Wonderfully
sweet with firm and creamy flesh, bananas come prepackaged in their own yellow
jackets and are available for harvest throughout the year.
The
banana plant grows 10 to 26 feet and belongs to the same family as the lily and
the orchid.
The
cluster of fruits contain anywhere from 50 to 150 bananas with individual
fruits grouped in bunches, known as "hands," containing 10 to 25
bananas.
Nutrients in
Banana
1.00 each (118.00 grams)
Nutrient%Daily Value
vitamin
B621.5%
vitamin
C17.1%
manganese16%
fiber12.2%
potassium12%
Calories
(105)5%
This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Bananas provides for
each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source
according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of
these nutrients provided by Bananas can be found in the Food Rating System Chart. A link that takes you to the In-Depth
Nutritional Profile for Bananas, featuring information over 80 nutrients, can
be found under the Food Rating System Chart.
Health Benefits
Creamy,
rich, and sweet, bananas are a favorite food for everyone from infants to
elders. Sports enthusiasts appreciate the potassium-power delivered by this
high energy fruit.
Cardiovascular Protection from Potassium and
Fiber
Bananas
are one of our best sources of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining
normal blood pressure and heart function. Since the average banana contains a
whopping 467 mg ofpotassium and only 1 mg of sodium,
a banana a day may help to prevent high blood pressure and protect against
atherosclerosis.
The
effectiveness of potassium-rich foods such as bananas in lowering blood
pressure has been demonstrated by a number of studies. For example, researchers
tracked over 40,000 American male health professionals over four years to
determine the effects of diet on blood pressure. Men who ate diets higher in
potassium-rich foods, as well as foods high in magnesium and cereal fiber, had
a substantially reduced risk of stroke.
A
study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine also confirms that eating high fiber foods, such as bananas, helps
prevent heart disease. Almost 10,000 American adults participated in this study
and were followed for 19 years. People eating the most fiber, 21 grams per day,
had 12% less coronary heart disease (CHD) and 11% less cardiovascular disease
(CVD) compared to those eating the least, 5 grams daily. Those eating the most
water-soluble dietary fiber fared even better with a 15% reduction in risk of
CHD and a 10% risk reduction in CVD.
In
addition to these cardiovascular benefits, the potassium found in bananas may
also help to promote bone health. Potassium may counteract the increased
urinary calcium loss caused by the high-salt diets typical of most Americans,
thus helping to prevent bones from thinning out at a fast rate.
Soothing Protection from Ulcers
Bananas
have long been recognized for their antacid effects that protect against
stomach ulcers and ulcer damage. In one study, a simple mixture of banana and
milk significantly suppressed acid secretion. In an animal study, researchers
found that fresh bananas protected the animals' stomachs from wounds.
Bananas
work their protective magic in two ways: First, substances in bananas help
activate the cells that compose the stomach lining, so they produce a thicker
protective mucus barrier against stomach acids. Second, other compounds in
bananas called protease inhibitors help eliminate bacteria in the stomach that have been pinpointed
as a primary cause of stomach ulcers.
Improving Elimination
Bananas
are a smart move if you suffer from elimination problems. A bout of diarrhea
can quickly deplete your body of important electrolytes. Bananas can replenish your
stores of potassium, one of the most important electrolytes, which helps
regulate heart function as well as fluid balance.
In
addition, bananas contain pectin, a soluble fiber (called a hydrocolloid) that
can help normalize movement through the digestive tract and ease constipation.
Bananas also contain resistant starch, but this amount varies depending on
their degree of ripeness. In their lesser ripe stages, bananas score as low as
30 on the glycemic index (below 50 would be considered low). In their riper
stages, this number usually rises to a moderate level in the 60's. All of the
above features help place banana in a more favorable digestive light than might
otherwise be expected for a sugary fruit.
Protect Your Eyesight
Your
mother may have told you carrots would keep your eyes bright as a child, but as
an adult, it looks like fruit is even more important for keeping your sight.
Data reported in a study published in the Archives of
Ophthalmology indicates that eating 3 or more servings of
fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD),
the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, by 36%, compared to persons
who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.
In
this study, which involved over over 100,000 women and men, researchers
evaluated the effect of study participants' consumption of fruits; vegetables;
the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E; and carotenoids on the development of
early ARMD or neovascular ARMD, a more severe form of the illness associated
with vision loss. Food intake information was collected periodically for up to
18 years for women and 12 years for men.
