Nutritional value of banana

The nutritional value of any food crop depends on several variables such as growth stage climatic conditions, soil quality and of particular importance the genotype.

Healthy, filling and even already wrapped for the consumer, bananas are one of nature’s ideal foods and the world’s most popular fruit.

They are undoubtedly an extremely healthy food, and the healthy conscious late 1990s is a highly appropriate point at which to begin a study of the expanding international banana trade.

The pulp of banana consists essentially of sugar and is therefore easily digestible. The fruit is composed of approximately 70% water, 27% carbohydrate, 0.3% fat and 1.2% protein.

The total lipid content is low both in banana and plantain (less than 0.2%) and the energy the fruits provide is therefore not related to fat.

They are good sources of potassium and vitamin A. Bananas contain nearly all the essential vitamins – in particular vitamins C, B6 (pyridoxine), B2 (riboflavin) and folate – as well as magnesium.

Potassium is a vital mineral for muscle development and also helps to regulate blood pressure.

Bananas also contain a high level of natural sugar, in both their fresh and dried form, which they release quickly into the blood stream.

Each of 100 g of banana flakes contains 340 calories of energy, 2.8 mg of iron and 760 IU of vitamin A.
Nutritional value of banana

What are bioflavonoids?

Flavonoids or bioflavonoids are natural products widely distributed in the vegetable kingdom and currently consumed in large amounts in the average Western diet.

One called vitamin P, bioflavonoids are a group of natural substances in fruits, vegetables, flowers and grains. Fruit sources include lemons, grape fruit, oranges and to a lesser extent, limes. Other fruit sources are apricots, cherries, grapes, blackcurrant, plums, blueberries, blackberries, pears, and papayas.

They are water soluble. While they often appear as constituents of vitamin C, they are not present in synthetic forms of the vitamin.

Since most of them have a yellow. Orange color they are referred to as flavonoids, derived from the Latin word ‘flavus’ for yellow.

Some of the better-known flavonoids are hesperidin, rutin, naringin, according to the Foods & Nutrition Encyclopedia. Citrin is a flavone found primarily in citrus fruit. Hesperidin is a bioflavonoid found in the skins and peels of citrus fruits. Rutin occurs in buckwheat.
What are bioflavonoids?

Vitamins in Fruits

Fruits and vegetables provide excellent sources of nutrients, such as protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber as well as non-nutrient phytochemical such as sulfur-containing compounds.

Vitamins are organic nutrients that are usually required in small quantities. They play various roles in biochemical reactions in cells within the body.

Fresh fruits and vegetables contribute about 91% of vitamin C, 48% of vitamin A, 27% of vitamin B6, 17% of thiamin and 15% of niacin to Americans diet.

The following fruits are important contributors (based on their vitamin content and the amount consumed) to the supply of indicated vitamins in the U.S diets:

Vitamin A: apricot, peach, cherry orange, mango, papaya, persimmon, pineapple, cantaloupe, watermelon

Folate: strawberries, oranges, grapefruits

Pantothenic acid: plums

Vitamin C: strawberry, orange, grapefruit, kiwifruit, pineapple, banana, apple, cantaloupe, blackcurrant

Niacin: peach, banana, orange, apricot, plum

Riboflavin: banana, peach, orange, apple, avocado

Thiamin: orange, banana, grapefruit, apple

People who consume diets high in fruits have a lower risk for cardiovascular disease, most cancer types, diabetes and all-cause mortality. It is often assumed that vitamin in fruits are responsible for the protective effects of these foods.
Vitamins in Fruits