Green Bananas: Good Or Bad?
Written by Hrefna Palsdottir, MS on September 25, 2016 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. 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. Unripe bananas contain mostly starch, which makes up 7080% of their dry weight ( 1 ). Much of that starch is resistant starch , which is not digested in the small intestine. Therefore, it's often classified as dietary fiber . However, bananas lose their starch as they ripen. During ripening, their starch is converted into simple sugars (sucrose, glucose and fructose). Interestingly, ripe bananas contain only 1% starch. Green bananas are also a good source of pectin. This type of dietary fiber is found in fruits and helps them keep their structural form. Pectin breaks down when a banana becomes overripe, which causes the fruit to become soft and mushy ( 2 , 3 ). The resistant starch and pectin i Continue reading >>
Bananas For Diabetes: Good Or Bad?
Bananas for diabetes. Are you curious to know whether they are a good or bad fruit to include in your diet? Glad you asked. Because while eating bananas are commonly thought of as being a “healthy,” when you have type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, there's a bit more to the story. Let's explore bananas together now. JUMP TO: Bananas as a common fruit | Nutrition facts | The downfalls of fructose | Green vs. ripe bananas | Glycemic index | Potassium sources comparison | Conclusion Bananas: a popular common fruit As we all know, bananas are a popular fruit, well known for their bright yellow peel and unique boomerang shape. People from all across the world consume bananas. And as suggested above, bananas are often considered a health food because they are relatively low in calories and rich in minerals like potassium, plus they’re an easy snack to grab on the go. Still, while they may provide various health benefits for the general population, the question still remains: are they really a healthy choice for people with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes? To find out, let’s start by taking a peek at the nutrition facts. Banana Nutrition Facts For one medium-sized ripe banana: Calories: 105 Total carbohydrates: 26.9g Protein: 1.20g Fat: 0.39g Fiber: 3.1g With only about 1 gram of protein and less than a gram of fat, it’s pretty easy to see that the dominant macronutrient in a banana is… carbohydrates. The carbohydrate content of one medium banana is a whopping 26.9 grams (beware of the oncoming blood sugar spikes)! Foods with a higher carb count can sometimes be “balanced out” if they also contain a high amount of dietary fiber, which reduces the overall net carbs of a food (the available carbs for digestion). But unfortunately, bananas aren’t rich in fiber. Just Continue reading >>
Health Benefits Of Green Bananas
Jill Corleone is a registered dietitian and health coach who has been writing and lecturing on diet and health for more than 15 years. Her work has been featured on the Huffington Post, Diabetes Self-Management and in the book "Noninvasive Mechanical Ventilation," edited by John R. Bach, M.D. Corleone holds a Bachelor of Science in nutrition. bunches of green bananasPhoto Credit: Baloncici/iStock/Getty Images Although the green banana is simply an unripened yellow banana, it has different uses. While you can eat the yellow banana immediately after peeling, the green banana is best eaten cooked, either boiled or fried. Nutritionally, the green banana is a good source of fiber, vitamins and minerals, and contains a starch that may help control blood sugar, manage weight and lower blood cholesterol levels. Resistant starch is a type of starch that cannot be broken down by enzymes in your digestive system and, therefore, acts more like a fiber than a starch. Green bananas contain a high amount of resistant starch, according to a 2010 article 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 control,and heart disease by helping to lower blood cholesterol levels. In addition to the resistant starch, green bananas are also a good source of fiber. A 1-cup serving of boiled green bananas contains 3.6 grams of fiber, meeting 14 percent of your daily value. The percent daily value is based on a 2,000-calorie diet for a healthy adult. Fiber can also reduce risk of diabetes and heart disease. In addition, fiber in food slows digestion, helping you feel full longer, aiding in weight control. Like the ripened yellow banana, the green banana is high in potassium. Continue reading >>
Green Bananas For Diabetes Type Ii
