Bananas are widely grown and consumed in Kenya
and all over Africa, by people of all walks of
life. Bananas benefits are several as they are delicious, nutritious and medicinal.
They are among the most important staple foods in Kenya
and entire East Africa. The crop is grown both
for local and export market. When unripe this nutritious medicinal fruit , primarily
contains starch which makes up 21% of the fruit .However, during the ripening
process the starch is converted into sugars such as glucose, sucrose and
fructose and therefore a ripe fruit has 1%
starch only. This food is rich in potassium making it ideal for prevention of
stroke, arterial hypertension, and colon cancer. Nutritional components of
cooking Bananas for every 100g edible portion include:-
NUTRIENT | AMOUNT | NUTRIENT | AMOUNT |
Potassium | 396mg | Vitamin B6 | 0.58mg |
Phosphorous | 20mg | Vitamin C | 9mg |
Magnesium | 29mg | Vitamin B2 | 0.1mg |
Calcium | 6mg | Vitamin B1 | 0.045mg |
Iron | 0.31mg | Vitamin B3 | 0.74mg |
Energy | 92kcal | Vitamin E | 0.27mg |
Zinc | 0.16mg | Vitamin A | 8ug RE |
Carbohydrates | 21g | Foliate | 19.1ug |
Fiber | 2.4g |
Likewise Vitamin B2 helps in energy metabolism, supports normal vision and skin health. Vitamin E is an antioxidant, protecting white and red blood cells membranes. Vitamin E is useful particularly in DNA synthesis and stimulation of the body's immune system. Bananas are very useful for management of diarrhea, stomach ulcers, digestive disorders, protein allergies, colitis and coronary heart disease. Bananas alkalize the blood and eliminate excess uric acid preventing arthritis and gout. Due to its content of soluble and insoluble fiber it’s a cholesterol and lipid lowering food. The sugars contained in bananas are absorbed by the body gradually, therefore preventing sharp rise in blood sugar level making it good for diabetes management. Bananas are also invaluable for strengthening the stomach lining.