There’s no doubt that bananas can be highly controversial. They are very high in sugar but remain a low glycemic load (GL) food. The biggest danger from these may come from slipping on a peel.
Bananas are rich in nutrition and a great source of something nearly everybody could use more: fiber. They are also versatile, accessible, convenient, and affordable.
The biggest claim to fame of the banana is the potassium content. One medium-sized banana has 375 milligrams (mg), which is about 11 percent of the daily recommended intake for men and 16 percent for women.
Potassium plays a vital role in heart health, most prominently by helping to regulate blood pressure.
Bananas are also a rich source of other nutrients, phytochemicals, and antioxidants.
There are about five grams of fiber in a banana, which can contribute to benefits like better digestion, lower inflammation, and improved heart health. The fiber makeup of a banana can be somewhat unique, too.
Unripe or slightly ripe bananas contain resistant starch, which acts as a prebiotic fiber. These types of fiber act to feed probiotics, the guts “good” microbes, which are important for digestion and linked to immunity, brain health, and more.
As a banana ripens, the resistant starch is broken down into natural sugars, which is why it is sweeter than a slightly unripe banana.
If you’re thinking about including more bananas into your diet, remember this: it’s not the same when used as an ice cream topping, put in banana bread/cake, or eaten as chips.
Be careful about banana chips, which are generally dried and fried.
If you want to retain their healthy qualities, there are plenty of other uses for them. They can be added to smoothies as a thickener/sweetener, sliced and put on whole-wheat toast and peanut butter, or simply unpeeled and eaten for a quick snack.