Sweet and satiating, practical to take away and eat on the go, present all year round on the stalls of our markets, the banana is a fruit that everyone loves! But is it as good nutritionally as it is for our taste buds? Focus on its health benefits.
Its name would come from the Portuguese banana itself borrowed from the Arabic “banan” meaning “finger”. For the record, the banana would have been the first fruit cultivated by men , and its cultivation dates back some 12 thousand years! When we talk about bananas without specifying the variety, we are talking about the sweet so-called “dessert” banana that is eaten raw and sweetened. There is a second type of banana called “vegetable bananas” generally eaten cooked and salted which belong to the plantain species .
The health benefits of bananas
Bananas contain a lot of nutrients:
- The banana is a very nutrient dense fruit , which means that it provides a lot of nutrients in a small volume. Dried bananas are richer in nutrients than fruit bananas, but they are also higher in calories.
- Bananas are perfectly part of a slimming diet because they are rich in fiber, minerals and resistant starch : they are therefore very satiating and allow you not to crack calorie bombs.
- It is particularly well endowed with antioxidants , which would make it effective in the prevention of cancers , in particular colorectal cancer .
- It has antacid and anti-ulcer effects, which protect the stomach lining from inflammation and which would prevent ulcers.
- Banana sugars are largely resistant starch, which behaves like a “slow” carbohydrate, improving cells’ sensitivity to insulin and tending to regulate blood sugar . This fruit is therefore indicated for people suffering from type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes .
- It is very rich in potassium , a mineral known to prevent and fight against hypertension and limit the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- It is rich in beta-carotene (precursor of vitamin A), contributes to the health of the skin, the growth of bones and teeth and protects against infections.
- It is rich in magnesium, so it is a very good natural “anti-stress”.
During sports
Very digestible, rich in carbohydrates and minerals, the banana is the favorite fruit of athletes! Good to know: the riper the banana, the higher its glycemic index , the less ripe it is, the lower it is. It is therefore wise to prefer a ripe banana before exercise for the boost effect, then a less ripe banana after exercise, for recovery and recharging your glycogen stores. Bananas are also very well endowed with potassium, an essential mineral for muscle recovery, and magnesium, which is very effective in limiting cramps.
During pregnancy
Pregnant women have increased caloric and nutritional needs, especially from the second trimester. But she frequently suffers from digestive disorders (nausea, bloating) related to hormones as well as the place the baby takes in her belly, compressing the stomach and intestines. Bananas, very digestible and rich in carbohydrates, fibers and minerals will therefore provide him with the energy and nutrients necessary to meet his needs and those of the baby. It is therefore a true ally of pregnancy!
When you want to lose weight
Rich in carbohydrates and calories, is the banana therefore to be excluded during a diet? No, the banana is certainly a sweet fruit, but it has a large number of nutritional assets that make it valuable as part of a slimming diet. Rich in fiber, minerals and resistant starch, bananas can effectively satisfy small hunger pangs and prevent you from craving a chocolate bar with 4 times more calories. Bananas also contain tryptophan , an amino acid precursor to serotonin, the hormone of well-being. Perfect to fight against frustrations when dieting!
Are bananas high in calories?
The sweet banana is one of the sweetest fruits, and therefore the most caloric. A medium sized banana weighs about 120g and provides about 100 calories, the average caloric value of banana being 90 calories per 100g.
Nutritional values
| NUTRIENTS | BANANA, PULP, RAW: CONTENT PER 100 G | FRUITS: AVERAGE FOOD |
|---|---|---|
| Proteins | 0.98g | 1.0g |
| Carbohydrates | 19.6g | 16.9g |
| – with sugar | 14.8g | 14.6g |
| – of which starch | 2.1g | 0.3g |
| Dietary fiber | 1.9g | 3g |
| Lipids | 0.25g | 0.5g |
| – of which cholesterol | 0.0mg | 0.1mg |
| – of which saturates | 0.099g | 0.2g |
| – of which monounsaturated fatty acids | 0.035g | 0.1g |
| – of which polyunsaturated fatty acids | 0.078g | 0.1g |
| Water | 75.8g | 77g |
Benefits of dried banana
The dried banana is a banana from which the water has been extracted, making it both richer in nutrients but also in calories. The dried banana is therefore about three times richer in nutrients, minerals and vitamins than the fresh banana, which makes it extraordinarily interesting from a dietary point of view. Be careful however, its caloric value also triples and reaches 250 calories per 100 g , which makes it very energetic. The dried banana is therefore a perfect snack to take on a hike, fitness walk or before a run because it provides energy and essential minerals and vitamins to the body during physical exercise.
Benefits of banana juice
Given its low water content, it is not possible to make pure banana juice using an extractor, the product obtained being closer to puree. Banana-based juices are usually made with one or more other fruits that are more water-rich, such as oranges or apples. In general, and whatever the fruit, it is preferable to eat it whole and fresh rather than drink it in the form of juice, where it will tend to lose some of its nutritional qualities (fibre, certain vitamins sensitive to oxidation) Moreover, the glycemic index of fruit juice is always higher than that of whole fruit, and drinking fruit juice is much less satiating than biting into fruit.
Benefits of banana chips
Banana chips are made from fried and salted sliced plantain bananas. I insist: crisps, whether potato, carrot, beetroot or plantain banana are always greasy, very salty and nutritionally denatured foods, insists the specialist, they are very caloric and do not present no particular dietary interests. On the other hand, it is possible to cook them in the oven rather than in a fryer, which greatly limits the intake of lipids and additional calories.
What are the disadvantages of bananas?
Without being able to speak of a disadvantage, the banana is actually richer in calories than the average fruit, so it should be consumed in moderation for anyone watching their figure. We will therefore make sure to alternate it with other less sweet fruits, such as apples, pears, berries (blackberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, etc.), melon, watermelon or even citrus fruits.
Advice from the dietitian
I advise eating the fruit whole and fresh, rather than drinking it in the form of juice , which loses some of its nutritional qualities (fiber, certain vitamins sensitive to oxidation), which has a higher glycemic index and which is less satiating than the whole fruit.