Rafa Nadal and other tennis players have turned the banana into a media fruit. And it is no wonder, since in addition to being tasty and sweet, the banana is a fruit very rich in carbohydrates, potassium and magnesium, elements that allow us to recover lost energy and avoid muscle cramps (basic for athletes).
The banana is one of the most important fruit crops in the world, as well as its consumption, and its origin is in South Asia. The peoples of the Mediterranean already knew it in the year 650 and it arrived in the Canary Islands in the 15th century, from where it was introduced to America. Currently this continent brings together the main banana producing countries.
Suitable for diets to lose weight
Sweet, rich in minerals, easy to transport and convenient to eat, banana is liked by almost everyone, especially children. In Spain, five varieties are marketed: gros-Michel, lacatán, poyo, pequeno enano and gran enano.
“Increasing potassium consumption can reduce blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular diseases, improve bone mineral density and mitigate the negative consequences of consuming large amounts of sodium,” says the World Health Organization (WHO). This is one of the good reasons to eat banana, since in addition to being rich in potassium it is very low in sodium, nutritionist Lidia Folgar recalls on her blog. For these same reasons, it is a good fruit for those who suffer from high blood pressure or blood vessel and heart conditions.
Folgar also explains with data why bananas should not be discarded if we want to eat healthily and even lose weight. No, in moderation, banana is not an enemy of diets.
Another beneficial effect of banana is its ability to regulate intestinal transit, in addition to being an intestinal anti-inflammatory, which helps treat diarrhea. In fact, nutritionist Ángela Quintas highlights that this fruit is a good prebiotic, along with onion, artichoke or asparagus.
We have bananas all year round and when buying them, we must choose them without bumps or bruises. A banana that is too green and firm can be indigestible, just as if we eat it that is too ripe and soft. As in so many other things, the middle ground is the right option.
From Vitónica, an information website for athletes, they explain that the nutritional value of the banana varies depending on its maturity. The green banana “is almost entirely made up of starch, a polysaccharide of glucose molecules that will release energy little by little into the bloodstream. On the other hand, a ripe banana contains 90% sucrose and only 7% starch […] Its absorption is much faster in the blood and produces a greater impact on blood glucose and insulin response. Therefore, depending on the maturity of this fruit, the glycemic load will vary.”
In summary, “if we want quick energy (after exercise), we will choose the ripe banana. If what we need is a constant supply of energy before physical activity, we will choose the greenest banana.”
Bananas do not need extraordinary conditions to preserve them. They will be safe in a cool, dry place, as well as in the refrigerator if they are a little ripe (then their skin darkens, but that’s okay). It can also be frozen and will stay in good condition for two months.
