Are Green Bananas Better for You? | Livestrong.com (2024)

Are Green Bananas Better for You? | Livestrong.com (1)

Green bananas are high in starch and fiber.

Image Credit: bhofack2/iStock/GettyImages

Bananas are the world's most popular fruit and though we usually think of them as being sunshine-yellow, they can vary from firm and green, to softer with plenty of brown speckles. There's been talk that an unripe banana offers more health benefits, but what's the truth about this assertion?

Tip

It’s not really a case of unripe bananas being better for you — green bananas just offer slightly different benefits to ripe ones, including being higher in resistant starch. Choose whichever type of banana color you enjoy, as they are all good for you.

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Banana Health Facts

The USDA advises that a medium banana provides 105 calories and 3.1g of fiber. Banana vitamins and minerals (per medium banana) include 0.4 milligrams of vitamin B6, 32 milligrams of magnesium and 422 milligrams of potassium. The Mayo Clinic says vitamin B6 is needed to help your body use protein and make red blood cells. Magnesium helps maintain heart rhythm and keeps the immune system and muscles healthy, while potassium is critical to the function of both nerve and muscle cells.

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The total carbohydrate content doesn't change in bananas over time, but as they ripen, the starch in them changes to sugar. People with diabetes may worry about eating bananas, but the International Tables of Glycemic Index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL) Values (published as appendices to the December 2008 issue of Diabetes Care) suggest they need not be unduly concerned.

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In fact with a GI of 51 (GL of 13) ripe bananas have only a modest effect on blood sugar. That said, unripe, or at least somewhat less soft bananas (who really wants to eat one that's hard?), may be a better option for people with diabetes. The official GI/GL tables show a "slightly underripe" banana as having a GI of just 41 and a GL of 11.

Resistant Starch in Unripe Bananas

If you like your bananas the opposite of ripe, one benefit of eating them this way is resistant starch. Harvard Health explains this is a carbohydrate found in firmer bananas that, like fiber, can't be broken down by normal digestion. Instead it passes into the bowel, where it acts as a prebiotic food for the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.

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These beneficial gut bacteria ferment the starch in the large intestine, producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). The beneficial SCFAs may play a role in the prevention of chronic diseases including colitis and Crohn's disease.

A June 2018 review in Nutrition Research suggests resistant starch also has a lowering effect on total cholesterol and "bad" LDL-cholesterol, which is good news for a healthy heart. Pectin is another healthy type of fiber found in both unripe and ripe bananas, which the Cleveland Clinic says can increase satiety (fullness) and reduce blood sugar.

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Brown Bananas: No Miracle Cure

You may have heard of something called a TNF banana, where TNF stands for Tumor Necrosis Factor. Stories have circulated around the internet that the brown spots on bananas contain TNF and that eating very ripe bananas or even dark brown banana skins can help correct abnormal cells in humans.

However the National Cancer Institute dismisses this by explaining that TNF is a protein made by white blood cells in response to an infection. Bananas do not have white blood cells and cannot produce TNF at all — the idea is a complete myth.

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Are Green Bananas Better for You? | Livestrong.com (2024)

FAQs

Are Green Bananas Better for You? | Livestrong.com? ›

Resistant Starch in Unripe Bananas

Are green bananas really good for you? ›

Green bananas are healthy, gluten-free, and low FODMAP. The high pectin and resistant starch content help regulate blood sugar and thus inflammation. They may be better tolerated than yellow bananas if you have IBS or other digestive problems.

Can diabetics eat green bananas? ›

Green (unripe) bananas contain resistant starch, which doesn't raise blood sugar levels and may improve long-term blood sugar management. Yellow (ripe) bananas contain more sugar, so they may cause a bigger rise in blood sugar.

Is it okay to eat a banana every day? ›

"For a generally healthy person, it is unlikely to experience hyperkalemia by eating one banana a day, especially if the rest of their diet isn't excessively high in potassium-rich foods," said Manaker. So yes, a banana a day is most likely safe. But this does depend on your individual health and diet.

Can you eat bananas on blood pressure medication? ›

Can you eat bananas while on blood pressure medication? Unless you have kidney disease or kidney problems or have been advised by a medical provider to avoid them, you can eat bananas while you take losartan or other blood pressure medication.

Is green banana good for the kidneys? ›

From my perspective, consuming raw bananas is a great way to get a lot of potassium. Potassium-rich foods are good for your kidneys and may lower your blood pressure. However, it is recommended that those with chronic kidney illness soak the bananas overnight before eating them.

