The yellow and orange-fleshed bananas are rich in provitamin A and other carotenoids. Provitamin A carotenoids, including β-carotene, are important for protecting against vitamin A efficiency and anemia.
The concentration of β-carotene decreases from 1.04 mg per 100 g when green (unripe) to 0.66 mg when ripe. β-carotene has the highest vitamin A activity. Because of differences in uptake storage and chemical processing, only about one-sixth of the β-carotene in a plant food ends up as vitamin A (retinol) in the body.
Vitamin A performs many vital functions including the growth and repair of body tissue, formation of bones and teeth, resistance of the body to infection and development of healthy eye tissues.
Epidemiological studies have linked high intake of foods rich in β-carotene and high blood levels of micronutrients to a lower risk of cancer, as well as other health conditions linked to oxidative damage such as heart disease, macular generation and cataracts.
β-carotene
