The healthiest banana for you depends mainly on the desired effect you seek to achieve.
Are you a fan of bananas? If so, great! They’re an incredibly healthy fruit.
But have you ever pondered whether ripe or green bananas are better for you? The answer might surprise you. How do they differ, and how do they impact our health?
On one hand, you might hear that green bananas help control sugar intake, while on the other, ripe bananas boost our immune system. So, what’s the truth, and which should you opt for?
For years, bananas have unfairly been linked to weight gain. Yet, they’re actually nutritious and satisfying fruits that can aid in weight management. They’re rich in nutrients.
A 100g serving of bananas contains around 90 kcal, but despite the calorie content, moderate consumption won’t harm us. They’re an excellent source of potassium, a vital mineral for health. Bananas also pack vitamin C, fiber, and vitamin B6.
They lower bad cholesterol (LDL), promote cardiovascular health and immunity, and offer essential nutrients for our skin and hair. However, their impact on our body also varies based on ripeness.
How to choose between yellow and green bananas
Green, unripe bananas are mainly famous as a source of resistant starch. The mature ones had a bad reputation due to the sugar they contained. What to choose? Of course, it depends.
The caloric value and sugar content of bananas also depend on their degree of ripeness, so if you want to avoid them at all costs, choose green bananas. During ripening, thanks to enzymes, the starch contained in the fruit is converted into glucose and fructose – simple sugars. People who have problems with glycemia should choose less ripe fruits.
Although a ripe banana is easier to digest, the unripe banana contains more vitamins and minerals. Yellow and ripe fruits, however, have more antioxidants, which have been linked to, among other things, reducing the risk of certain types of cancer.
It has been proven that overripe bananas (those with brown dots on the skin) secrete the so-called tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and this substance can fight cancer cells.
Ripe bananas have also been shown to outperform unripe ones in supporting the immune system – their results were as much as eight times better.
Which banana will be the healthiest for you depends primarily on what effect you want to achieve and where to support your body the most. If you don’t have problems with sugar, it’s best to diversify your banana feast and eat both yellow and green ones.