The benefits of red bananas

Red bananas and their benefits

The following points explain the most important benefits of red bananas depending on their nutrient content :

• Rich in antioxidants : red bananas contain a high amount of antioxidants, the most famous of which are carotenoids, anthocyanins, and vitamin C, and it should be noted that the amount of some of these antioxidants exceeds those available in yellow bananas, and these antioxidants are compounds that have a role in preventing cell damage caused by free radicals whose accumulation in the body is associated with the occurrence of oxidative stress, which increases the risk of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer.
• Source of vitamin C : a small red banana provides the body with 9% of the recommended daily requirement of vitamin C, which is important for the health of the immune system and the fight against infection.
• A source of carotenoids : the most famous of which are lutein, alpha, and beta-carotene, which turns into vitamin A, and it is worth noting that the amount of these carotenoids in red bananas is more than those available in yellow bananas, according to a laboratory study published in the Journal Food Chemistry in 2018, and these carotenoids contribute to improving eye health, and they may reduce age-related macular degeneration, which is one of the main causes of blindness.
• A source of potassium and magnesium : one small-sized red banana covers 9% of the daily amount of potassium, and one grain of the same size of red bananas contains 8% of the daily amount of magnesium, and the consumption of these two elements together in the diet is associated with lowering the level of blood pressure, a systematic review and a comprehensive analysis of 22 studies and their results were published in the British Medical Journal in 2013 indicated that people who ate amounts of The greater the potassium they have decreased their pressure levels. A systematic review and statistical analysis of 9 studies published in the Nutrition Journal in 2017 indicated that high magnesium consumption was associated with a lower risk of blood pressure.
• A source of dietary fiber : one medium-sized red banana contains the equivalent of 16% of the recommended daily requirement of fiber, which is one of the types of carbohydrates that the body cannot digest, and helps increase the feeling of satiety and fullness for a longer period, and control weight.
• A source of vitamin B6 : One medium-sized red banana contains 20% of the daily amount of vitamin B6, and this vitamin is one of the water-soluble vitamins, that the body needs in protein metabolism, red blood cells, and in the formation of hemoglobin protein responsible for transporting oxygen to the cells of the body, and lack of intake of vitamin B6 may lead to anemia.
• Source of prebiotics : it is one of the types of dietary fiber that helps feed the beneficial bacteria in the human intestine, and it is a little fructose polysaccharide (English : Fructooligosaccharides), and inulin of the most famous types available in red bananas, and this prebiotics may help reduce bloating and constipation, and improve the health of the digestive system, a small study published in The Journal Nahrung/Food suggested that eating 8 grams of fructose oligosaccharides a day for two weeks increased the number of good bacteria in the body tenfold compared to not consuming them.

Nutritional value of red bananas

Each 100 grams of red banana fruit contains many nutrients shown in the following table :

The benefits of red banana peel

A laboratory study published in the Journal of Preclinical and Pharmaceutical Research in 2013 indicated that red banana peel extract has the highest antibacterial effect compared to extract of other colors of banana peel such as yellow or green, including bacteria of the type Psuedomonas citrii, and then Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (Latin : Staphylococcus aureus).

Overview of Red Bananas

Banana fruit is one of the most famous types of fruit around the world, and it contains many essential nutrients that have a role in maintaining the health of the human body, it is worth noting that there is another type of banana in Southeast Asia called red bananas, which is characterized by the color of its red outer skin, and its sweet taste when ripe, which may resemble the taste of ordinary bananas in addition to a little sweetness of the taste of berries, When ripe, this banana turns yellow-orange, while its pulp has an orange or pink color.

Red bananas differ from the regular type of banana in that they are shorter, larger, and more tender, and the red color of their peel is because they contain a derivative of anthocyanin compounds (Rutinoside), substances that give dye to food.

Read also : The benefits of coffee with milk