Banana bounty: Europe's appetite for a versatile superfood

The name "banana" comes from the Arabic language and literally means "finger," which quite accurately corresponds to the shape of the fruit. They are valued, especially by Europeans, for their taste and nutritional value. Bananas are rich in carbohydrates, which makes them an excellent energy source. They also contain vitamin C, B6, and potassium, which help regulate blood pressure and muscle function. Thanks to fibre, they support digestion, and tryptophan effectively improves 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 mainly used in Asia and South America as a staple food. They are hard to digest raw, but they delight with a slightly creamy taste and velvety texture after cooking.

There are also textile bananas, grown primarily for their fibres. Additionally, banana leaves are used as animal feed and for 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. 4 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, important information for people with high blood pressure. Furthermore, bananas are rich in fibre, which favours the gut's bacterial flora, helping with both constipation and diarrhoea. The riper the banana, the more sugar and less starch it contains.

Furthermore, a banana can balance the acidic pH in the stomach, thereby 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. 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. You should also be cautious about 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 colour 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, and although brown ones contain much more sugar, they are also richer in vitamin B6.

In supermarkets, different types of bananas are available: traditional, organic, and Fairtrade. It's 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 worth choosing 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, labour rights differ from those in Europe. This results in very low wages and work extending up to 15 hours a day. Workers are often also exposed to chemicals, which can frequently have health consequences. The Fairtrade certificate indicates that certain social, economic, and environmental criteria were observed during production.

Source: chip.de.