Bananas are one of the most popular fruits worldwide. In fact, they’re so popular that over 150 countries cultivate over 105 million tonnes of them every year. Live Love Fruit online portal wrote.
Most of us are familiar with the distinctly yellow bananas sold in the United States and Canada (aka. Cavendish bananas). But there are many other varieties, like the blue java banana, which some of us have never seen, let alone even heard of before.
Blue Java Bananas
The Blue Java banana, otherwise known as the Ice Cream banana, Hawaiian banana, Ney Mannan, Krie or Cenzio, are rather chubby, and can get as big as 7 inches long. The skin is blotchy, silvery-blue and the flesh is creamy white.
The Blue Java is a hardy, cold tolerant banana cultivar, and is known for its sweet, aromatic fruit that is said to have a consistency similar to ice cream and flavor reminiscent of vanilla.
Blue Java bananas originated in Southeast Asia, and are prevalent throughout the Hawaiian islands. In Hawaii it is known as the ‘Ice Cream banana’ and in Fiji as the “Hawaiian banana’. It is also called ‘Krie’ in the Philippines and ‘Cenizo’ in Central America.
The Blue Java is apart of the ABB Group of bananas, meaning that it contains one set of chromosomes donated by Musa acuminata and two by Musa balbisiana. When unripe, they exhibit a characteristic silvery blue color, and then turn a pale yellow when fully ripe.
While the Blue Java banana is edible raw when fully ripe, many countries who grow these bananas prefer them fried, baked or otherwise – similar to the way plantains are often cooked.
Health Benefits of Blue Java Bananas
Similar to Cavendish bananas, blue java bananas possess many similar benefits. They contain a fair amount of fiber, as well as several antioxidants that help boost the immune system. They’re rich in vitamin B6 and C, and contain plenty of potassium, magnesium, copper, manganese, and protein.
With that being said, here are some of the top benefits of Blue Java bananas.
1. Moderate Blood Sugar Levels
Blue Java bananas come with pectin (a type of fiber) and resistant starch (when not fully ripe). Both pectin and resistant starch may moderate blood sugar levels after meals and help reduce appetite by slowing the emptying of your stomach. Bananas also rank low to medium on the glycemic index (GI), which means they should not cause major blood sugar spikes in healthy individuals.
2. Improve Mood
Blue Java bananas are a rich source of vitamin B6, which is necessary for helping the body to synthesize its own serotonin. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamin B6 in adults is 1.3 milligrams (mg). One medium banana contains around 0.4 mg of vitamin B6, so if you made a smoothie, or delicious banana ice cream with 2-3 Blue Java’s, you’d be getting over 75% of your RDA of vitamin B6. Not bad for a mood improver!
3. Improve Digestive Health
Bananas contain non-digestible fibers like cellulose, hemicellulose and alpha-glucans, which helps prevent constipation and restores and maintains regular bowel function. The resistant starch in unripe bananas also escapes digestion and ends up in your large intestine where it becomes food for the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Pectin has also been found by some studies to help protect against colon cancer.
4. Support Heart Health
Potassium is essential for heart health, and blue java bananas are full of potassium. While most people believe they get enough potassium every day, many do not. Getting enough potassium in your diet can help lower blood pressure, and it has even been found that those who eat plenty of potassium have a 27% lower risk of heart disease.
Source : Various source including Live Love Fruit and www.prevention.com
