Bananas are one of the most famous and popular fruits worldwide. It is the main food of athletes and known for its contribution in fiber and potassium.
As with many other fruits and vegetables, there are different varieties, although all of them have a very similar nutritional relationship, but slightly change the flavor.
In this article we have compiled 15 different varieties to know them thoroughly, as well as the main benefits we can get from all of them.
As a curiosity to tell you that not all of them are sweet, as is the case of the male banana.
Table of Contents
Health Benefits of Bananas
Bananas offer numerous health benefits. At the mineral level, its contribution in magnesium and potassium is very interesting, since they have direct activity with the nervous system and muscle building.
In turn, they also regulate physiological pH and help maintain body fluid balance.
We must also count on the high contribution of starch that bananas have, especially before their optimal ripening, where it begins to accumulate other types of sugars.
Their starches are converted to sugar as they mature. If you eat your bananas before they’re fully ripe, you’ll reap the benefits of different types of healthy starch. [See more information]
Starch is transformed into glucose after the metabolization process, so that we can use it as a quick source of energy. That is why many athletes use it as a source of fuel when performing physical activities of great effort.
The starch in bananas is also very interesting since it positively influences the development of different types of bacteria in the small intestine, in addition to its source of fiber.
On this website we always look for foods rich in antioxidants, and in this case it has been the turn of the banana, where various scientific sources have found interesting elements such as carotenoids and phenolic compounds that reduce oxidative damage at the cellular level. [See more information]
It is also interesting to know that banana contains active compounds that act as essential neurotransmitters for proper blood pressure, mood and heart rate. Among them are the following:
- Dopamine
- Noradrenaline
- Serotonin
Nutritional information for Bananas
This is the nutritional composition of a banana in perfect state of ripeness:
- Energy: 89 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Proteins: 1 g
- Fats: <1 g
Vitamins
- Vitamin A: 1% of QOL
- Vitamin B6: 18% of QOL
- Vitamin C: 15% of QOL
Minerals
- Potassium: 10% of QOL
- Magnesium: 7% of QOL
Cooking bananas are richer in provitamin A and vitamin C , as well as carbohydrates and calories. The two types share similar amounts of most other nutrients ( 2 , 3 , 7 ).
SUMMARYCooking bananas, also known as bananas, are more starchy and high in carbohydrates than dessert bananas, which are sweet and usually eaten raw.
There is a great diversity of bananas focused on dessert due to their high concentration of starch and sugars.
Many of them have differences in color and appearance, and many of them can be found in a variety of supermarkets.
1. Cavendish type: one of the most commercialized varieties of almost all countries, as it offers excellent transport and conservation measures.
2. Banana apple: with a more rounded appearance and with little length, comes its name to the famous apple, where this banana also has a similar reddish color.
3. Apple banana: its name refers to the characteristic color and shape of its fruits. It is a variety widely consumed for dessert in the Tropics area.
4. Red banana: the most remarkable thing about this type of banana is its characteristic color, a mixture between red and csmell wine on the skin. Once peeled, the meat has a fantastic sweet taste and also has a slight pinkish color.
5. Gros Michel: it is also known to exporters and consumers as Big Mike. Its production plummeted due to its sensitivity to soil fungi that affected most plantations.
6. Hands praying: a very exotic type of banana that gives its name because in the bunch they are very grouped and united, simulating joined hands praying. Consumers appreciate this variety for its sweetness and a small vanilla aroma.
7. Lady Finger: a type of banana of small dimensions (usually not exceeding 10 cm), thin skin, easy to peel and quite creamy meat.
8. Java Blue: its name is given by the slight bluish color that its skin has when it is collected.
9. Golden finger: this variety is highly marketed in recent years in Latin American countries, highlighting Honduras. They are small in appearance, yellowish in color and are attached to the main stem, hence their name is related to the fingers.
10.Banana Mysore: Mysore is slightly wider than the traditional Cavendish variety. Its consumption is widespread in India. Its skin is thin and has a somewhat less sweet taste than other varieties, being slightly acidic.
Types of bananas for cooking
Among the almost 1000 total varieties of types of bananas and bananas existing in the world, there are many that are not characterized for consumption in dessert, since they accumulate less sugars.
In many countries in Latin America and Southeast Asia, it is common to use different types of bananas for salty recipes.
Therefore, they offer a neutral, slightly sweet flavor once it is tasted. They can be cooked fried, boiled or baked.
The most common varieties of bananas for cooking are as follows:
11. Male banana: one of the most recognized and consumed varieties for cooking worldwide. Highly valued in Latin America and even in the United States.
12. Orinoco Banana: a variety of quite thick and angular shape, very recognized for its characteristic flavor and with good skills to be fried or roasted.
13. Bluggoe Banana: it contains an important source of starch, with an angular shape and ending in point.
14. Banana Fei: it has a yellowish tone that it labels coppery when it matures. It is a type of banana of quite thick that can also be consumed fresh.
15. Rhino Horn Banana: a variety of large dimensions, stretched and of little thickness. Its origin is African.
