Admittedly, not many people eat green bananas like ripe ones. We love that sweet taste of ripe bananas in our mouths. But did you know there are more health benefits of green bananas than yellow ones?
Green bananas are healthier because of their high fiber content, which is why they are great for people with bowel and constipation problems. Also, green bananas have potassium which is great for people with high blood pressure. Boiled bananas are also good for you if you have diarrhea problems. Matoke bananas are good for weight management and digestive health and are rich in minerals and vitamins.
Well, there are more health benefits of raw bananas that you need to know. So, keep reading as I unveil each of them.
Let us get started
9 Health Benefits Of Green Bananas
It does not matter your preferred use of bananas; whether you want to boil them, deep fry, steam them, or mash them, the health benefits of green tomatoes will not be compromised. Curried and butter-fried bananas are also great, and so is green banana flour. Choose how you want to eat them; you will not have to worry about their nutritional value.
Below, I will mention before discussing a number of health benefits of green (unripe) bananas.
Green bananas:
- Are rich in fiber
- Aid in weight loss
- Lower cholesterol
- Are excellent for the stomach
- Boost kidney health
- Are great for heart health
- Contain vitamins
- Are rich in antioxidants
- Are free of gluten
Keep reading as I comprehensively discuss the above health benefits of unripened bananas.
Rich in Fiber
Green bananas have a high starch content. This form of starch is known as resistant starch. This starch works like the probiotic fiber, thereby making unripe bananas great for the growth of gut-friendly microbes. Prebiotic fiber goes into the large intestine instead of being digested in the stomach.
It is this fiber that the good bacteria in the gut feed on to boost the health of your gut. Consequently, the microbiome thrives as required.
In return, your digestive system stays healthy and functions accordingly, thereby keeping digestive problems at bay. So, since green bananas are a great source of prebiotics, add them to your diet at least once, twice, or thrice a week.
Weight Loss
Your body takes longer to digest fiber. Resultantly, you take longer to feel hungry. Cravings, therefore, get suppressed. Due to slower digestion, you never have to worry about unnecessary snacking that causes your weight to spike.
So, if you are looking for effective measures to lose weight, consider drinking a cup of lemon tea in the morning and (boiled) green bananas for lunch.
Lowers Cholesterol
One of the main health benefits of green bananas you do not want to miss is reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Since green bananas are a rich source of resistant starch, they keep cholesterol levels in check.
That means if you eat unripe green bananas regularly, you might lower the risk of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. That is equivalent to a long, healthy life!
Excellent For The Stomach
According to a study, the health benefits of green bananas linked to digestion are their dietary fiber content.
Though some might have a problem with the digestion of green bananas, for most, research shows that they relieve constipation problems in adults and have a therapeutic property that is great for children with diarrhea problems.
Further studies also show that green unripe bananas might help fight mucosal lesions in your stomach. Therefore, make it a habit of cooking green bananas often to keep your stomach healthy.
Heart Health
Did you know that your heart could be missing major health benefits of green bananas if you rarely eat them?
Well, green bananas contain potassium, which has a major role in ensuring good muscle movement, proper nerve functioning, and blood purification in the kidneys.
Eating green unripened bananas, therefore, aids in keeping heart diseases away due to potassium and dietary fiber content.
Also, the minerals found in potassium act as a vasodilator, which is responsible for lowering the tension or strain on your blood vessels and arteries.
This means green bananas are not only good for lowering blood pressure levels but also for preventing deadly diseases such as heart attacks and the risk of stroke.
Excellent Source of Vitamins
Are you looking for a vitamin-rich diet for healthy skin and good brain functioning? If taking lavender tea, which is also rich in vitamin C, is not your thing, start eating green bananas. Green bananas are rich in vitamin C and B6.
Eating green bananas will, therefore, boost healthy hair growth and improve your skin. Also, eating raw green bananas gives you a healthy immune system.
With Vitamin B6, your brain functions better, and your heart health improves. Besides, Vitamin B6 also converts food into beneficial energy. This vitamin helps to lower blood sugar levels. It also aids in the formation of hemoglobin.
Green bananas also contain vitamin A, which is vital in helping your body absorb iron from the foods you eat.
