Why Green Bananas Are Great for Diabetics

Green bananas are good for diabetes management, making them an excellent choice in a diet for diabetics. Read on to learn why green bananas are beneficial for diabetes.

How Green Bananas Affect Your Blood Sugar

The carbohydrate complex of green bananas is mainly in the form of resistant starch (RS) and pectin, which can’t be digested in the small intestine. Therefore, it has a low glycemic index of 30 and doesn’t raise your blood sugar level too much.

Pectin is a type of soluble fiber with thickening properties that help delay carbohydrate digestion and glucose absorption. This is essential in diabetes management solutions and makes green bananas one of the diabetes fruits to eat.

However, as the banana starts to ripen, these carbs convert into sugars such as sucrose, fructose, and glucose which can increase your blood sugar levels. Therefore, even though green bananas are great for diabetics, ripe bananas or yellow bananas should be taken in moderation.

Benefits of Green Bananas for Diabetics

Green bananas contain the following beneficial components:

Potassium

Potassium helps the body store glucose in the liver and muscles as glycogen. Those who have diabetes are usually insulin resistant and are known to have low potassium levels, making it an essential nutrient for diabetics (1).

Vitamin B6

Also known as pyridoxine, vitamin B6 supplementation has been reported to significantly reduce the progression of diabetic complications and even help prevent insulin resistance (2). A new study has also stated that B6 supplementation during pregnancy can lower the risk of gestational diabetes and the onset of diabetes in later life (3).

Resistant Starch

Green bananas are good for diabetics because the undigested resistant starch is gut microbe friendly, which can help you better manage diabetes.

Medical Disclaimer

The information provided by DarioHealth Corp. programs is general in nature and is not meant to replace the advice or care you get from your doctor or other health care professional.

Resources

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3197792/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4735993/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7279184/

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