Experts indicate that if a person needs a quick energy boost before exercise, or conversely to maintain stable blood sugar levels, they should choose the right banana for their needs.
According to nutritionist Avery Zinker, green bananas are firm, making them difficult to peel, and contain minimal sugar and a high percentage of resistant starch. This starch nourishes beneficial gut bacteria, helps stabilize blood sugar levels, and promotes a feeling of fullness for longer.
This type is ideal for those monitoring their blood sugar (diabetics or prediabetics) and those looking to improve digestion, while athletes should be cautious as it may cause a feeling of heaviness.
Its skin is yellow with small green spots, softer, and the resistant starch begins to convert to sugars, but it remains rich in fiber and minerals such as potassium and magnesium. The expert recommends this type as a snack for those concerned about digestive health, and it is also suitable for women before and after menopause to support gut health and combat insulin resistance.
It should be perfectly yellow and soft but not mushy, sweet, and easy to peel. According to Amanda Soseda, a professor of nutrition at the University of California, the starch is converted into natural sugars, the fiber content decreases, while the antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals increase. A ripe banana contains about 8% of the body's daily potassium and magnesium needs, making it a healthy and quick energy snack, suitable for children and those looking to support cardiovascular health.
Its skin is covered with brown spots, its flesh is tender, and it has a rich aroma. It is high in sugar, which provides an immediate energy boost, but it is low in fiber, so those monitoring their blood sugar levels should be cautious when consuming it.
It turns brown or black, has a soft flesh, and is high in sugar and antioxidants, but lacks fiber and vitamin C (a ripe banana contains 14 mg of vitamin C, while a very overripe banana contains 10 mg). This type is ideal for pastries and smoothies because it provides natural sweetness, reducing the need for added sugar.
"Bananas are a wonderful fruit, whether green or ripe. There are no 'right' or 'wrong' bananas, and all that needs to be done is to choose the degree of ripeness based on the nutrients the body needs at that moment."