Therefore, you better start eating green bananas if you have not started doing so yet.
Rich in Antioxidants
The antioxidants found in green bananas help fight free radicals. They also protect healthy cells by preventing oxidative damage. Some cancers cannot grow in your body due to the antioxidants in green bananas.
Also, bioactive compounds are responsible for reducing inflammation in your body.
Other diseases that cannot thrive in the presence of the antioxidants found in green bananas are vision problems related to age.
Therefore, as your guardian ages, ensure she eats green bananas often to improve her vision. Also, green bananas are excellent for treating Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Free of Gluten
Has your doctor recommended a gluten-free diet? Worry not. One of the key health benefits of green bananas is protecting the small intestine if you have celiac disease. So, if you cannot think of another diet besides rye, wheat, and barley, which your doctor has warned against, consider green bananas the best healthy meal.
A diet of fresh goat meat and green bananas is delicious and healthy.
Therefore, lower your risk of intestinal damage by boiling green bananas for breakfast instead of eating a meal made from wheat. You probably need a little hot sauce to make it more delicious.
Boosts Kidney Health
As mentioned in this article, green bananas are an excellent source of potassium. Hence, they are excellent for the health of your kidney. Potassium prevents kidney problems and aids in balancing fluids in the body.
In addition, since green bananas also contain soluble fiber, they aid in removing waste and toxins from the body. This role is vital in the maintenance of good kidney health.
Can Green Bananas Upset Your Stomach?
Though green bananas have numerous health benefits, some people might have a stomach upset soon after eating them.
So, if you have a sensitive stomach, you might want to consult your doctor before eating green bananas.
Besides, raw green bananas contain allergy-causing proteins. If you are allergic to garlic and honey, you might as well want to start by eating only a small amount of green bananas and watch how your body reacts.
If you experience discomfort in your stomach after eating unripened bananas, you are allergic to them and should avoid eating them. However, only people whose bodies do not tolerate latex might have a problem with green bananas because they suffer from latex fruit syndrome.
Discomfort after eating green bananas might result from gas and bloating.
What Is The Nutritional Value Of Green Bananas?
As mentioned in this article, raw bananas are rich in many nutrients, for example, fiber, vitamins C and B6, and potassium. Below is a table of all the nutritional values of unripened green bananas.
| Nutrition | Value |
| Dietary fiber | 2.6 g |
| Protein | 1.09 g |
| Sodium | 1 mg |
| Iron | 0.26 mg |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.665 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 22.84 g |
| Phosphorus | 22 mg |
| Manganese | 0.27 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.073 mg |
| Energy | 89 kcal |
| Magnesium | 27 mg |
| Choline | 9.8 mg |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 0.334 mg |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.031 mg |
| Fat | 0.33 g |
| Potassium | 358 mg |
| Vitamin C | 8.7 mg |
| Zinc | 0.15 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 20 μg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.4 mg |
| Sugars | 12.23 g |
How To Eat Green Bananas
Now that you know the nutritional value and health benefits of green bananas, you might be wondering how best to eat them.
You can roast, boil, or steam green bananas. You can also deep fry them to make delicious chips. However, deep frying is not very good unless you want to add plenty of calories to your diet.
To make a delicious breakfast for your family, use green banana flour to make cakes, pasta, or bread.
Below, I will share the best green banana recipes. Keep reading.
Green Banana Kebab Recipe
If you have very green bananas in your house, try making a kebab to make them taste better. Not only is a green banana kebab easy to prepare, but it is also a great appetizer.
Green banana kebab is an excellent meal for vegans, and it is packed with antioxidants, dietary fiber, and other essential nutrients that are great for your gut. Here are the ingredients you need to make a flavorful green dish.