Is green banana good for high blood pressure? ›

The high levels of potassium in bananas can help you maintain a healthy blood pressure. They can help keep your cholesterol levels healthy. One major benefit of eating boiled bananas is that it may encourage you to choose underripe, green bananas, which have many health benefits.

What color banana is the healthiest? ›

The resistant starch and pectin in green bananas can provide a number of health benefits, including improved blood sugar control and better digestive health ( 3 , 4 ). Green bananas contain a high amount of resistant starch and pectin, which have been linked to several health benefits.

What are the 5 best fruits for diabetics? ›

The 5 best fruits for people with diabetes include apple, guava, orange, papaya and melons. These fruits are high in fiber and low in sugar. Firstly, these fruits are naturally low in fat, low in calories, and low in sodium.

Is a banana a day too much sugar? ›

A medium banana contains 105 calories and 14 grams of sugar, per the USDA National Nutrient Database. That's less than the amount you'd get from a medium apple and more than you'd get from a cup of diced watermelon.

What is the most healthiest fruit in the world? ›

Here we look at eight of the healthiest fruits.
  1. Grapefruit. Grapefruit is one of the most nutritious fruits that you can eat. ...
  2. Pineapple. ...
  3. Blueberries. ...
  4. Apples. ...
  5. Pomegranates. ...
  6. Strawberries. ...
  7. Lemons. ...
  8. Watermelon.
Feb 9, 2021

What is the banana trick to empty bowels? ›

How to Quickly Flush Your Bowels With Bananas. To cause a bowel movement, eat your entire amount of daily calories in bananas for one day. Eat ripe, yellow bananas, and try not to add anything else to them. If you can't do that, try eating a few bananas for breakfast and a banana after dinner.

What is the best fruit to eat every day? ›

Top 15 healthiest fruits
  • Strawberries. Just 8 of these ruby red gems will score you all the vitamin C you need in a day. ...
  • Raspberries. A cup of raspberries has 8 grams of the 25 to 38 grams of fiber recommended daily. ...
  • Avocado. ...
  • Watermelon. ...
  • Dates. ...
  • Prunes. ...
  • Kiwi. ...
  • Cherries.
Feb 20, 2024

What is the number one fruit to lower blood pressure? ›

The top fruits for lowering blood pressure include bananas, apples, pears, apricots, grapes, raisins, kiwis, mangoes, watermelon, pomegranate, plums, prunes, avocado, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, tomatoes, citrus fruit, berries, and more.

What is normal blood pressure for a 70 year old? ›

Blood pressure of 70 year olds

Blood pressure at age 70 is recommended to be kept at 134/87 mmHg. According to some studies, the blood pressure of 70-year-old people usually ranges from 121/83 mmHg - 147/91 mmHg.

What medications should not be taken with bananas? ›

ACE inhibitors, such as captopril, enalapril, lisinopril, perindopril, and ramipril are designed to lower blood pressure, so if you take them while eating a lot of bananas you could inadvertently send your potassium levels through the roof which can lead to an irregular heart-beat.

What stage of ripeness is best to eat a banana? ›

Ripeness stage
Ripeness stageAppearanceHealth benefits
very ripesoft but not mushy; a mix of yellow with brown spotseasier to digest; good for solo eating or inclusion in healthy foods
overripesoft, mushy interior; highly spotted with brown or entirely brownnatural sweetness, can replace fats in baking
3 more rows

Are bananas better for you green or brown? ›

Better Source of Antioxidants

Brown, yellow or green bananas are all a good source of potassium, vitamin B-6 and fiber. As a banana reaches the brown stage, its concentration of antioxidants increases.

What is the healthiest fruit? ›

The healthiest fruits and their benefits
  1. Lemons. Turning lemons into lemonade can do more than just boost your spirits. ...
  2. Blueberries. Blueberries contain anthocyanins, which are the special pigments that give them their rich color. ...
  3. Apples. ...
  4. Oranges. ...
  5. Cherries. ...
  6. Pomegranates. ...
  7. Grapefruits.
Sep 15, 2023

Are bananas good for your gut? ›

Digestive health

Bananas contain a type of fiber called pectin, which can play a part in controlling how quickly you digest carbohydrates. Bananas may be good for your tummy, too. They have probiotics, which are the good bacteria found in your gut, and prebiotics, carbs that feed these good bacteria.

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