Banana - Delicious and So Nutritious
Bananas are one of the most popular tropical fruits in the world. Often eaten fresh by themselves, or added to yogurt, fruit salads, shakes, smoothies or baked goods, they are a convenient snack food that is both delicious and nutritious. Consuming bananas is a great way to add vital nutrients and fiber to your diet. Known for being rich in potassium, bananas are relatively low in calories, nutrient-dense and may help promote weight management.
Continue reading to learn more about bananas and the potential health benefits they provide ...
General Information
The banana fruit is botanically classified as a berry. It grows in bunches from large herbaceous flowering plants belonging to the genus Musa, which is native to the Indomalayan region and Australia.1
There are hundreds of edible varieties of bananas, falling into two major classifications: dessert bananas, which are eaten fresh, and plantains, which are firmer and starchier and are cooked before consumption. In most parts of the world dessert bananas are the most commonly eaten, particularly the Cavendish group.
Bananas vary in size, shape, firmness and color, but they are generally elongated and curved, with a soft starchy flesh covered by an inedible outer covering, or peel. Depending on the variety, banana peels can be green, red, pinkish, purple, brown or yellow when ripe. The most popular varieties are yellow, which are green when unripe.
Nutrients and Benefits
Bananas are packed with the following beneficial compounds:
- Fiber, in the form of pectin and resistant starch, helps improve digestion, helps keep cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels in check, helps control appetite and promotes satiety, which is beneficial to weight management.
- Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are naturally occurring calorie-free sugars that promote the growth of beneficial intestinal microflora and improve digestion.
- Easily digested carbohydrates, making it a perfect food for athletes.2
- A very rich source of potassium, which helps regulate heart function and is essential for vascular, kidney and bone health.
- Significant amounts of vitamin C and B6, magnesium, manganese and copper.
- Powerful antioxidants like catechins, which help support heart health.
- An excellent source of the amino acid tyrosine, which helps regulate and boost dopamine. Dopamine positively effects mood and decision-making.
Product Specifications/Applications
NP Nutra has three premium Banana Powder products:
Banana Freeze-dried Powder, a partly soluble, light yellow powder that is certified Kosher and Food grade and produced in a BRC certified facility.
Banana Juice Powder, a mostly soluble, fine yellow powder that is certified Kosher and Food grade and produced in an ISO 22000 certified facility.
Banana Powder (organic), a mostly soluble, yellow to white powder that is certified Organic, Kosher and Food grade and produced in a BRC certified facility.
Our banana powders can be used in functional foods and beverages, dietary supplements, sports nutrition products and pet foods. Contact us for a free sample and further product information.
Reference:
1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana
2 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-benefits-of-bananas
