Unripe vs. Ripe Bananas

I was at the grocery store lately and the kids wanted some bananas.  We went to get some and Matthew said nevermind, I don’t want any bananas.  I asked him why he changed his mind and he said because they are to yellow and I only like green bananas.  Which got me thinking, are there any benefits or differences between eating a less ripe banana (more green/yellow green) and a more ripe banana (yellow/yellow with brown).  So I decided to do some quick research.  From what I found it looks like there are some differences, but nothing to drastic.

Upside of Green Bananas

One thing I think to be a benefit is that a less ripe banana has a lower sugar content, but has a higher starch content.  The higher starch in bananas is resistant starch which has a couple benefits.  First a resistant starch keeps us feeling full longer; plus it helps us burn fat quicker.  Also, there is a short chain of fatty acids in green bananas which is great for the intestines in our bodies.  This cell content of these chain fatty acids are eaten up by the cells that line our intestinal tract.  Which in turn keeps the intestine wall cells healthy and then they are better able to absorb other nutrients such as calcium more easily. 

Downside of Green Bananas

Let’s start with the less ripe banana.  A less ripe banana that has a more green or yellow green skin is much firmer.  Taking a bite of a green banana, will be more firm and could also be bitter as the banana isn’t as sweet since the sugars haven’t fully developed.  Also, a less ripe banana has particular proteins in that limit your body’s ability to digest the complex carbohydrates. 

Upside of Ripe Bananas

One thing that is definitely better (depending on your taste preference) is a ripe banana has a sweeter flavor and the texture is softer and not as bitter.  A more ripe banana is digested quicker than an unripe banana as the riper a banana the lower the level of resistant starch since the starch is converted to natural sugars as the banana ripens.   Also, one benefit of a ripe banana that I didn’t realize is that a ripe banana produces a substance called TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor).  This substance give ripe bananas anti-cancer qualities that fight abnormal cells.  The more dark patches/brown spots, the higher its immunity enhancement quality can be.

Downside of Ripe Bananas:

To me the one downside that stands out to me is the fact the sugar content of a more ripe banana is higher than a green banana.  So, if you have type 2 diabetes or in the pre-stage of having type 2 diabetes, you might want to stay away for consuming a riper banana.  Finally, there has been a study done that shows there are some micronutrients loss as a banana becomes riper.  But, if you like a riper banana, one way to decrease the amount of vitamins and minerals lost during the ripening process, store/ripen the bananas in the fridge.

Conclusion:

So, I guess it all comes down to what your taste preference is and are you a pre-type 2 diabetic?  If you are pre-diabetic it would be more beneficial to avoid the more ripe bananas when possible.  Below is a chart that summarizes the differences between unripe vs. ripe bananas.

I can’t say I don’t blame Matthew on his banana taste preference.  I myself would rather eat bananas when they are on the less ripe side and are more yellow green (stages 3 and 4 in the picture above) than bright yellow/yellow with brown (stage 6 & 7 in the picture above).  However, I will say the riper the banana the better when it comes to making bread, muffins or adding to my shakes – YUMMY!

	UNRIPE BANANAS	RIPE BANANAS
COLOR	Green	Yellow w/ Brown Spots
TEXTURE	Firm, waxy	Soft
TASTE	Bitter	Sweet, increased flavor
CARBS	40% Starch	8% Starch, 91% Sugar
GLYCEMIC INDEX	Low (takes longer to digest)	High (digests quickly)
CALORIES	About 90 (for a medium-sized banana)	About 90 (for a medium-sized banana)
BENEFITS	Feel fuller, burns fat faster, better for Type 2 Diabetics, more fiber	Anti-cancer quality, higher antioxidants

 I referenced the following sites during my research;  www.forlivingstrong.com and www.onegreenplanet.org.

Thanks for reading!

~Sarah Strubhar

Independent Team Beachbody Emerald Coach