Diabetic? Here’s why you should have banana flower

Banana flower can be eaten raw or cooked and is primarily used in salads, curries or soups.

diabetes, indianexpress.com, type 2 diabetes, banana flower, banana pseudostem, chronic health condition, ayurveda, NCBI study

For people looking to prevent and control type 2 diabetes, banana flower is considered beneficial as it balances out blood sugar levels in the body. (Photo: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

There is no denying that diabetes is a chronic health problem; but it can also be kept in check through proper diet management. Through simple lifestyle changes that include exercising, consuming dietary fiber and antioxidants, blood sugar levels can be controlled. While there are multiple effective medical and Ayurvedic ways that help manage the condition, banana flower or mocha or kele ke phool is said to be useful in the management of the disease.

According to a 2011-study conducted in diabetic rats, diabetic symptoms like hyperglycemia, polyuria, polyphagia, polydipsia, urine sugar, and body weight were ameliorated in banana flower and pseudostem-treated rats. These findings suggest that banana flower and pseudostem have anti-diabetic and anti-AGEs properties and are beneficial as food supplements for diabetics’, mentioned the study. Banana flower and pseudostem have low glycemic index and high content of dietary fiber and antioxidants.

A 2013-study published in National Center for Biotechnology Information concurred the findings and mentioned that banana flower and pseudostem ameliorated diabetic complications and reduced formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) which are proteins or lipids that become glycated as a result of exposure to sugars. They can be a factor in ageing and in the development or worsening of many degenerative diseases, such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, chronic kidney disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.

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For people looking to prevent and control type 2 diabetes, the tear-shaped maroon or purplish flowers hanging at the end of banana clusters, is considered beneficial as it balances out the blood sugar levels in the body.

It is also antioxidant-rich, making it ideal for cell health and anti-ageing. It contains a host of essential vitamins and amino acids, is low in calories, and boosts metabolism. It is also great for the overall wellness of the reproductive organs, aiding breastfeeding moms and keeping infections at bay.

In fact, as they are high in vitamins A and C and have modest amounts of calcium and iron, they have even been known to alleviate menstrual cramps.