Have you not heard about Green Banana Flour yet? Although banana flour is pretty new to today’s market, it’s actually been in use for quite some time in Brazil, Jamaica, and parts of Africa.
I'd like to present Great Things 4 Life Green Banana Flour. It's a flour made in the USA from ungassed unripe green bananas. The process is simple but made under specific conditions and temperatures to ensure keeping the nutrient level. The unripe bananas are peeled, sliced , dried, ground and turned into a 100% natural light and fluffy flour texture, and it has a hint of banana flavor. Great Things 4 life Banana Flour is a pure flour, without additives, preservatives or any other additional ingredient.
Banana flour can be taken as a daily supplement and can also be a great alternative for those who require or choose a gluten-free or wheat-free lifestyle, with lots of health benefits.
It's highly nutritious, a rich source of magnesium and potassium, vitamin B6 and one of the highest sources of Resistant Starch 2 (RS2) clinically tested in an accredited laboratory.
What is Resistant Starch 2?
"It's a type of food source that resists digestion by enzymes in the stomach or small intestine, reaching the colon tract intact because it acts more like a fiber than a starch. This explains why Green Banana Resistant Starch when is used as a daily supplement do not increase sugar spikes in either blood glucose or insulin after eating RS, and why we do not obtain significant calories from RS"
Why you should add Resistant Starch to your diet.
The RS presented in Great Things 4 Life Banana Flour is a great Prebiotic source. "Prebiotics are indigestible carbohydrates that reach the colon intact and selectively feed many strains of beneficial bacteria. Prebiotics are generally classified into three different types: non-starch polysaccharides, soluble fiber, and resistant starch (RS). Each of these types of prebiotics feeds different species of gut bacteria, but among these, RS is emerging as uniquely beneficial" (1). Most starchy foods like traditional flours, breads, potatoes, pastas, noodles, rices, etc., are digested very fast and converted quickly into sugars, increasing blood sugar spikes. Banana flour on the other hand doesn't have the same effects, it helps keep your blood sugar level stable or even decreases blood insulin spikes after meals.
Health Benefits of Resistant Starch presents in Great Things 4 Life Green Banana Flour (long list)
- Decrease glycemic response (in both healthy subjects and diabetics)
- Increase insulin sensitivity
- Improve fasting blood sugar (10 or 15 point drops in many individuals, sometimes even greater)
- Increase satiety keeping fuller longer
- Improve metabolism
- Improve fat burning
- Improvement of adipose tissue patterning (body fat)
- Decrease fat storage in fat cells
- Lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels
- Improve sleep (deep and “movie-like” vivid dreams)
- Improve digestion
- Improve regularity
- Improve blood/lipid profiles
- Improve blood sugar stability
- Improve chelation/elimination of heavy metals
- Improve colon pH (acidic is better)
- Improve uptake/absorption of vitamins and minerals like magnesium and calcium which can aid in preventing Osteoporosis.
- Improve neurotransmitters (like serotonin)
- Improve butyrate and Short-Chain Fatty Acid production (by feeding butyrate producing bacteria)
- Improve colon health (by the production of Short-Chain Fatty Acids) and aid in the treatment of colon cancer
- Improve previous damage to colonocytes
- Improve mucosal integrity (gut barrier)
- Protection against (experimental) colorectal cancer
- Increase nitrogen disposal and reduced blood urea concentrations
- Improve eye health
- Improve body temperature
- reduce stress and improved well being (anecdotal)
- Reduce incidence of gallstones
- Reduce symptoms of diarrhea
- Potential treatment for ulcerative colitis
How to use Green Banana Flour
Banana flour is lighter in texture than wheat flour and requires about 25% less volume when used in place of wheat or other flour to bake. Banana Flour has a very mild banana flavor in its raw form, and when cooked gets a non-banana earthy flavor.
Because of the high starch content of Great Things 4 Life Banana Flour is naturally a thickening agent.
It can be added to:
- Smoothies
- Yogurts
- Juices
- Tea
- Water
- To thicken foods, such as soups, beans, lentils, sauces, and oatmeal
- For all baking, such as cakes, muffins, cookies, breads and pancakes.
References and recommended readings:
Zandonadi RP, Assuncao Botelho RB, Gandolfi L, Ginani JS, Montenegro FM, Pratesi R. Green banana pasta: An alternative for gluten-free diets. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2012;112(7):1068-1072. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2012.04.002
http://www.gestaltreality.com/2014/02/27/resistant-starch-a-concise-guide/
http://servbib.fcfar.unesp.br/seer/index.php/alimentos/article/viewFile/1151/846
http://foodaust.com.au/wpcontent/uploads/2012/04/Hi_Maizesupplement_web.pdf
http://gethealthygethot.com/2486/banana-flourthe-new-trend-for-weight-loss/
http://www.nutrition411.com/gluten-free-center-your-patients/articles/banana-flour-gluten-free-alternative
RODRÍGUEZ-AMBRIZ, S. L. et al. Characterization of fibre-rich powder prepared by liquefaction of unripe banana fl our. Food Chem., v. 107, p. 1515-1521, 2008
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/75/1/104.full
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-definitive-guide-to-resistant-starch/#axzz3sRsZGMD2
The Resistant Starch Challenge: Is It The Key We’ve Been Looking For? – CFS/ME forum thread where I actively contribute
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24499148
Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-definitive-guide-to-resistant-starch/#ixzz3xptb6NLf
http://chriskresser.com/how-resistant-starch-will-help-to-make-you-healthier-and-thinner/
Edwards, J. Uganda goes bananas. Globalpost website.http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/africa/120419/uganda-goes-bananas. Published April 22, 2012. Accessed July 21, 2015.
Gluten-free green banana pasta for people with celiac disease. Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics website.http://www.eatright.org/resource/health/diseases-and-conditions/celiac-disease/going-glutenfree-look-to-green-banana-pasta. Published January 30, 2014. Accessed July 21, 2015.
Gray, N. Pasta goes bananas: Green banana flour offers gluten-free pasta solutions. Foodnavigator.com website. http://www.foodnavigator.com/Science/Pasta-goes-bananas-Green-banana-flour-offers-gluten-free-pasta-solutions. Published June 25, 2012. Accessed July 21, 2015.
Pittman, G. Next on the gluten-free menu: green banana pasta? Reuters website.http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/28/us-menu-green-banana-idUSBRE85R1J620120628. Published June 28, 2012. Accessed July 21, 2015.
