Examining the effects of diet on health is a very complex task. Our diet includes a large number of foods, which in turn contain a variety of nutrients. As if that weren’t enough, the composition of the same food can vary depending on its ripeness. The most obvious example of this is undoubtedly a fruit that we can find in our homes all year round: the banana.

“The most important meal of the day”.
It doesn’t end there. How nutrition affects us is also affected by our daily rhythms. We often hear that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, as it is the meal that gives us the first energy and nutritional support.

However, studies attempting to analyze this question often rely on investigating how often people eat breakfast, not on the nutrients each person consumes at their first meal of the day. This is indicated by a 2016 study published in the journal Nature. Advances in Nutrition.

The article reviews previous studies and finds some evidence that lower calorie intake at breakfast is associated with higher levels of obesity, but finds no strong evidence of how certain nutrients may be associated with better or worse health.

Rich in nutrients.
In any case, the banana offers us the compounds we will need today. Banana contains different ratios of three main macronutrients. 20% carbohydrates, 1.2% protein and 0.3% fat or lipid, respectively, according to Spanish Nutrition Foundation data.

These last two figures may seem small, but they outnumber other fruits such as oranges or apples that contain almost no lipids, and their protein contribution is 0.8% and 0.3%, respectively, according to data from the Spanish Nutrition Foundation.

Its contribution to lipids may be particularly important, as breakfasts rich in carbohydrates but low in fat can cause us to prematurely regain our appetite.

The nineteenth element.
But if there’s one nutrient we associate bananas with, it’s potassium. Potassium is an electrolyte that helps nerves and muscles work properly, thereby helping to keep your heart rate steady. It also helps to partially counteract some of the effects of sodium.

Bananas provide an average of 358 milligrams of potassium per 100 grams of product. It is not the only food rich in this element, we can find it in vegetables such as spinach or kale, tubers, and fruits such as vines and citrus fruits (for example, oranges provide about 200 mg of potassium per 100 g of sesame). fruit.

green banana vs ripe banana
There is another important factor that we mentioned earlier, and that is that not all bananas are created equal. In addition to having varieties (including small, dwarf, large, Canary banana, male banana, and red banana), the composition of the banana and with it the nutrients change. fruit ripens in our homes.

Bananas are usually consumed very often, they are already ripe. As the fruit ripens, carbohydrates are converted. Specifically, the starch in bananas is converted into simple sugars. Similar processes occur in all fruits, so as they ripen, they lose acidity and astringency, while gaining sweetness.

fiber.
The process also means that the banana loses its fiber content. What exactly is fiber is a difficult question to answer, but its first definition”[la parte] indigestible forming the cell wall in plants. The definition is changing as we discover more about the chemical and nutritional properties of different foods, but the key part is the fact that they are not digestible.

The high fiber levels in green bananas have advantages and disadvantages. For example, the starch in unripe bananas may be indigestible for some people. On the other hand, both resistant starch and other non-digestible components such as inulin can facilitate intestinal transit and therefore our health.

Important: what changes.
Bananas are an ideal food for breakfast, with possible exceptions such as in people with diabetes. It’s a practical food for those who don’t have time, so it’s better than no breakfast at all. It can also be a better option for breakfast than other fruits, as it can keep us satisfied longer and more due to its high fiber and fat content.

A fruit with a history.
Although the banana in Spain has always been associated with the Canary Islands, where most of the bananas we consume (and to a lesser extent Latin America) come from, its origin is actually in the eastern part of the peninsula. This fruit is thought to be native to India and from there it began to spread with the Muslim conquest. It would reach the islands in the fifteenth century and the Americas shortly thereafter, in the first decades of the sixteenth century.

The genres have changed a lot over the years and yet there may be changes. For example, the so-called “golden banana” could help alleviate malnutrition problems in some of the world’s poorest regions, located in regions favorable to growing this fruit.

Image | Yente Van Eynde