Resistant-starch food sources, such as green banana biomass, appear to stimulate the growth of short-chain fatty acid-producing intestinal bacteria. This effect contributes to intestinal health and may reduce the risk of chronic diseases. However, scientific evidence on this topic remains limited, and no comprehensive study has systematically evaluated the available evidence. A study was conducted by Natália da Silva Bomfim and colleagues to analyze the potential effects of green banana biomass on anthropometry, body composition, and biochemical and intestinal variables in both humans and animals. To gather relevant information, the researchers conducted a thorough search of electronic databases, including The Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline/PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Their search took place in January 2024, and they included studies that investigated the impact of cooked peeled or unpeeled green banana on anthropometric, biochemical, and intestinal variables. Following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, they systematically reviewed and extracted data from eligible studies. they assessed study quality based on relevant criteria related to study design and the quality criteria checklist from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics manual. Their review included twelve studies published between 2001 and 2021. (1)
The results from human studies suggest that consuming green banana biomass can help regulate intestinal function. In children, ingestion of 50-300 g/day for 5-14 days or 30 g/day for 8 weeks showed positive effects. Additionally, in adults, green banana biomass demonstrated potential anti-obesogenic, anti-hyperlipidemic, and antidiabetic effects when consumed at 40 g/day for 24 weeks. In rat studies, biomass consumption at 25 g/day for 8 weeks and approximately 8-30 g/day for 12 weeks also showed potential anti-obesogenic, anti-hyperlipidemic, and antidiabetic effects. Based on the available evidence, consuming green banana biomass appears to have beneficial effects on intestinal function. Furthermore, it may play a role in addressing obesity, dyslipidemia, and diabetes. (1)
But Markus Mattila and colleagues have different views. Based on their article(2), the consumption of banana appears to be associated with an increased risk of both islet autoimmunity (IA) and type 1 diabetes (T1D) in genetically susceptible children. On the other hand, cruciferous vegetables were inversely associated with IA risk (HR: 0.83) and berries were inversely associated with T1D risk. Their findings suggest that including cruciferous vegetables and berries in the diet may have protective effects against IA and T1D. (2)
REFERENCE
(1) Natália da Silva Bomfim et al, Green banana biomass anti-obesogenic, anti-hyperlipidemic, antidiabetic, and intestinal function potential effects: a systematic review,Nutr Rev. 2024 Apr 17:nuae040. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuae040.
(2) Markus Mattila et al, Fruit, berry, and vegetable consumption and the risk of islet autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes in children-the Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention birth cohort study, Am J Clin Nutr\. 2024 Feb;119(2):537-545.