Posted by Dennis (Dillingham, Alaska) on 08/07/2008 Ok I know this is not about lupus but in a way it is , iv always been interested in it .that is my sister died from it and I did a lot of research on it. I thought until I read here about it on this site. I hope this will help you what I have found out. I'm in the Philippines now . Iv been eating green bananas don't laugh, nobody here eats green bananas until I got here. its about Resistant Starch and green bananas are the best. Good bacteria eat it, then the bad bacteria and viruses are killed and pushed out. A lot of diseases come from our stomach. Well Marcia's brother Mitchie has diabetes type 2 for over a year. For the past 4 weeks his blood sugar remains normal with out medication and he does not eat a diabetic life style. he even drinks alcohol and his blood sugar remains normal. Yes he is eating green bananas. Now there's a guy next store that had his big toe amputated and the doctor wants to amputee his foot but he said no. it could not heal an open sore on his foot yes he is a diabetic 1 he takes shots. He could not work bed ridden So I got him on green bananas and his sore is healing and now is walking around and working. I have him using silver water for his foot too. Now that is something I think do some research on your own on the digestion system and especially on Resistant Starch. Continue reading >>
How Bananas Affect Diabetes And Blood Sugar Levels
When you have diabetes, it is important to keep blood sugar levels as stable as possible. Good blood sugar control can help prevent or slow the progression of some of the main medical complications of diabetes (1, 2). For this reason, avoiding or minimizing foods that cause big blood sugar spikes is essential. Despite being a healthy fruit, bananas are pretty high in both carbs and sugar, the main nutrients that raise blood sugar levels. So, should you be eating bananas if you have diabetes? How do they affect your blood sugar? If you have diabetes, being aware of the amount and type of carbs in your diet is important. This is because carbs raise your blood sugar level more than other nutrients, which means they can greatly affect your blood sugar control. When blood sugar rises in non-diabetic people, the body produces insulin. It helps the body move sugar out of the blood and into the cells where it's used or stored. However, this process doesn't work as it should in diabetics. Instead, either the body doesn't produce enough insulin or the cells are resistant to the insulin that is made. If not managed properly, this can result in high-carb foods causing big blood sugar spikes or constantly high blood sugar levels, both of which are bad for your health. 93% of the calories in bananas come from carbs. These carbs are in the form of sugar, starch and fiber (3). A single medium-sized banana contains 14 grams of sugar and 6 grams of starch (3). Bananas are high in carbs, which cause blood sugar levels to rise more than other nutrients. In addition to starch and sugar, a medium-sized banana contains 3 grams of fiber. Everyone, including diabetics, should eat adequate amounts of dietary fiber due to its potential health benefits. However, fiber is especially important for p Continue reading >>
Are Green, Unripe Bananas Better Than Ripe Ones?
/ Are Green, Unripe Bananas Better than Ripe Ones? Are Green, Unripe Bananas Better than Ripe Ones? Bananas are fruits which are both healthy and tasty to eat. They are packed with some of the most essential vitamins and minerals. Most people prefer eating bananas when they are fully ripe and yellow. But did you know its also an option to eat green, unripe bananas? Though they are not for everyone, as some find their texture and taste to be off-putting. Let us take a deeper look at the differences between green and yellow bananas, shall we? These fruits are usually harvested while they are still greenish in color. This is to ensure they dont become too ripe before one buys them. You may notice some of them have yet to turn green when youre browsing for bananas in your supermarket. But their color is not the only thing that differentiates them from the yellow kind. Other differences include: Texture The green kind are firmer than the yellow kind. Also, some describe their texture as waxy. Taste Green bananas are far less sweet. In fact, most of them are really Composition The green kind are higher in their starch content. As they become yellow the more they ripen, those starches turn to sugars. One more thing: Unlike their yellow counterparts, green bananas are usually harder to peel. Green bananas, like we mentioned, are mostly made up of starch (about 70-80% of their dry weight). A great deal of this starch happens to be resistant starch , which our small intestine does not digest. This gives it the classification of dietary fiber . The more the banana ripens , the more it loses its starch. During this ripening process, that starts converts into simple sugars such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose. As a matter of fact, fully ripened bananas contain as little as 1% sta Continue reading >>
Ripe Vs. Unripe Bananas: Which Are Better For You?
