Yellow or green? The critical difference that affects your blood sugar levels

The banana is one of the most common fruits, but its nutritional values gradually change as it ripens and transitions from green to yellow. During the ripening process, the starches in it gradually turn into natural sugars, a change that affects the taste, the ease of digestion and also the blood sugar levels.

The green banana is characterized by a high content of resistant starch – a type of carbohydrate that acts similarly to dietary fiber. This starch contributes to digestive system health, slows down the digestion process, helps encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut and also increases the feeling of satiety, so it may assist in weight control.

As the banana ripens and turns yellow, the amount of resistant starch in it decreases, and in its place the proportion of natural sugars increases, including glucose, fructose and sucrose. However, the yellow banana also remains a good source of dietary fiber, especially soluble fibers such as pectin, and in addition it contains other important nutritional components.

When it comes to the effect on blood sugar levels, the green banana has a lower glycemic index compared to the yellow banana, meaning it raises blood sugar levels at a slower rate. The reason for this is that resistant starch is digested more slowly, while in a ripe banana, which contains more sugars, absorption is faster and therefore the rise in glucose level is relatively faster.

However, a yellow banana is not considered an unhealthy choice. It provides available and quick energy thanks to its natural sugars, and at the same time contains more antioxidants as it ripens. In addition, it is easier to digest and its taste is sweeter, and therefore may be suitable as a snack before or after physical activity.