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Ideal Snack - Banana

Healthy filling and conveniently wrapped bananas are one of nature's ideal snacks. The banana is perhaps the cheapest and the most extensively eaten fruit. There is no doubt that the banana is one of the fruit food plants cultivated by pre historic man. Ancient Chinese and Vedic writing ascribe marvellous healing properties to the vegetable as well as the fruit. Its energy content makes it very advantageous and filling staple through poorer in proteins as compared to cereals and pulses.


There are many varieties of bananas, each with a distinctive flavour, colour and sizes. Colour ranges from different shades of green, light to deep yellow, reds. The green banana is put to mature; unripe fruit are made into curries and vegetable dishes. Sliced raw banana (plantain) fried in oil makes very tasty wafers. Ripe bananas contain carbohydrates in the form of sucrose, fructose and glucose, which are readily digested.

The fruit, Banana requires a special mention. An average banana weighs about 150gms. It supplies more calories than any other fresh fruit.

Per 100 gms of Banana Consists
1.2gms of protein
78 mcgs of carotene
88mgs of potassium
27.2gms of carbohydrate
116 k calories
0.4gms fibre


Cholesterol and fat content is minimal in banana. Cooked or ripe bananas are very well digested and the nutrients are absorbed well. The fruit is a fair source of B vitamins and calcium. It contains appreciable amounts of many trace minerals as well as fibre. Apart from this, the fruit has many important acids, enzymes and physiologically important chemical compounds.

Banana is a good source of potassium, which is a vital mineral for muscle and nerve function. Potassium also helps to regulate blood pressure. They also contain a high level of natural sugar in both their fresh and dried form, which they release quickly into the blood stream. This explains why many athletes especially tennis players often eat banana before and in between competition.


Ripe bananas are so easy to digest and rarely cause allergic reactions. Babies can digest them as early as the third month. Because of all this they are a popular solid food for babies. Mashed banana with milk and sugar can be an excellent supplementary or weaning food for children. Gruel made of banana flour is a commonly used infant food.

They are also good for treating child hood stomach upsets. BRAT diet comprising of banana, rice, apple, and toast are used for children with diarrhoea. Bananas contain no gluten hence their value in coeliac disease of children and adults. They are also a useful food for convalescence after any severe illness.


Ripe bananas have a mild laxative property and hence are very useful in children's dietaries particularly as a remedy for constipation. At the same time the fruit is helpful to combat diarrhoea and dysentery heals intestinal lesions etc. They are also used in the diets of children being treated for severe malnutrition. Experiments have shown that intake of banana helps children to retain many minerals.

Bananas are common ingredient in many salad dishes, icecreams and milkshakes. Ripe bananas are used to make several confectioneries malted milk drinks and even alcoholic beverages. But the best way to eat it is straight after peeling. When ripe, the fruit cannot be preserved for many days as it spoils easily. Sudden cooling also spoils the fruit and gives off flavour.