Banana is an edible fruit (come under genus Musa), produced by several kinds of herbaceous flowing plants. Banana is also used for cooking. People Also Read: Healthy Habits – To Stay Active and Happy
The fruit has a different color, sizes and firmness rich in starch covered with green, yellow, purple when ripe.
Banana grows in clusters hanging on top of the banana plant. Most of the fruit variety is seedless (parthenocarpic) which come from two wild species including Musa balbisiana, and Musa acuminate.
Scientific name of common edible and cultivated bananas are Musa x paradisiace, Musa balbisiana and Musa acuminate.
Description of Banana Plant:
- The banana plant is largest herbaceous flowering plants which are normally tall and sturdy.
- The plant has a trunk which is a false stem or known as pseudostem. The plant grows in a variety of soils.
- The banana fruits are developed from the banana heart which contains approximately 75% is water and 25% dry matter.
- Bananas have few percentage of the naturally radioactive property due to the presence of potassium content and small amounts of isotope potassium-40.
Nutrition Value of Banana:
Raw bananas contain water, protein, carbohydrates, and a small amount of fat. Bananas are rich in vitamins including Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin C.
Benefits of Banana:
- Banana contains many important nutrients. There are several types of bananas that may be varied in color, size, shape, and the most common type is the yellow banana. It contains fiber and several antioxidants. Read More: 11 Foods That Help You Stay Hydrated
Potassium: 9% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI).
Vitamin B6: 33% of the RDI.
Vitamin C: 11% of the RDI.
Magnesium: 8% of the RDI.
Manganese: 14% of the RDI.
Copper: 10% of the RDI.
Net Carbohydrate: 24 grams.
Protein: 1.3 grams.
Fiber: 3.1 grams.
Fat: 0.4 grams.
- Banana contains nutrients that help in maintaining the body blood sugar level. An unripe banana contains resistant starch that acts like escapes digestion and soluble fiber and helps in maintaining the blood sugar level.
- Banana can improve digestive health due to the presence of dietary fibers including pectin that decreases the banana ripens and resistant starch that found in unripe bananas.
- Banana may help in reducing weight loss like it has fewer amounts of calories, nutritious and rich in fiber. Eating more fruits and vegetables helps in reducing the body weight.
- Banana support in maintaining heart health as it contains potassium which is a mineral essential for heart health and controlling blood pressure.
- Banana also has several types of antioxidants including dopamine and catechins that are linked to several health benefits like reducing the risk of degenerative diseases and heart disease.
- Unripe bananas help in improving insulin sensitivity. [People Also Like: What Things Do You Do To Get Better Sleep?]