Beautiful Bananas - Green, Yellow, Brown Offer Differing Benefits

Which Bananas Suit Your Body Best?

The other day I was a bit disappointed at the grocery store when they only had bright green bananas - not even a tiny spot of yellow on them!

Then I was led to read how bananas are healthy for people in any hue in the continuum of banana ripeness.

So which ripeness would be best for you?

It depends.

Cartoon Banana Conga Line in Varying Shades of Ripeness Created with Copilot Ai

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Which Bananas Are Healthiest for Your Body?

Each person's body has different needs, so it's important to know which banana ripeness is best for your body. As we age our bodies change and so do our nutritional needs. According to the research done by Copilot Ai here are the benefits of eating bananas in varying degrees of ripeness. However, you will definitely want to double-check the validity of this information, because Copilot Ai also believes that I live in another part of the world. 

Here's a summary of the benefits of bananas at different stages of ripeness: 

• Underripe Green Bananas: High in fibre, improve blood sugar control, promote gut health, and may help with weight loss¹. 
• Barely Ripe Light Green to Yellow  Bananas: High in fibre, low in carbs, and promotes blood sugar control. 
• Ripe Yellow Bananas with Brown Spots: Maximum micronutrients like potassium and vitamin B6, and antioxidants¹. 
• Very Ripe Bananas with More Brown Spots: Easier to digest, good for solo eating or inclusion in healthy foods¹. 
• Overripe Brown Bananas: Natural sweetness, can replace fats in baking, and full of antioxidants². The darkening of the banana skin from yellow to brown indicates a rise in antioxidant levels due to the breakdown of chlorophyll pigment⁷. These antioxidants are beneficial in preventing or delaying cell damage, which can lower the risk of diseases and improve the immune system.

When comparing overripe bananas to other antioxidant-rich foods, it's important to consider the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) value, which measures the antioxidant capacity of foods. Foods like sumac bran, cloves, and certain berries like blueberries and strawberries have been identified as having higher ORAC values¹. While overripe bananas are a good source of antioxidants, there are other foods with higher antioxidant densities.

It's beneficial to include a variety of these foods in your diet to maximize the potential health benefits.

Each stage offers unique health benefits, so you can choose based on your nutritional needs and taste preferences. For more detailed information, you can refer to the sources provided. 

Sources: 

• Source 1: Conversation 2 with Bing, 4/9/2024 (1) The ripeness of a banana could affect your health - MSN. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/nutrition/the-ripeness-of-a-banana-could-affect-your-health/ar-AA1j0plt. (2) An overripe banana is VERY good for health; here's why - India Today. https://www.indiatoday.in/lifestyle/health/story/an-overripe-banana-is-very-good-for-health-here-s-why-1203760-2018-04-03. (3) 25 Foods High In Antioxidants, Ranked By Actual Measurements. https://superfoodly.com/foods-high-in-antioxidants/. (4) Bananas: 11 Evidence-Based Health Benefits. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-benefits-of-bananas. (5) 14 Healthy Foods High in Antioxidants. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-high-in-antioxidants. (6) Best Antioxidant-Rich Foods - EatingWell. https://www.eatingwell.com/article/2051586/best-antioxidant-rich-foods/. (7) Why Are Overripe Bananas Good For You? - nutritionspurely.com. https://nutritionspurely.com/why-are-overripe-bananas-good-for-you/. (8) Life | Free Full-Text | Potential Health Benefits of Banana Phenolic .... https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13/2/332. 
• Source: Conversation 1 with Bing, 4/9/2024 (1) Banana Ripeness Stages: Health Benefits and Tips - Greatist. https://greatist.com/health/banana-stages-benefits. (2) Ripe And Unripe Bananas Have Different Health Benefits ... - ScienceAlert. https://www.sciencealert.com/nutritionists-explain-how-ripe-and-unripe-bananas-have-different-health-benefits. (3) Banana Ripeness: When To Eat Them for Maximum Nutrition. https://www.myfitfoods.com/Fit-Tips/banana-ripeness-when-to-eat-maximum-nutrition. (4) All About Bananas: Calories, Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits. https://aminoco.com/blogs/nutrition/banana-calories-nutrition-facts-benefits/

About This Author

Sister Su is grateful to God for keeping her alive. She is a Trent/Queen's Concurrent Education graduate with over 20 years of teaching experience. She writes on several blogs, has a YouTube channel and is most easily reached through Twitter @Sister_Su See her link tree for more details:@Sister_Su | Linktree

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