Ingredients
- 6 peeled green bananas (medium-sized)
- 1 tbsp cumin
- ½ tbsp garam masala powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp of chili powder
- ½ tsp ginger powder
- 3 pieces of chopped coriander leaves
- ½ garlic powder
- 1 sliced medium-sized onion
- ½ tsp salt (or enough to taste)
- 3 tbsp of grapeseed oil
Method
- Wash the bananas and boil them whole for about 15 minutes or until well softened; drain the water
- Allow the bananas to cool, and then blend or mash them properly and pour them into a bowl
- Into the bananas, add garam masala powder, cumin, chili powder, ginger, garlic, onion, and coriander, and thoroughly mix these ingredients
- Use your hands to mold small round balls as you place them aside on a plate
- Add enough shallow frying oil into a pan and heat well
- Add your molded kebabs into the hot pan and allow to fry until golden brown
- Set them aside on a plate to cool
Chutney Ingredients
- 1 chopped medium-sized onion
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- A pinch of salt
- 6 curry leaves
- 1 tbsp mustard seeds
- ¾ tsp turmeric powder
- ¾ tsp Kashmiri powder
- ½ tsp chili
- 2 grated garlic cloves
- 2 bunches of chopped coriander
- 4 blended or grated medium-sized ripe tomatoes
Method
- Add 1 tsp oil to a pan and allow to heat
- Add mustard seeds and allow to heat until they pop up
- Add onion, and cumin seeds, stir, and allow to cook until they are golden brown
- Add curry leaves and stir thoroughly and then add Kashmiri masala, turmeric, salt and stir again to blend all ingredients well
- Add tomatoes; stir thoroughly and bring to a boil on medium-high heat
- Lower the heat to low, and then add the green kebab to the chutney and stir gently to cover the tomatoes with the chutney
- Add coriander and garlic and stir
- That is a delicious, raw bananas kebabs; serve and enjoy!
Green Bananas With Coconut Milk Recipe
Besides the discussed health benefits of green bananas, for example, weight loss, you can add coconut milk to gain more benefits. Like green bananas, coconut oil also contains antioxidants that boost your health.
So, what is the procedure for cooking green bananas with coconut milk? Let me guide you through, starting with the ingredients you need.
Ingredients
- 7 green bananas
- 13.5 ounces of coconut milk
- 1 large onion, chopped
Method
- Add the chopped onions into a bowl and add coconut milk
- Add bananas (either peeled or in their skin) and add water
- Using medium heat, cook the bananas for about 30 to 40 minutes or until soft
- Once nicely softened, drain the water and allow the bananas to cool before removing the skin (if they were not peeled).
- Place a large saucepan on medium-high heat and add the coconut mixture and then add the bananas and stir thoroughly
- Cook the bananas until the milk becomes foamy
- Serve the delicious bananas in a bowl and enjoy while hot
FAQs
Why Green Bananas Are Healthier?
Green bananas are healthier than yellow bananas because of their high fiber content and resistant starch. Since resistant starch does not break down but ferments in the large intestine, better bacteria are created in the gut, thereby boosting your health.
Consequently, your body will digest food excellently, and constipation problems will become minimal.
Green bananas are also great for your health because they are low in cholesterol and lower the risk of colon cancer. Certain stomach problems such as diarrhea, gastric ulcers, bloating, and digestive tract bacterial infection minimize once you eat green bananas regularly.
So, should you eat green bananas every day?
Though green bananas have plenty of nutrients, it is not good to eat them every day, just like you should not eat frozen limes daily.
Therefore, eat bananas at least 3 or 4 times weekly to stay safe.
Is Boiled Green Banana Good For You?
If you have diarrhea, boiled green bananas are good for you. So, if you or your child has a recurrent diarrhea problem, try eating boiled bananas. In this case, though, I would recommend eating them without adding seasonings such as garlic, turmeric, and ginger.
Just add enough salt to taste and enjoy.
You do not have to eat boiled bananas only when you have diarrhea, though. Generally, boiled green bananas have all the nutrients you get when you fry or steam them. So, you get all the health benefits of green bananas when you boil them; for example, they boost heart, stomach, and kidney health and help you lose unhealthy body weight, among others.
Closing Line
If you have not started eating bananas in their raw form, you are missing out on many health benefits.
As discussed above, some of the health benefits of green bananas include help in boosting kidney, stomach, and heart health. Green bananas lower cholesterol and are an excellent option for people who want to lose weight. Besides, they are gluten-free and rich in antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins.
So, the next time you see a great deal of green bananas, consider their many benefits and the numerous options to make a delicious meal. Buy them.
