Why You Should Eat Green Bananas
Hello friends. How is everyone doing? Hope you guys are having a fantastic day and if you didn’t, remember there is always a next day to try again. 🙂
We are in rainy season here in the Caribbean and even though some days are nice and cool, I rather sunny days where I can spend some days at the beach relaxing a little bit and seeing my baby crab friends hiding from me all over the sandy beach.
But let’s get into the blog post of the day, shall we?
When I moved to the Caribbean many years ago, it took me a while to adapt to a new culture and way of doing things. Some of these changes include foods I would never think of eating like Umm… GREEN BANANAS! (I know!)
I mean, I get it. When someone thinks about green bananas the first thing that comes to your mind is: Are you nuts? Why in the world would you eat unripe bananas?
However, these little bananas called “green figs” in the Caribbean are not your regular bananas. They never turn bright yellow so you must cook them in order to enjoy them. Most of the time, we add these tiny little baby bananas in soups, pies and salads. They are absolutely scrumptious! I have some growing in my backyard as I type this, and I cannot wait to add them to my veggie soups.
But you came here to find out WHY you should eat green bananas so here it goes:
FIBER AND POTASSIUM
Green bananas are loaded with fiber and resistant starch which would help with digestion and bowel movement. They also help prevent harmful bacteria in the gut (colon cancer).
One of the main differences between a yellow banana and one of these greenie friends is that the starch begins to break down into sugar as the banana matures (turn yellow). Therefore, unripe bananas are good for anyone who might have blood sugar related-problems because they cause blood sugar to rise at a slower pace.
Everyone always say “Bananas are full of potassium” but what is potassium and why is it good for us? Potassium is a mineral that is found in certain foods. The body doesn’t produce it. Therefore, it is an essential mineral in our body function.
Potassium regulates electrical impulses that control muscle movement, nerves and also helps with proper heart function. Green bananas are full of potassium! A 1-cup serving of boiled green bananas contains 531 milligrams of potassium. They also provide an adequate amount of minerals like magnesium, zinc, iron and phosphorous.
FOR YOUR HEART
Except for congenital heart diseases, we all know cardiovascular related-problems could be avoided and treated with the right kind of diet. Green bananas takes good care of your heart by lowering bad cholesterol (how cool is that?) as well as high blood pressure. You gotta thank Mr. Fiber for that one.
Mr. Fiber also helps increase the good cholesterol level by as much as 25%-30%. So basically by controlling cholesterol and blood pressure in your body, our little green friends prevent the buildup of plaque in our arteries and help prevent heart attacks and other cardiovascular issues.
BOOSTS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
We all know how important is to take care of our bodies. Having a strong immune system is key to fight diseases, viruses and bacteria that are constantly around us in what I call “attack- mode”.
One of the most important vitamins I make sure to always have is Vitamin C, it is a super powerful antioxidant (it possesses the ability to counter-attack viruses and bacteria and destroy them) and does a tremendous job at boosting your immune system.
Well guess what? Green bananas are a super-rich source of vitamin C so if you want to stay healthy and strong (disease-free) make sure to get some beautiful and delicious green bananas in your diet.
FOR YOUR EYES
Green bananas are a rich source of Vitamin A which is essential for healthy eyes and skin. When you lack Vitamin A, it can lead to poor vision and eye infections. I used to wear glasses before (I used to have bad headaches as well as some vision related-problems) but since I changed my lifestyle completely, I don’t need the glasses anymore and I no longer suffer with headaches. I couldn’t be happier!
For the skin, Vitamin A helps improve the health of your skin, and even relieve some skin-related allergies. Also, due to the high amount of vitamin C present in green bananas, it prevents the oxidation damage to your cells. In other words you won’t be seeing too many wrinkles or fine lines as long as you keep eating those green bananas. 😉
COOKING TIPS
In order to boil green bananas, you need to place the “green figs” unpeeled in a normal pan, cover with lots of water and add a little salt.
Some people suggest adding one tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pot to prevent it from darkening during the cooking process but to be honest; I rather deal with the pot than use oil in my cooking.
Bring to a boil and let it cook until tender in the center. Drain and peel by cutting off the top and bottom pieces and peeling off the skin which should come away easily.
Did you ever eat green bananas? How do you like them? Let me know in your comments below. And if you would like me to share other ways to cook green bananas, just say the word!
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