Bananas, eating when they are 'this color' boosts diet effects↑

Bananas are well known as a good fruit to eat during a diet. However, if you want to enhance the dieting effect, it's also good to check the ripeness of the banana. This is because the health benefits of bananas vary depending on their level of ripeness. Let's explore the health effects associated with different banana colors.

◇ Green bananas are effective for dieting. Less ripe green bananas are good to eat during a diet. Green bananas contain 20 times more resistant starch than yellow bananas. Resistant starch helps maintain a feeling of fullness for a longer period, suppresses appetite, and promotes metabolism, which aids in dieting. In particular, belly fat usually forms when blood sugar rises quickly, but resistant starch converts to glucose more slowly, preventing rapid blood sugar spikes and effectively reducing belly fat. In fact, the glycemic index (the extent to which carbohydrates in food raise blood sugar levels) of less ripe bananas is low at 30.

In addition, green bananas are good for digestive health and can prevent cancer. According to a study at the University of Brasília in Brazil, consuming one green banana daily reduced gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and constipation, and lowered the risk of colon cancer.

◇Yellow Bananas: Helpful When Digestion Is Difficult Ripe yellow bananas are good for people who usually have trouble digesting. As bananas ripen, resistant starch is converted into easily absorbed sugars. Therefore, if you have digestive issues or experience bloating, you should consume yellow bananas rather than green ones. Additionally, the more ripe the banana, the richer it is in beneficial minerals such as vitamin B complex, vitamins A and C, iron, magnesium, and potassium. In particular, yellow bananas contain higher levels of vitamin C, a key antioxidant that neutralizes reactive oxygen species, compared to bananas of other colors.

◇ Brown bananas boost immunity. When yellow bananas become overripe, brown spots (sugar spots) appear, indicating overripeness. These spots act as immune system stimulants. Brown bananas are rich in tumor necrosis factor (TNF), which is effective in enhancing immunity and anti-cancer effects. TNF is a substance that increases immunity against cancer. According to a study by Teikyo University in Japan, bananas with brown spots are eight times more effective at strengthening white blood cell activity than green bananas.

<Source: Health Chosun>