Europe's love affair with bananas: Benefits and buying tips

The name "banana" comes from the Arabic language, where it literally means "finger," aptly describing the fruit's shape. Europeans particularly value bananas for their taste and nutritional content. Bananas are rich in carbohydrates, making them an excellent energy source. They also contain vitamin C, vitamin B6, and potassium, which help regulate blood pressure and muscle function. The fiber in bananas supports digestion, and tryptophan effectively enhances mood.

Bananas come in many different varieties. The popular yellow bananas in Europe can be eaten raw, but there are also plantains, or cooking bananas, which are primarily used in Asia and South America as staple foods. They are hard to digest raw, but after cooking, they offer a slightly creamy taste and velvety texture.

There are also textile bananas, grown mainly for their fibers. Additionally, banana leaves are used for animal feed and roofing. In India, banana flowers are cooked and consumed like vegetables.

Bananas are energy-rich fruits, containing between 88 and 95 calories per 100 g (approx. 3.5 oz). Thanks to their fast-digesting sugars, they provide immediate energy, making them very popular among athletes. They also contain a large amount of potassium with low salt content, which is vital information for those with high blood pressure. Furthermore, bananas are rich in fiber, which favors the gut's bacterial flora, aiding with both constipation and diarrhea. The riper the banana, the more sugar and less starch it contains.

Additionally, bananas can balance the stomach's acidic pH, preventing heartburn and stomach ulcers. The tryptophan they contain is converted by the body into serotonin, or the happiness hormone, which is crucial for mental well-being. It is also needed for better and more efficient rest. Women suffering from PMS can improve their well-being by consuming bananas. They also contain vitamin B6, which helps regulate blood sugar levels.

Research indicates that regular consumption of bananas can reduce the risk of premature death by nearly 30%.

To keep bananas fresh longer, it is worth hanging them on a hook. In this way, they will remain edible for much longer compared to being laid flat. Moreover, bananas should not be stored in the refrigerator, as they do not tolerate low temperatures. Be mindful of what they are stored near; for example, apples accelerate banana ripening, so if you want your bananas to last longer, keep them away from apples.

The color of bananas affects their properties; for example, green bananas are hard to digest and contain toxins that disappear during ripening. Yellow bananas are much easier to digest and rich in nutrients. Although brown ones contain more sugar, they are also richer in vitamin B6.

In supermarkets, different types of bananas are available: traditional, organic, and Fairtrade. It is worth paying attention to this because traditional bananas are often sprayed with thiabendazole (TBZ), a chemical that can penetrate the pulp. To avoid harmful substances, it's advisable to choose organic bananas.

When buying bananas, it's better to avoid those with mechanical damage or a white tip, which may indicate excessive use of chemicals. People with diabetes should also avoid ripe bananas due to their high sugar content.

In countries where bananas are grown, labor rights can differ greatly from those in Europe. This often results in very low wages and workdays extending up to 15 hours. Workers are also frequently exposed to chemicals, which can have severe health consequences. The Fairtrade certificate indicates that certain social, economic, and environmental criteria were observed during production.

Source: chip.de.