Many restaurants in Kigali have green bananas as part of their buffet or food menu. The bananas can be steamed, boiled, deep-fried, mashed and curried. Green or ‘unripe’ bananas, commonly known as ‘Igitoki’ in Kinyarwanda, are simply unripe bananas. Nutritionists say they contain many health benefits although some people do not like their taste. Joseph Uwiragiye, head of nutrition department at University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), says green bananas are full of fibre and are good for people with digestive and bowel problems. He says the fruit contains many nutrients that can be received in its raw and ripe forms— as yellow banana. According to him, bananas are loaded with potassium, which acts as a vasodilator. “Potassium helps in regulating blood pressure levels. It is a powerhouse of nutrients that works effectively for diabetics. It enables slow release in sugar,” he says. GOOD FOR OVERALL HEALTH He adds that because of the fibre in them, they play an essential role in ensuring digestive health as well as the health of the heart. He explains that fibre adds bulk to the stool, aiding bowel regularity and facilitating smooth digestion. Consuming foods rich in fibre helps to maintain blood sugar levels. Fibre also ensures low cholesterol levels, which in turn reduces the risk of stroke or attack. Just like the ripe bananas, Gerald Ruzindana, a health and wellness specialist at Amazon Nutrition Cabinet, in Kigali, says green bananas are extremely rich in potassium. He says potassium plays an essential role in proper kidney function. It helps regulate fluid balance, muscle contractions, and nerve signals. What’s more, he says, a high-potassium diet, such as that found in green bananas, may help reduce blood pressure and water retention, protect against stroke and prevent osteoporosis and kidney stones. Ruzindana says that green bananas are a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. In addition to potassium, he says raw bananas are a rich source of vitamin C. It also facilitates the absorption of essential minerals and nutrients, especially calcium. “They are also full of dietary fibres. Fibres take the longest to digest, which in turn induces the feeling of satiety and fullness. When you feel full, your cravings are suppressed and you don’t go out bingeing on other fattening foods,” he says. Apart from that, Uwiragiye says raw bananas are a good source of resistant starch. Resistant starch is a type of starch that isn’t fully broken down and absorbed by the body during the time of digestion. It is turned into short-chain fatty acids by intestinal bacteria. “Resistant starch helps keep cholesterol in check. The rich fibre content of raw bananas can help ease conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and constipation; having them steamed or boiled is the way to go,” he says. Uwiragiye explains that steamed or boiled green bananas are some of the healthiest ways to eat green bananas, noting that frying raw bananas can amount to excess calorie load. Green bananas are also high in vitamin B-6. Uwiragiye says that vitamin B-6 plays an important role in more than 100 enzymatic reactions in the body. It is also necessary for the formation of haemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen in the body. Additionally, vitamin B-6 aids in blood sugar control. “Because of a high content of potassium in unripe bananas, he says the mineral is very important, needed for better muscle movement, proper functioning of nerves, and purifying of blood by the kidneys,” he says. Besides, he says the unripe bananas are one of the best foods for friendly and good bacteria. This bacteria, he says, lives in the intestines, and that when one consumes green bananas, they are able to achieve a healthier digestive tract and stomach. For those with diarrhoea problems, Ruzindana says consuming the bananas can help prevent or treat the condition. “Consuming them on a regular basis helps prevent and treat diarrhoea at the same time. This problem is caused by a virus, bacteria, or parasitic infection and when green bananas are consumed, they help fight off the germs causing the infection,” he says. On top of this, he says the green bananas can also help prevent the symptoms of diarrhoea which are nausea, headache, abdominal cramps, and fatigue among others. editorial@newtimesrwanda.com