While,
surprisingly, intakes of vegetables, antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids were
not strongly related to incidence of either form of ARMD, fruit intake was
definitely protective against the severe form of this vision-destroying
disease.
Three
servings of fruit may sound like a lot to eat each day, but by simply tossing a
banana into your morning smoothie or slicing it over your cereal, topping off a
cup of yogurt or green salad with a half cup of berries, and snacking on an
apple, plum, nectarine or pear, you've reached this goal.
Build Better Bones with Bananas
Build
better bones by eating bananas? Yes, enjoying bananas frequently as part of
your healthy way of eating can help improve your body's ability to absorb
calcium via several mechanisms.
Bananas
are an exceptionally rich source of fructooligosaccharide, a compound called aprebiotic because it nourishes probiotic (friendly) bacteria in the colon. These beneficial bacteria
produce vitamins and digestive enzymes that improve our ability to absorb
nutrients, plus compounds that protect us against unfriendly microorganisms.
When fructooligosaccharides are fermented by these friendly bacteria, not only
do numbers of probiotic bacteria increase, but so does the body's ability to
absorb calcium. In addition, gastrointestinal transit time is lessened,
decreasing the risk of colon cancer.
Green
bananas contain indigestible (to humans) short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that
are a favorite food of the cells that make up the lining of the intestines.
When these cells are well-nourished and healthy, the body's ability to absorb
nutrients such as calcium can increase dramatically.
Research
published in Digestive Diseases and Sciences underscores just how much bananas can improve nutrient absorption.
In this study, 57 male babies (5-12 months) with persistent diarrhea of at
least 14 days duration were given a week's treatment with a rice-based diet
containing either green banana, apple pectin or the rice diet alone. Treatment
with both green banana and apple pectin resulted in a 50% reduction in stool
weights, indicating that the babies were absorbing significantly more
nutrients.
Also,
to check how well their intestines were able to absorb nutrients, the babies
were given a drink containing lactulose and mannitol. Lactulose is a compound
that should be absorbed, while mannitol is one that should not be. When the
intestines are too permeable, a condition clinicians call "leaky
gut," too little lactulose and too much mannitol are absorbed. After just
one week of being given the green banana-rice diet, the babies' were absorbing
much more lactulose and little mannitol, showing that their intestines were now
functioning properly.
Some
banana cultivars are also rich in provitamin A carotenoids, which have been
shown to protect against chronic disease, including certain cancers,
cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. How to identify which bananas contain the
most carotenoids? Check the color of their edible flesh. Bananas whose flesh is
more golden contain the most carotenoids.
Promote Kidney Health through Regular and
Moderated Intake
About
190,000 cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed each year. Risk factors include
smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, and exposure to toxic chemicals such as
asbestos and cadmium.
Dietary
factors can be related to kidney disease in a preventive way. Research
published in theInternational Journal of Cancer suggests that regular, moderated consumption of whole fruits and
vegetables, especially bananas, can be protective. The results of this large
population based prospective study (13.4 years) of 61,000 women aged 40-76,
show that women eating more than 75 servings of fruits and vegetables per month
(which translates into 2.5 per day) cut their risk of kidney cancer 40%. Among
the fruits, bananas were especially protective. Women eating bananas four to
six times a week halved their risk of developing the disease compared to those
who did not eat this fruit.
Salads,
eaten at least once a day, were associated with a 40% decreased risk. Among
vegetables, frequent consumption of root vegetables and white cabbage offered
the most protection, providing a 50-65% decrease in risk.
The
conclusion drawn by the researchers: routine and moderated consumption of
fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, cabbage and root vegetables, may
reduce risk of kidney cancer. Why these foods? Bananas and many root vegetables
contain especially high amounts of antioxidant phenolic compounds. Cabbage is
rich in sulfur compounds necessary for efficient and effective detoxification
of potential carcinogens. This mixture of phytonutrients may have been
particularly helpful in protecting kidney function.
The
benefits of regular and moderated fruit intake need to be contrasted, however,
with the increased risks that stem from very high consumption of fruit juices.
