5 Proven Benefits Of Saba Banana. If you’re looking for a unique banana type, the saba banana is for you! It’s a hybrid (banana and plantain), and typically cultivated in the Philippines. Now it’s increasing in popularity around the world as its distribution increases. It has nutritional benefits similar to normal bananas, but there are some differences as well.
Table of Contents
What is a Saba Banana?
Thousands of years before the banana we know today was invented, these fruits were already a hit in various regions of the world. Sometimes referred to as cardaba bananas, saborosas have yellow skins, but they boast a square shape and are also smaller than most bananas.
The flesh is similar to those found on traditional brown bananas, but the fruit is denser and more likely to be found in desserts. These fruits usually grow up to between 3 and 5 inches, with their peel typically remaining green for quite some time. They’re harvested when still a deep green instead of yellow, typically after taking between 7-11 days to create maturity.
Saba Banana vs Plantain
Plantains are closely related to saba bananas, but they’re differentiated by their genetic makeup. These banana cultivars have a rich taste when eaten raw, more than when cooked. Both of these banana cultivars are triploids, relating to the genetic makeup of each, although Saba bananas have an ABB genetic makeup and plantains typically have an AAB one.
They can share some similarities in size, but the shape of saba bananas sets them apart from plantains because they lack the angular aspect that distinguishes them.
Saba Banana Nutritional Facts
These bananas contain a rich blend of nutrients and vitamins, including B vitamins, dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, and iron. There are roughly 120 calories in every fruit. They are primarily composed of starchy carbs, and provide no fat or cholesterol.
Saba Banana Health Benefits
Another amazing health benefit of saba bananas may be their ability to improve digestion, regulate circulation, lower blood pressure and metabolic processes. They also strengthen the immune system and are an excellent source of nutrients for your body.
May Aid in Digestion
Saba bananas are nutritious and may help speed up peristaltic motion, which will help reduce the risk of gastric ulcers, gastrointestinal ills, and constipation.
May Help Prevent Stroke
Saba bananas are an excellent source of potassium, which is a vasodilator and helps to reduce risk for atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke. [5]
May Improve Metabolism
The presence of a number of different B vitamins in raw saba bananas makes these fruits not only healthy, but also ideal for improving metabolic processes. They can also affect emotional balance and provide an energy boost when eaten raw.
May Help Boost Immunity
Bananas are getting a lot of attention as health food lately. With this in mind, we thought it would be helpful to share how bananas can help you kick off your immune system and protect your body from infections. [7]
For every five bananas you eat, you get nearly 40% of your necessary daily intake. One banana can also help to kick-start the immune system and protect against infections. It’s also known for encouraging antioxidants in the body.
May Stimulate Circulation
Bananas are packed with a powerful nutrient called iron. Iron is an essential component of hemoglobin, which may help to deliver oxygen and resources to the areas of your body that need it most.
Bananas are rich in iron, a vital nutrient that helps young children grow faster and get stronger. Iron helps to build hemoglobin, a compound in red blood cells that is necessary for the body to deliver oxygen to helpful areas.