Bananas are incredibly tasty and easy to eat. What's more, they're rich in many essential vitamins and minerals.
Most people eat bananas when they're yellow and ripe, but green and unripe bananas are also safe to eat. However, some people dislike their taste and texture.
Green vs Yellow Bananas: What's the Difference?
Bananas are typically harvested while they're still green. This helps ensure they don't get too ripe before you buy them. Therefore, you might see them in this color in the supermarket.
Besides being different in color, green and yellow bananas differ in several ways:
Taste: Green bananas are less sweet.
They're actually quite bitter in taste.
Texture: Green bananas are firmer than yellow bananas.
Their texture has sometimes been described as waxy.
Composition: Green bananas are higher in starches.
As bananas ripen and turn yellow, the starches transform into sugars.
Additionally, green bananas are harder to peel, while ripe bananas are easy to peel.
BOTTOM LINE:
Green and yellow bananas differ in taste and texture. Green bananas are also higher in starches.
Both Green and Yellow Bananas Are Nutritious
Green and yellow bananas are both good sources of many important nutrients.
Although the exact nutrient profile of green bananas is not available,
they should contain the same micronutrients as when they are ripe.
They Also Help You Feel Full and May Reduce Appetite
Green bananas are very filling, largely because of their high fiber content. Fiber-rich foods provide bulk and promote satiety.
Both resistant starch and pectin — the types of fiber found in green bananas — have been linked to an increased feeling of fullness after meals.
These types of fiber may also slow down the emptying of your stomach and make you eat less food. In turn, this may help you eat fewer calories, which could help with weight loss.
They Can Improve Digestive Health
The nutrients in green bananas may also have a prebiotic effect. Instead of being broken down in your intestine, resistant starch and pectin feed the friendly bacteria that reside in your gut.
The bacteria ferment these two types of fiber, producing butyrate and other beneficial short-chain fatty acids. Short-chain fatty acids may help with various digestive problems
In addition, there is some evidence suggesting that they help protect against colon cancer.
They Have Benefits for Your Blood Sugar
Having high blood sugar levels is a major health concern. If left untreated over time, it may lead to type 2 diabetes and raise the risk of other serious health problems.
Both the pectin and resistant starch in green bananas may help control blood sugar after meals. Unripe, green bananas also rank low on the glycemic index, with a value of 30. Well-ripened bananas have a score of around 60.
The glycemic index measures how quickly foods raise blood sugar levels after eating. The scale runs from 0 to 100, and lower values are good for blood sugar control.
BOTTOM LINE:
The pectin and resistant starch in green bananas can help control your blood sugar levels, especially after meals.
How Green Does the Banana Have to Be?
Green bananas may provide some additional nutrients and benefits that yellow bananas do not. They're rich in resistant starch and pectin, which are filling, improve digestive health and help lower blood sugar levels.
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