In several studies examining diet and renal (kidney) cancer, very high
consumption of fruit juices is associated with increased cancer risk. Since
most fruit juice consumption involves highly processed fruits and stands in
sharp contrast to consumption of whole, natural foods, this finding is not
surprising. The reasons for avoiding high intake of fruit juice are not limited
to increased risk of kidney disease, but also to problems involved with
excessive sugar intake and excessive calorie intake from non-whole foods.
Moderate amounts of fruit juice - especially juice containing as much of the
whole fruit as possible, for example, pulp or skin - are still recommended,
since these limited amounts in a balanced diet appear to be protective against
kidney cancer.
Description
Bananas
are elliptically shaped fruits "prepackaged" by Nature, featuring a
firm, creamy flesh gift-wrapped inside a thick inedible peel. The banana plant
grows 10 to 26 feet in height and belongs to the family Musaceae. Banana fruits
grow in clusters of 50 to 150, with individual fruits grouped in bunches, known
as "hands," of 10 to 25 bananas.
Bananas
abound in hundreds of edible varieties that fall under two distinct species:
the sweet banana (Musa sapienta, Musa nana) and the plantain banana (Musa paradisiacal).
Sweet bananas vary in size and color.
While
we are accustomed to thinking of sweet bananas as having yellow skins, they can
also feature red, pink, purple and black tones when ripe. Their flavor and
texture range with some varieties being sweet while others have starchier
characteristics. In the United States, the most familiar varieties are Big
Michael, Martinique and Cavendish. Plantain bananas are usually cooked and
considered more like a vegetable due to their starchier qualities; they have a higher
beta-carotene concentration than most sweet bananas.
History
Bananas
are thought to have originated in Malaysia around 4,000 years ago. From there,
they spread throughout the Philippines and India, where in 327 B.C. Alexander
the Great's army recorded them being grown.
Bananas
were introduced to Africa by Arabian traders and discovered there in 1482 A.D.
by Portuguese explorers who took them to the Americas, the place where the
majority of bananas are now produced.
Bananas
were not brought to the United States for sale in markets until the latter part
of the 19th century and were initially only enjoyed by people in the seacoast
towns where the banana schooners docked; because of the fruit's fragility, they
were unable to be transported far.
Since
the development of refrigeration and rapid transport in the 20th century,
bananas have become widely available. Today, bananas grow in most tropical and
subtropical regions with the main commercial producers including Costa Rica,
Mexico, Ecuador and Brazil.
How to Select and Store
Since
bananas are picked off the tree while they're still green, it's not unusual to
see them this color in the store. Base your choice of bananas depending upon
when you want to consume them. Bananas with more green coloration will take
longer to ripen than those more yellow in hue and/or with brown spots.
Bananas
should be firm, but not too hard, bright in appearance, and free from bruises
or other injuries. Their stems and tips should be intact. The size of the
banana does not affect its quality, so simply choose the size that best meets
your needs.
While
bananas look resilient, they're actually very fragile and care should be taken
in their storage. They should be left to ripen at room temperature and should
not be subjected to overly hot or cold temperatures. Unripe bananas should not
be placed in the refrigerator as this will interrupt the ripening process to
such an extent that it will not be able to resume even if the bananas are
returned to room temperature.
If
you need to hasten the ripening process, you can place bananas in a paper bag
or wrap them in newspaper, adding an apple to accelerate the process. Ripe
bananas that will not be consumed for a few days can be placed in the
refrigerator. While their peel may darken, the flesh will not be affected. For
maximum flavor when consuming refrigerated bananas, remove them from the
refrigerator and allow them to come back to room temperature.
For
the most antioxidants, eat fully ripened fruit:
Research
conducted at the University of Innsbruck in Austria suggests that as fruits
fully ripen, almost to the point of spoilage, their antioxidant levels actually
increase.
Key
to the process is the change in color that occurs as fruits ripen, a similar
process to that seen in the fall when leaves turn from green to red to yellow
to brownâ€" a color change caused by the breakdown and disappearance of
chlorophyll, which gives leaves and fruits their green color.
Until
now, no one really knew what happened to chlorophyll during this process, but lead
researcher, Bernard Krutler, and his team, working together with botanists over
the past several years, has identified the first decomposition products in
leaves: colorless, polar NCCs (nonfluorescing chlorophyll catabolytes), that
contain four pyrrole rings - like chlorophyll and heme.
