Although the green banana is merely an unripened yellow banana, it has different uses. While you can eat the yellow banana instantly after peeling, the green banana is best consumed prepared, either boiled or fried. Nutritionally, the green banana is a good source of fiber, vitamins and minerals, and contains a starch that may help manage blood sugar level, handle weight and lower blood cholesterol levels.
Health Benefits of Green Bananas
Green bananas are higher in starch than yellow bananas. Yellow bananas, by contrast, are higher in natural sugars such as sucrose, glucose and fructose. This is because the ripening procedure transforms the banana’s starch into sugar. According to the website Hungry Chef Diets, the kind of starch included in green bananas is resistant starch, that makes you feel fuller and assists you burn fat faster. This tough fiber is not digested in the small intestine, however is handed down to the big bowel.
Great Source of Resistance Starch
Resistant starch is a type of starch that can not be broken down by enzymes in your digestion system and, for that reason, acts more like a fiber than a starch. Green bananas consist of a high quantity of resistant starch, inning accordance with a 2010 post published in “Pacific Health Dialog.” Including foods high in resistant starch in your diet, like the green banana, may reduce your risk of diabetes by aiding in blood sugar level control, and heart disease by helping to lower blood cholesterol levels.
Great Source of Fiber
In addition to the resistant starch, green bananas are likewise a great source of fiber. A 1-cup serving of boiled green bananas includes 3.6 grams of fiber, meeting 14 percent of your day-to-day value. The percent daily worth is based on a 2,000-calorie diet for a healthy adult. Fiber can also lower risk of diabetes and heart disease. In addition, fiber in food slows food digestion, helping you feel full longer, helping in weight control.
High in Potassium
Like the mature yellow banana, the green banana is high in potassium. A 1-cup serving of boiled green bananas contains 531 milligrams of potassium. Including more high-potassium foods in your diet may assist in high blood pressure control. The American Heart Association recommends consuming 4,700 milligrams of potassium a day for heart health. However, high potassium foods are not safe for everyone. If you have high blood potassium levels or kidney disease, you must speak with your doctor to identify how foods like green bananas can fit into your diet strategy.
High in Vitamin B-6
Green bananas are also high in vitamin B-6, with a 1-cup boiled serving containing 39 percent of your day-to-day worth. Vitamin B-6 plays an essential function in more than 100 enzymatic responses in your body. It is likewise essential for the formation of hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen in your body. Additionally, vitamin B-6 aids in blood sugar level control.
Green Bananas Nutrition: Vitamins & Minerals
Nutritional value per 100g of green bananas.
| Amount | %DV | |
| Vitamin A | 3 µg | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 8.7 mg | 10% |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg | ~ |
| Vitamin E | 0.1 mg | 1% |
| Vitamin K | 0.5 µg | 0% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 0.03 mg | 3% |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 0.07 mg | 6% |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 0.67 mg | 4% |
| Vitamin B5 (Panthothenic acid) | 0.33 mg | 7% |
| Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) | 0.37 mg | 28% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 µg | ~ |
| Folate | 20 µg | 5% |
| Choline | 9.8 mg | 2% |
| Amount | %DV | |
| Calcium | 5 mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.26 mg | 3% |
| Magnesium | 27 mg | 7% |
| Phosphorus | 22 mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 358 mg | 8% |
| Sodium | 1 mg | 0% |
| Zinc | 0.15 mg | 1% |
| Copper | 0.08 mg | 9% |
| Manganese | 0.27 mg | 12% |
| Selenium | 1 µg | 2% |