Ripe vs. Unripe Bananas: Which are Better for You? When it comes to bananas many of us go well literally bananas for them; after all they are the nations favorite fruit and the original 100-calorie snack! Sometimes we often look at fruit and think oh, its far too ripe or oh dang, that fruit is too green! which is a shame because quite often different stages of a fruits maturity have different benefits. Benefits:One benefit of green bananas is the high resistant starch content . For anyone trying to avoid food with high sugar content, green bananas are an option whereas yellow bananas are not. So those suffering from Type 2 Diabetes can eat the unripe fruit while maybe ripened bananas are not as compatible.Unripe bananas also have probiotic bacteria , a friendly bacterium that helps with good colon health. In addition, green bananas also help you absorb nutrients better, particularly calcium . Drawbacks:Because antioxidant levels actually INCREASE as a banana ages, unripe bananas are lower in this category. Also green bananas may cause some bloating and gas due to the higher resistant starch content. Benefits:Because the resistant starch changes to simple sugar when a banana ripens, yellow bananas are easier to digest. The higher glycemic index of ripe bananas shows that they are digested quickly. Bananas also have higher levels of antioxidants as they ripen. Drawbacks:Studies show that there is some micronutrient loss that happens as a banana ripens. To lessen the amount of vitamins and minerals lost, its better to store and ripen bananas in the refrigerator. Also, the high sugar content makes ripe bananas something Type 2 Diabetics should avoid . The Bottom Line:There are benefits on both sides. You could eat unripened bananas or ripened bananas and get the benefits o Continue reading >>
Diabetic Problem Foods: Can Diabetics Eat Bananas? | Diabetic Connect
Problem Foods: Can Diabetics Eat Bananas? By Amy Reeder, Registered Dietitian and CDE No Comments Amy Reeder is a Certified Diabetes Educator with a masters degree in nutrition from the University of Utah. She has worked in the diabetes field since 2005 and has been a Certified Diabetes Educator since 2007. Bananas are a healthy way to get nutrients such as vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. However, bananas sometimes tend to get a bad rap, even from doctors. In an internet search, you might frequently run into informational advertisements with bananas as part of the list of the five foods you should never eat. Never eat? That seems a little extreme, especially if you know your nutrition facts about this fruit. Bananas are fat free, sodium free, and cholesterol free. But it is important to understand that bananas are NOT carbohydrate free! And figuring the carbohydrate content of a banana can be tricky because the content varies with size. Use this chart when calculating the carb content of the bananas you eat (measure once and eyeball thereafter): From small to large bananas in that scale, you will get anywhere from two to four grams of fiber per serving, depending on the size. Obviously the larger the banana, the higher the fiber, potassium, and vitamin C content, but that also comes with higher carbohydrate content. Of the 30 grams of carbohydrate in a medium banana, 19 grams are sugar and the other 11 grams are starch, including three grams of fiber. A fully ripe banana has a glycemic index of 51this would be considered a low-glycemic index food, as the cutoff is 55. In addition, the ripeness of a banana changes its glycemic index. An under-ripe banana with visible green sections on the peel would have a glycemic index of approximately 42, while an over-ripe banana w Continue reading >>
8 Amazing Benefits And Uses Of Green Bananas
8 Amazing Benefits And Uses Of Green Bananas 8 Amazing Benefits And Uses Of Green Bananas Namita Is green banana good for you? With a fancy sounding name, one might expect green bananas to be something exotic. But green bananas are just regular bananas. But dont dismiss them as they have a host of health benefits. Unlike yellow bananas, you can eat green bananas only after they are processed either boiled or fried. There are many tasty and delicious recipes of green bananas. Fried bananas have extra calories, of course, due to the frying. So, its better to boil them. They can be used to make gravies and curries. The famous banana chips of Kerala are made from raw bananas. As they are prepared using coconut oil, it adds up to the health factor. So what are the benefits, you ask? Here they are: Green bananas are full of fiber. We all know that fibers are important for the proper functioning of the digestive tracts and bowel movement. One cup of boiled green bananas contains 3.6g of fibers. Consumption of adequate amounts of fiber also means that you are less susceptible to diabetes. Resistant starch is the starch that is not absorbed into the small intestine, rather, it is passed on to the larger intestine. A research, conducted by Janine Higgins of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, suggest that resistance starch intake is associated with several changes in metabolism which may offer positive health benefits . The health benefits include: Reduced fat storage Improvement in the insulin sensitivity of the whole body Lowering of the plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations Decrease in glycemic and insulinemic responses Green bananas are high in potassium . A cup of boiled green bananas contain 531 mg of potassium. Our body needs potassium for musc Continue reading >>
Can Diabetics Eat Bananas?