After
examining apples and pears, the scientists discovered that NCCs replace the
chlorophyll not only in the leaves of fruit trees, but in their very ripe
fruits, especially in the peel and flesh immediately below it.
"When
chlorophyll is released from its protein complexes in the decomposition
process, it has a phototoxic effect: when irradiated with light, it absorbs
energy and can transfer it to other substances. For example, it can transform
oxygen into a highly reactive, destructive form," report the researchers.
However, NCCs have just the opposite effect. Extremely powerful antioxidants,
they play an important protective role for the plant, and when consumed as part
of the human diet, NCCs deliver the same potent antioxidant protection within
our bodies. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2007 Nov 19;46(45):8699-8702.
Bananas
can also be frozen and will keep for about 2 months. Either puree them before
freezing or simply remove the peel and wrap the bananas in plastic wrap. To
prevent discoloration, add some lemon juice before freezing.
How to Enjoy
In
addition to being eaten raw, bananas are a wonderful addition to a variety of
recipes from salads to baked goods.
A few quick serving ideas:
- A peanut butter and banana
sandwich drizzled with honey is an all-time favorite comfort food for children
and adults alike.
- Add chopped bananas, walnuts
and maple syrup to oatmeal or porridge.
- Try our Tropical Breakfast Risotto in the
Recipe File.
Individual Concerns
Bananas and Latex Allergy
Like avocados and chestnuts, bananas
and plantain contain substances called chitinases that are associated with the latex-fruit allergy syndrome. There
is strong evidence of the cross-reaction between latex and these foods. If you
have a latex allergy, you may very likely be allergic to these foods as well.
Processing the fruit with ethylene gas increases these enzymes; organic produce
not treated with gas will have fewer allergy-causing compounds. In addition,
cooking the food may deactivate the enzymes.
Nutritional Profile
Bananas
are a very good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of vitamin C, potassium,
dietary fiber, and manganese.
For
an in-depth nutritional profile click here: Banana.
In-Depth Nutritional Profile
In addition to the
nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, an in-depth nutritional profile forBananas is also available. This
profile includes information on a full array of nutrients, including
carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals,
fatty acids, amino acids and more.
Introduction to Food Rating System Chart
In order to better help
you identify foods that feature a high concentration of nutrients for the
calories they contain, we created a Food Rating System. This system allows us to
highlight the foods that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The
following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is either an excellent,
very good, or good source (below the chart you will find a table that explains
these qualifications). If a nutrient is not listed in the chart, it does not
necessarily mean that the food doesn't contain it. It simply means that the
nutrient is not provided in a sufficient amount or concentration to meet our
rating criteria. (To view this food's in-depth nutritional profile that
includes values for dozens of nutrients - not just the ones rated as excellent,
very good, or good - please use the link below the chart.) To read this chart
accurately, you'll need to glance up in the top left corner where you will find
the name of the food and the serving size we used to calculate the food's
nutrient composition. This serving size will tell you how much of the food you
need to eat to obtain the amount of nutrients found in the chart. Now,
returning to the chart itself, you can look next to the nutrient name in order
to find the nutrient amount it offers, the percent Daily Value (DV%) that this
amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this food and
nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system. For most of our
nutrient ratings, we adopted the government standards for food labeling that
are found in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "Reference Values for
Nutrition Labeling." Read more background information and details of
our rating system.
|
Banana
1.00 each
118.00 grams
105.02 calories
|
|
Nutrient
|
Amount
|
DV
(%)
|
Nutrient
Density
|
World's
Healthiest
Foods Rating
|
|
vitamin B6
|
0.43
mg
|
21.5
|
3.7
|
very
good
|
|
vitamin C
|
10.27
mg
|
17.1
|
2.9
|
good
|
|
manganese
|
0.32
mg
|
16.0
|
2.7
|
good
|
|
fiber
|
3.07
g
|
12.3
|
2.1
|
good
|
|
potassium
|
422.44
mg
|
12.1
|
2.1
|
good
|
|
World's
Healthiest
Foods Rating
|
Rule
|
|
excellent
|
DV>=75%
OR
Density>=7.6 AND DV>=10%
|
|
very
good
|
DV>=50%
OR
Density>=3.4 AND DV>=5%
|
|
good
|
DV>=25%
OR
Density>=1.5 AND DV>=2.5%
|
In-Depth
Nutritional Profile for Bananas
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