Bananas are a delicious and easy-to-eat fruit. They are also rich in vitamins and minerals. Most people eat bananas when they are ripe and yellow, but unripe bananas can also be eaten, although they may not taste as good as ripe bananas.
What is the difference between green bananas and ripe bananas?
Bananas are usually picked from the tree while they are still green. This prevents the bananas from over-ripe before they reach consumers. Therefore, you can see green bananas for sale in many places, from markets to supermarkets. In addition to the difference in color, green bananas and ripe bananas also have many different characteristics:
- Taste: Green bananas will not be as sweet as ripe bananas but will have a bitter and slightly astringent taste
Texture: Green bananas will be harder than ripe bananas and are sometimes described as hard as a rock - Ingredients: Green bananas are richer in starch than ripe bananas. As bananas ripen and turn yellow, the starch in the bananas will be converted to sugar.
green banana
In addition, green bananas are more difficult to peel, while ripe bananas are easy to peel. As bananas ripen, the amount of starch in the banana changes.
Unripe bananas are mainly composed of starch, accounting for about 70-80% of the banana’s mass. Most of the starch in bananas is resistant starch, and this type of starch will not be digested in the small intestine. Therefore, this type of starch is often considered a type of fiber.
However, when bananas ripen, they will gradually lose their starch content. During the ripening process, the starch in bananas will be converted into simple sugars (such as sucrose, glucose, and fructose). Ripe bananas only contain about 1% starch.
Green bananas are also an excellent source of pectin. Pectin is a type of fiber found in fruit that can help the fruit maintain its firm structure. When fruit is overripe, the pectin molecules will break down, causing the fruit to become soft and mushy.
The starch and pectin content of green bananas may provide a variety of health benefits, including improving blood sugar control and helping to strengthen the digestive system.
Both green and ripe bananas are very nutritious
Green and ripe bananas are both good sources of important nutrients. Although there is no documentation of the exact nutritional composition of green bananas, green bananas contain similar micronutrients to ripe bananas. One medium-sized green or ripe banana (about 118g) contains:
- Fiber: 3.1g
- Potassium: 12%
- Vitamin B6: 20%
- Vitamin C: 17%
- Magnesium: 8%
- Copper: 5%
- Manganese: 15%
A banana of this size also contains about 105 calories, of which 90% of the calories come from starch. In addition, bananas contain very little fat and protein.
Green bananas help you feel full and reduce cravings.
Green bananas tend to fill you up very quickly, due to the high fiber content in green bananas. Foods rich in fiber can help you feel full faster and more satisfied after eating.
Both resistant starch and pectin in green bananas have been scientifically linked to increased feelings of fullness after eating. These fibers may help slow down the emptying of the stomach, thus helping you eat less. In addition, eating bananas also helps you take in fewer calories, so it can support the weight loss process.
green banana and ripe banana
Green bananas may improve digestion
The nutrients in green bananas may act as prebiotics (food for beneficial bacteria). Instead of being broken down in the intestines, resistant starch and pectin become food for beneficial bacteria in the intestines.
The beneficial bacteria ferment these two types of fiber, creating butyrate and short-chain fatty acids. Short-chain fatty acids may have many benefits in treating digestive problems. There is also some evidence that short-chain fatty acids may protect you from colon cancer.
Green bananas are good for blood sugar control.
High blood sugar is a serious health concern. If left untreated, over time, high blood sugar can lead to type 2 diabetes and increase the risk of other health problems.
Both the pectin and resistant starch in green bananas have been shown to help you control your blood sugar better after eating. Green, unripe bananas are also considered a low glycemic index (GI) fruit, with a GI of 30. Fully ripe bananas have a GI of around 60. The GI is a measure of how quickly a food raises your blood sugar after eating. The GI scale ranges from 0 to 100, and foods with a low GI are considered better for helping people control their blood sugar.
So are there any times when green bananas are bad?
Generally, green bananas are considered healthy. However, there are some reports online that some people experience unpleasant symptoms after eating green bananas. These include bloating, gas, and constipation. You should also be careful when eating green bananas if you are allergic to latex. Because green bananas contain a protein similar to the allergenic protein found in rubber, green bananas can also cause allergic reactions in people who are allergic to rubber.