Can Diabetics Eat Bananas? How much sugar does a banana have? Perhaps these are the most frequently asked questions from people who are suffering from diabetes health condition. And the answer is Yes, as long as they are unripe or semi-ripe and you don’t overdo it and eat a whole dozen. The rest of this article explains why. Diabetics Need to Watch Their Carbs All carbohydrates we eat turn into sugar in our body. Insulin is needed to take this sugar into cells. People suffering from Type-2 diabetes usually have two problems; one, their pancreas don’t produce as much insulin as their bodies can use and two, their cells are not very sensitive to insulin. The result: blood sugar can shoot up. That’s why diabetics need to watch their carbs. Bananas are full of good stuff; in addition to carbs (around 30 grams in an average-sized banana), they are loaded with fiber, Vitamins B6 and C, manganese, copper and potassium. RELATED: 17 Ways To Lower Your Blood Sugar Without Medications Bananas Have a Low GI Index Overall, bananas have a low glycemic index (GI), the score that measures how much a food increases your blood sugar level when you eat it. The lower the GI, the better. Where a 30-gram serving of brown bread has a glycemic index of 69, a 120-gram serving of raw banana has a glycemic index of just 48. You can also create your own healthy dessert by sprinkling powdered cinnamon on sliced or diced bananas. The health benefits of cinnamon for a diabetic individual are explained here. Ripe vs Unripe: The Crucial Difference for Diabetics Ripe bananas contain 10% fiber, which is good for everyone, including people with diabetes; however, they also contain 8% carbohydrates, which increases blood sugar levels sharply. This is because the starch in the banana has been converte Continue reading >>
Does Green Plantain Raise Your Blood Sugar?
Does Green Plantain Raise Your Blood Sugar? Written by Jessica Bruso; Updated November 28, 2017 Any food that contains carbohydrates, such as plantains, can potentially raise your blood sugar. The effect of green plantains on your blood sugar will depend in part on how much you eat, how they are prepared and what other foods you eat at the same time. Eating green plantains is likely to increase your blood sugar levels a moderate amount because of their carbohydrate content and glycemic load, but you can take steps to minimize this increase. Green plantains count as starchy vegetables in a diabetes diet and are relatively high in carbohydrates. Prepare them without added fat, sugar or salt, and they are one of the best starchy vegetable options, according to the American Diabetes Association. A one-half-cup serving of sliced plantains, either cooked or raw, has about 24 grams of carbohydrates. If you choose fried green plantains, a one-half-cup serving has about 29 grams of carbohydrates, along with almost 7 grams of added fat. Diabetics should usually eat between 45 and 75 grams of carbohydrates per meal. The glycemic index helps estimate how much a particular food is likely to increase your blood sugar levels, with foods having scores of 55 or less being low on the glycemic index and unlikely to cause a large increase in blood sugar, and those foods having scores above 75 being more likely to cause spikes in blood sugar levels. Green plantains have a glycemic index of 40, which means they will have a slow but sustained impact on your blood sugar. Glycemic load scores provide an even more accurate estimate of the effect of a food on blood sugar levels because they take into account not only the glycemic index, but also the portion size of the food. A score of 10 or bel Continue reading >>
Green Bananas: A Diabetes-friendly Snack
(Content Updated 3/23/2017) By Joy Stephenson-Laws and the pH health care professionals Bananas are one of the most popular fruits around. In fact, they seem to be America’s favorite fruit, according to the USDA. The average American eats 27 pounds of bananas a year, and it’s no wonder! They’re high in potassium, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins B6 and C. But what you may not know about bananas is that you don’t have to wait for them to turn yellow to enjoy them. In fact, there may be benefits of eating them green that you don’t get when they’re ripe. Both green and yellow bananas have their own perks, but people who have diabetes should lean toward the green ones. What are the benefits of green bananas for a person with diabetes? You may have noticed that bananas get sweeter as they ripen. This is because the bananas’ chemical composition changes through the ripening process, turning from starch to sugar. This means the green, unripe bananas have much less sugar than the fully ripe bananas. Additionally, recent research shows resistant starch, found in green bananas, may improve insulin sensitivity. Resistant starch is a type of starch that “resists” digestion, thereby acting like fiber and making you feel full longer. However, when it is cooked, most of the starch in a green banana becomes highly digestible and is no longer “resistant.” Resistant starch has also shown promise for being a natural weight loss tool. However, if you’re like the average American, you probably don’t get nearly enough resistant starch in your diet. A typical Western diet contains highly digestible starches that have a high glycemic index. Foods like potatoes, rice, pasta, cereals and breads are low in resistant starch. Cooked legumes, peas and green bananas Continue reading >>
