Bananas are one of the favorite fruits we love to eat. There are also a lot of foods that are made from bananas such as bread, cake, milkshakes, drinks, etc. Aside from the fact that they are a great source of potassium, their sweet taste are the best healthy snack.
When peeling a banana, you often see those weird leathery strands attached to it. Some people remove those strings and prefer not to eat them. But what are really those? Actually, those strings are called 'phloem bundles.'
Those stringy, weird bits may not be the most palatable, but in fact they are very important.
What are the Banana Strings / Phloem Bundles for?
A phloem is a complex tissue found in plants responsible for the transportation of food, water and nutrients. Those weird strings on a banana act as veins transporting crucial nutrients throughout the fruit so it would grow and ripen.
Why should you eat these Phloem Bundles?
Basically, these banana strands are loaded with nutrients that people can benefit from if they are eaten. However, it is still not proven whether or not they contain higher levels of nutrients as compared to the other parts of the fruit.
But one can assume that if these strings carry nutrients to the fruit, therefore they would cause no harm if eaten. Probably, these banana strands contain much more fiber than the rest of the fruit just like the peel or skin of an apple.
The banana string is a fiber. And any fiber is beneficial to our body. It can benefit our digestive system and can increase the bulk in your stool and prevent constipation.
More so, the phloem helps you to judge the ripeness of your banana. When the phloem still has work to do in helping the banana grow, it tightly clings to the flesh of the fruit making it hard to remove.
When the fruit has grown up and ripen, the strands loosen their attachment on the flesh and making them bit easier to remove. But always remember, that you should eat them together with the fruit for a good reason.
Comments
Post a Comment