The Banana Ripeness Secret No One Tells You That Could Transform Your Health Goals

"As a banana ripens, its nutritional content - the amount of sugar, starch, and vitamins - changes. Meaning, if you need more sugar before a workout, or less sugar because of diabetes, you may want to eat your banana at a certain ripeness level. Ahead, registered dietitians share the various ripeness levels, what a banana looks like at each stage, and the health conditions or goals that are best addressed at each level of ripeness."

"Bananas at this stage look green; they're firm and difficult to peel. "This stage has the highest resistant starch and low sugar content," said Avery Zenker, a registered dietitian at MyCrohnsAndColitisTeam. The benefits of resistant starch are many, including helping to feed healthy gut bacteria that reduce inflammation and keeping blood sugar levels stable, according to Zenker. It's also digested more slowly, which can keep you full for longer."

""Resistant starch acts very similarly to fiber, which means it's fermented in the gut (so it fuels your good gut bacteria) and it can be helpful for blood sugar control," added registered dietitian Amanda Sauceda, a nutrition lecturer at California State University, Long Beach. While good gut bacteria and blood sugar management are generally important for your health, they may apply to some individuals more than others."

Unripe green bananas are firm and difficult to peel and have the highest resistant starch with low sugar. Resistant starch feeds beneficial gut bacteria, reduces inflammation, stabilizes blood sugar, and is digested slowly to increase fullness. Slightly riper bananas have more sugar and less resistant starch. Very ripe bananas have high sugar content useful for quick energy, like pre-workout, but less suitable for blood glucose control. Choosing banana ripeness can support goals such as blood sugar management, improved microbiome balance, digestive symptom management, or immediate carbohydrate needs for activity. People with insulin resistance, prediabetes, or Type 2 diabetes may benefit from less ripe bananas.

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