Bananas are healthy snacks with essential nutrients. They offer different health benefits at each stage of ripeness, according to Dr. Karan Rajan.
The surgeon said underripe bananas have high levels of resistant starch, which helps the body with digestion, weight loss and disease prevention.
It is a particularly good snack for people with type 2 diabetes to enjoy because, while resistant starch ferments in the large intestine, good bacteria is created. This boosts overall gut health and leads to reduced risk of constipation, lower cholesterol levels and a reduced risk of colon cancer.
underripe bananas have high levels of resistant starch, which helps the body with digestion, weight loss and disease prevention
Dr. Rajan said: “Resistant starch is a form of carbohydrate that acts like a fiber. It’s a prebiotic that your gut bacteria love to consume.”
In underripe or green bananas, up to 90% of the carbohydrate content is starch.
“The greener your banana, the lower its glycemic index, meaning it takes longer for your body to break it down into glucose (blood sugar). So, you’ll get a slower, more gradual release of blood glucose,” explains the doctor.
“This higher resistant starch percentage can make the banana slightly more difficult to digest for some people.
Ripe and overripe bananas have health benefits, including lowering the risk of heart disease
“On the other hand, if a banana is more yellow or ripe, this means it is easier to digest. This is because over time, more starch gets converted into simple carbohydrates.”
Ripe and overripe bananas are still considered healthy snacks, with health benefits including lowering the risk of heart disease.
Dr Rajan said: “Additionally, the more a banana ripens and starts getting brown, the higher its antioxidant content. This is because there’s a progressive breakdown in the chlorophyll pigment.”
Source: Irish Star
