Green bananas, often overlooked in favor of their sweeter, yellow counterparts, are packed with gut-healing resistant starch and fiber. Ripe bananas provide quick energy and antioxidants, while overripe ones are gentlest for sensitive stomachs. Even more startling? A groundbreaking study reveals green bananas may slash cancer risk by over 60% in high-risk individuals. Here’s the science-backed truth.
Unripe bananas are a staple in traditional diets worldwide, often cooked like vegetables. Their high resistant starch content acts as a prebiotic, feeding beneficial gut bacteria. "Due to the high fiber intake, an unripe banana is going to be most beneficial for digestion," says registered dietitian Courtney Pelitera. "It helps promote regular bowel movements and improve the gut microbiome."
But the benefits go further. A 2024 Japanese study found women eating two bananas daily saw improved gut health markers. Even more compelling? A UK study published in Cancer Prevention Research revealed that resistant starch equivalent to one green banana daily reduced upper gastrointestinal cancers by 60% in Lynch syndrome patients. "We found that resistant starch reduces a range of cancers by over 60%," said Professor John Mathers, a nutrition expert at Newcastle University. The effect lasted a decade after participants stopped the regimen.
Green bananas also stabilize blood sugar. A 2019 trial in the British Journal of Nutrition showed green banana pulp lowered HbA1c and blood pressure in diabetics. Their low glycemic index makes them ideal for metabolic health, unlike the sugar-laden snacks pushed by processed food giants...<<<Read More>>>...