10 Reasons Why Diabetics Should Eat Unripe Bananas, And Everyone Must Too
Bananas are no doubt very beneficial to our health. It offers a lot of amazing health benefits that could help our body to nourish well and encounter several free radicals because it is high in antioxidant. Banana is also considered as one of the healthiest foods in the world. Bananas are good for your heart. They are packed with potassium, a mineral electrolyte that keeps electricity flowing throughout your body, which is required to keep your heart beating. Bananas’ high potassium and low sodium content may also help protect your cardiovascular system against high blood pressure, according to the FDA. Aside from being very nutritious, banana is also a highly convenient snack food. Here are 11 health benefits of bananas that are supported by scientific research. BANANAS CONTAIN MANY IMPORTANT NUTRIENTS Bananas are among the most popular fruits on earth. Native to Southeast Asia, they are now grown in many warmer parts of the world. There are any types of bananas available, which may vary in color, size and shape. The most common type is the yellow banana, which is green when unripe. What it look like when ripe: Bananas contain a fair amount of fiber, as well as several antioxidants. One medium-sized banana (118 grams) also contains: 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. Fat: 0.4 grams. Each banana contains only about 105 calories and consists almost exclusively of water and carbs. Bananas contain very little protein and almost no fat. The carbs in unripe (green) bananas consist mostly of starch and resistant starch, but as the banana ripens, the starch turns into sugar (glucose, fructose, an Continue reading >>
Can I Eat Bananas If I Have Diabetes?
Knowledge is power. But, it can be dangerous too. The wrong kind of knowledge, I mean. The wrong information – when you think something is true, but, in fact, the truth lies elsewhere. Like the case of bananas and diabetes – can diabetics eat bananas? A case of gross misinterpretation and lack of proper knowledge. But worry not, we are here to take care of that. Banana – A Brief A fruit so ‘everyday’ (and delicious) that there wouldn’t be a soul that doesn’t like it. Botanically speaking, banana is a berry. In certain nations, the bananas that are used for cooking are called plantains. Usually elongated and curved, the soft flesh is rich in starch and is covered with a rind that can be yellow, green or brownish-red. Banana is grown in over 135 countries worldwide. The fruit is also cultivated for its fiber, banana wine, and banana beer. There is no distinct difference between bananas and plantains, except that plantains tend to be a little firmer and starchier. Yes, banana is a lip-smacking fruit that improves any dish that you add it to. It has superb benefits and helps prevent numerous diseases. But… …is that the case with diabetes too? Let’s find out. Diabetes And Bananas – The Connection Why bananas? The fruit is considered to be one of the healthiest and most potent. What does it have to do anything with diabetes? Why the link? Let’s have a glance at diabetes – it is a condition where your body cannot efficiently use the insulin that it produces. This ultimately leads to the accumulation of glucose in your blood, resulting in high blood sugar. And now, for the link – the average banana contains about 30 grams of carbohydrates. And most of these carbs come from sugars. Hence, the connection. The larger the banana, the more the sugars. So, Continue reading >>
Can Diabetics Eat Bananas?
When a person has diabetes, they need to carefully consider the contents of each meal. This can be especially true for carbohydrate-containing food, which not only includes desserts and other sweet treats, but bread, pasta, and fresh fruits. One fruit that traditionally has been on the "avoid" list for those with diabetes is bananas. However, for the most part, bananas eaten in moderation can be safely enjoyed when a person has diabetes. Bananas grow on banana plants that can have anywhere from 50 to 150 bananas in each bunch of fruit. The individual bananas are sold in varying sizes, from small to extra-large, the size-grading being determined by their length. Nutritional breakdown Overall, bananas are low in saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol. They also have a good mix of nutrients, including vitamin B6, potassium, and manganese. However, some doctors and dietitians may give bananas greater nutritional scrutiny when considering them for people with diabetes, because bananas are high in sugar relative to their calories. One medium banana has an estimated glycemic load of 11, according to Harvard Health Publishing on glycemic loads. Glycemic load is a measure of a food's impact on blood sugar. A glycemic load of fewer than 10 is considered low, while one above 20 is high. Can you eat bananas if you have diabetes? Examples of lower-sugar fruit options include apples, grapes, and pears. Fruits with higher sugar levels include papayas and pineapples. However, those with diabetes do not have to eliminate bananas from their diet, or any other fruit for that matter. Their other nutritional values in terms of vitamins and minerals can make them a healthy option for those with diabetes when consumed in moderation. The American Diabetes Association recommend incorporating fr Continue reading >>
