It is no secret bananas are packed with nutrients. But, what a lot don’t realise is that what colour a banana is can benefit you and your health in more ways than one.
Dr Karan Rajan, an NHS surgeon, explained that eating a yellow bananas has different health benefits than opting for greener ones.
Depending on which colour you choose, you might find it improves your digestion and helps relief heartburn.
In what he described as “the most important banana video you’ve ever seen”, he said: “The more under-ripe or green a banana is, the higher its proportion of resistant starch.”
He says r esistant starch is a form of carbohydrate that acts like a fibre. “It’s a prebiotic that your gut bacteria live to consume,” he added.
This fibre in green bananas can help you feel fuller for longer and eat less, which may in the long term aid any weight loss goals.
In unripe bananas, up to 90% of the carbohydrate content is starch. Dr Rajan said the greener your banana, the lower its glycaemic index.
He said this means it “takes longer for your body to break it down into glucose” allowing for a slower, more gradual release.
Choosing to eat a greener banana may not be suitable for everyone however. Dr Rajan stated: “This higher resistant starch percentage can make the banana slightly more difficult to digest for some people.”
Research has shown that unripe bananas can help balance stomach acid levels, and they contain a plant compound called leucocyanidin, which seems to enhance the thickness of the stomach’s mucous lining.
This suggests that under-ripe bananas could be a beneficial addition to the diet for individuals experiencing heartburn.
A classic yellow banana that has become fully ripe is quite the opposite and is usually soft and easy to digest.
Dr Rajan said this is because the ripening process causes more of that starch content is “converted into simple carbohydrates”.
If a yellow banana has brown spots, this can indicate higher levels of antioxidants. The doctor said: “This is because there is a progressive breakdown of the chlorophyll pigment.” Usually bananas with brow spots are much sweeter to eat.
