Every buyer knows: a banana can be either sweet, aromatic, with tender flesh, or tasteless and dry.
Many people are afraid to buy fruits with brown spots, believing that they have started to rot.
Most consumers are sure that we are supplied with either the worst varieties of bananas or, in general, fodder ones. In fact, this is, of course, not true.
To choose a sweet, melt-in-your-mouth banana, you need to remember a few rules. The peel should be yellow. If it is even slightly green, then it is an unripe fruit.
Brown spots are an indicator of ripeness, don’t be afraid of them.
A ripe sweet banana has no sharply defined edges.
If it is yellow, but the edges are clearly visible, this means that it was not allowed to ripen properly, the process was accelerated, and, therefore, it did not have time to accumulate sugar.
So, a ripe and sweet banana should be:
• yellow, with brown spots;
• almost smooth, without clearly defined longitudinal edges;
• no greenery.
Unscrupulous sellers often try to sell low-quality bananas.
Such fruits can be dangerous, especially for children. You should not buy bananas if they:
• began to rot;
• the peel has an unpleasant grey tint;
• cracked;
• turned black at the tip and cuts.
Composition and caloric content
Bananas contain B vitamins, beta-carotene, vitamins C, E, PP, A. They are rich in potassium, manganese and magnesium.
Contains iron, zinc and calcium in small quantities.
The caloric content of bananas is quite high – 96 calories per 100 grams. This means that the average fruit will weigh about 80-90 kcal.
The protein content is 1.5 grams, fat is 0.5 grams, and carbohydrates are 21 grams. Bananas contain dietary fiber and starch.
Who are they useful for?
Banana is rich in potassium, which removes excess fluid from the body. The pulp does not irritate the gastric mucosa, so it is included in the diet for ulcers and gastritis with high acidity.
Nursing mothers, especially those who have little milk, can safely eat these fruits, as bananas increase lactation.
True, there is one condition: they must be ripe. You don't have to worry about your baby's tummy - banana does not affect the quality of milk.
In case of hyperlactation, on the contrary, it is better to exclude them from the diet.
Banana is useful for people suffering from heart disease, as it contains potassium and magnesium, which are essential for the heart.
Bananas are also good for expectant mothers, especially if they are prone to edema. But don't get too carried away, because they are very high in calories.
Ripe tropical fruit is a source of fast carbohydrates.
This means that a banana snack is well suited for those who have hard work ahead of them, a long journey, and other activities that require a lot of energy.
Like other white fruits or vegetables, banana removes bad cholesterol and lowers blood pressure.
Harm of banana
No matter how useful bananas are, they also have contraindications. Ripe fruits should not be eaten by people with diabetes.
Those who are prone to blood clots and varicose veins can eat bananas, but only occasionally.
Many people give bananas to very small children. It is not advisable to do this.
Some people tolerate it well, but some babies may get tummy pain, because it is an exotic fruit and the body is not familiar with it.
Pediatricians do not recommend giving bananas to children under 3 years old. And even more so, you can’t feed them to babies under one year old.
Bananas should not be washed down with large amounts of cold water, as this can cause severe bloating.
Earlier we talked about when it is better to eat strawberries : in the morning or in the evening.
