Super source
Carbohydrate
18.4 g · 7% DV target
The banana is a tropical berry from the Musa genus that has become a global staple due to its convenient natural packaging and high starch content that converts to sugars as it ripens.
As bananas ripen, their resistant starch (a type of fibre that feeds gut bacteria) converts into simple sugars, making them easier to digest but increasing their impact on blood glucose.
They are a significant source of potassium, an essential mineral that helps regulate fluid balance and supports healthy blood pressure levels by easing tension in blood vessel walls.
Bananas contain dopamine and catechin, plant-based antioxidants that may help reduce oxidative stress, though the dopamine in bananas does not cross the blood-brain barrier to affect mood directly.
Petal shape shows the nine FoodCompass domains, including nutrient density, processing, satiety, fats, and phytochemicals.
18.4 g · 7% DV target
15.3 g · 31% DV target
9.47 mg · 11% DV target
0.26 mg · 15% DV target
Seasonality has not been estimated for this ingredient yet.
Keep away from other fruit to slow ripening.
Cold temperatures stall ripening and blacken the skin.
Low transport emissions per kg due to efficient shipping, though water use can be high.
The yellow bananas sold in most supermarkets are almost exclusively the Cavendish variety, which became the global standard after the previous dominant variety, the Gros Michel, was nearly wiped out by fungus in the 1950s.