in moderation and always avoid eating it fried, as this could hinder weight maintenance.
According to scientific literature, among the greatest benefits of green banana is its high level of fiber, which reaches 3.6 grams per cup (150 grams). In addition, this food is an excellent source of:
- The vitamin B complex
- Minerals (calcium, magnesium)
Green bananas also contain resistant starch, a type of fiber that stomach enzymes can’t digest. Because of this, it causes a fermentation reaction thanks to the bacteria that’s beneficial for our health. Once fermented, this starch improves the health of your intestinal mucosa so that it can:
- Absorb nutrients more easily
- Prevent invasive organisms from entering the body
- Feed bacteria that are essential for gastrointestinal health
The benefits of green bananas for the human body
Here are some of the best benefits of green bananas for the human body:
1. It contributes to weight management
A green banana has half the calories as foods with conventional carbohydrates. Also, its resistant starch has high values of fiber. This helps you feel full and significantly reduces your appetite.
However, this doesn’t mean that adding green bananas to your diet will completely eliminate hunger and fat. For the weight loss process to be successful, you must combine this with other foods and consistent exercise.
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2. It helps to regulate cholesterol
Regular consumption of foods like green bananas can help to decrease LDL cholesterol production dramatically. This is what many call “bad cholesterol,” and you can find it in the liver. So, as LDL cholesterol is eliminated through your digestive system , it increases your levels of HDL cholesterol. This is what we call “good cholesterol.”
3. It promotes cardiovascular health
Due to the reduction of cholesterol and triglyceride levels that tend to significantly affect heart health, green bananas are one of the best foods to consume in a healthy diet.
In relation to the previous point, increasing HDL levels promotes cardiovascular health for several reasons:
- It prevents the retention of LDL in the walls of blood vessels.
- Plus, it prevents heart attacks and other types of cardiovascular diseases.
- It even eliminates possible inflammation that can affect the heart and the entire chest area.
4. It can help prevent diabetes
Green bananas are also able to regulate glucose levels within the body. This controls and helps prevent the onset of type II diabetes. This happens because of the slow release of sugar into the bloodstream after eating this type of banana.
As a result, it prevents blood sugar levels from changing and promotes the stable release of insulin. Similarly, regulating insulin levels within the bloodstream can help:
- Decrease your appetite.
- Speed up metabolism.
- Decrease the accumulation of fat.
These properties make green bananas a perfect food for those who want to lose weight as well as those who want a healthier life. Plus, as we’ve already seen, they’re great for those who suffer from diabetes.
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5. They promote the burning of fat
One of the best benefits of green banana is that it significantly speeds up the burning of fat reserved within the body. This occurs due to the stimulation of the hormone called glucagon, which is responsible for speeding up thermogenesis.
6. They provide energy
Another important benefit of green bananas is that they’re an energizing food, especially for when you need fast muscle recovery. This is thanks to its fiber content and other essential nutrients.
7. They increase the synthesis of neurotransmitters
At the same time, they’re vitamin B5 and tryptophan content helps the synthesis of serotonin, the neurotransmitter responsible for:
- Allowing a deep and restful sleep
- Significantly reducing anxiety and depression
- Stimulating sensations related to pleasure and well-being
7. They improve the symptoms of diarrhea
The resistant starch contained in green bananas will reach the intestine without being modified by gastric juices. Once in the intestines, it’s fermented by the intestinal microbiota and then used as food for bacteria.
In this sense, a green banana acts as a prebiotic food, favoring the growth of “good” bacteria in the intestines. This bacterial proliferation will regulate the intestinal flora, which will help fight any bacterial, parasitic, or viral infection that may be causing the diarrhea.
8. They help with premenstrual syndome
Green bananas are also rich in magnesium, a mineral that helps control menstrual cramps and headaches associated with premenstrual syndrome. For its part, magnesium also helps control the craving for sweets, which is very characteristic of this stage of the menstrual cycle.
A fruit with multiple benefits
As you can see, green bananas are a fruit that has multiple health benefits. In addition, it’s a food with a pleasant taste for the palate that can be incorporated quickly and easily into any meal. For all these reasons, green bananas can be consumed regularly as part of a balanced diet without any problems.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- BVLNES B. MA. El Plátano, Factor de Importancia en la Alimentación. Rev Med Hondur. 1943.
- Guerrero M. Guia tecnica del cultivo del platano. CENTA. 2010.
- Soto V. Cuantificacion de almidon total y de almidon resistente en harina de platano verde y banana verde. Rev Boliv Química. 2010.
