A banana is an elongated, edible fruit - botanically a berry - produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus Musa. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguishing them from dessert bananas.
Worldwide, there is no sharp distinction between "bananas" and "plantains". Especially in the Americas and Europe, "banana" usually refers to soft, sweet, dessert bananas, particularly those of the Cavendish group, which are the main exports from banana-growing countries. By contrast, Musa cultivars with firmer, starchier fruit are called "plantains". In other regions, such as Southeast Asia, many more kinds of banana are grown and eaten, so the binary distinction is not useful and is not made in local languages.
Bananas are one of the most popular fruits. They vary in size, color, and firmness. But they are usually elongated and curved, with soft flesh rich in starch covered with a rind, which may be green, yellow, red, purple, or brown when ripe. The most common type of banana is the Cavendish, which is a type of dessert banana. It is green when unripe and becomes yellow when it matures.
Bananas contain various essential nutrients and they can contribute benefits for digestion, heart health, and weight loss. Eating bananas can help lower blood pressure and may reduce the risk of cancer.
Bananas are rich in fiber, various antioxidants, several nutrients, phytonutrients.
Potassium - 9% of the RDI
Vitamin B6 - 33% of the RDI
Vitamin C - 11% of the RDI
Magnesium - 8% of the RDI
Copper - 10% of the RDI
Manganese - 14% of the RDI
Net carbs - 24 grams
Fiber - 3.1 grams
Protein - 1.3 grams
Fats - 0.4 grams
A medium-sized banana has about 105 calories. It consists mainly of water (75%) and carbs (23%). It has very little protein and almost no fats.
Bananas are a rich source of carbs. It mainly occurs as starch and resistant starch in the unripe, green bananas. During ripening, the starch turns into sugar (glucose, fructose, and sucrose) and ends up being less than 1% when the banana is fully ripe.
Bananas are also a good source of pectin, a type of dietary fiber. Pectins can help moderate sugar levels after meals and may reduce appetite by slowing the emptying of your stomach. Both pectin and resistant starch offer appetite-reducing effects and help you keep full. Bananas may help improve digestive health. Resistant starch and pectin act as prebiotic nutrients, supporting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and safeguard against colon cancer.
Bananas may aid weight loss because they are low in calories and rich in fiber and nutrients. It can also help in heart health because it's also a good source of the two essential nutrients - potassium and magnesium. Potassium plays a crucial role in blood pressure control and kidney function. Magnesium may protect against high blood pressure, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. It may also play a beneficial role in bone health.
Bananas also consist of antioxidants, including dopamine and catechins. These antioxidants may help reduce damage from free radicals and lower your risk of some diseases.
Bananas contain tryptophan, an amino acid that may help preserve memory, boost a person's ability to learn and remember things, and regulate mood.
The Bottom Line
Bananas are a popular fruit that provides many essential nutrients that help a person healthy. They are among the world's commonly consumed fruits.
Primarily composed of water and carbs, they contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Among other things, they may boost digestive and heart health due to their fiber and antioxidant content.
Bananas may have numerous benefits when consumed regularly as a part of a healthy lifestyle.
Sources:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-benefits-of-bananas
(For the lead image) https://pixabay.com/images/id-1119790/
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