Green bananas and their health benefits
How often do you leave your bananas sitting on your counter top to ripen? The fruit certainly seems more appealing when it's softer and sweeter. But you might be missing out on bananas' health benefits by not eating them sooner, diet guru Dr Michael Mosley argued. That's because green bananas are made up of resistant starch, "which isn't readily broken down in the gut but acts more like fibre", according to the TV doctor.
Reducing the risk of cancer and liver disease
Writing for Mail Online, Dr Mosley said resistant starch doesn't give you as big of a blood sugar spike, because you absorb less of it. Foods containing it also "feed the friendly bacteria in your gut", he added. These bacteria are key because they "convert the resistant starch into a fatty acid called butyrate". According to the diet guru, butyrate can actually slash your skin of developing killer colon cancer, as well as benefiting your gut in other ways. Dr Mosley cited new research showing that the resistant starch found in green bananas and other foods can help your liver, as well as your gut.
Research on the benefits of resistant starch
Researchers at Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital in China conducted a study on 200 people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Dr Mosley noted that one in three Britons has early signs of this condition, which is associated with a raised risk of heart attack, stroke, and liver damage. The patients in the study had a resistant starch powder made from maize or corn twice a day for four months. Findings showed they had 40 percent less fat in their livers compared to those who didn't have the starchy powder at all. Participants eating the powder daily also had reduced levels of liver enzymes and inflammatory factors associated with the disease, Dr Mosley added.
Increase your consumption of resistant starch
If you're looking to reap the benefits of resistant starch, there's no need to resort to eating maize powder. "The good news is you can easily increase your consumption of resistant starch by eating oats, legumes, and green bananas," Dr Mosley wrote. Another good source of resistant starch is pasta - but not a freshly cooked bowl of it. Dr Mosley said cooking, cooling, and reheating rice, pasta, or potatoes can convert the carby staples into a gut and liver friendly starch. While reheating your pasta might seem like a faff, research also suggests that letting the comforting carb cool before tucking in can help with weight loss.
Other insights from Dr Mosley
Dr Mosley has previously revealed which of your favorite breakfast foods could be doing you more harm than good. He also shared a delicious drink that can usher you through your late night hunger pangs and help boost weight loss.
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