Phosphorus in banana

Phosphorus plays an important role in starch accumulation in bananas. The levels of phosphorus in banana fruits ranged from 31.62 to 42.45 mg 100 g−1, with differences between cultivars and fertilizer rates.

Phosphorus helps rooting, improves winter hardiness and speeds up flowering and fruiting. Phosphorus also contributes to improvement and productivity of the banana crop through:
*Increasing vegetative growth rate and number of leaves.
*Increase quality characteristics of crop.

This mineral is one of the three primary nutrients and is absorbed by banana roots mainly in the form of orthophosphate (H2PO4-). It is a component of sugar-phosphates, nucleic acids, nucleotides, coenzymes, phospholipids, phytic acid, and more.

Phosphorus is a mineral that is important for many body functions. It is found in human bones and helps human body build cells and helps energy transfers throughout the cells.

Phosphorus deficiency
The symptoms of phosphorus deficiency start on older leaves. The leaves show a darker, blue0green color, and yellow chlorotic zones develop in the intercostal areas the leaf margin.
Phosphorus in banana

Phytosterols

Phytosterols, also called plant sterols, are natural compounds belonging to the triterpene family. They are structurally similar to cholesterol, except for the presence of a methyl or ethyl group at the C-24 carbon atom of their side chain.

Up to now, more than 250 phytosterols have been identified, with β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and campesterol being the most commonly found in the diet.

It possesses proven antidiabetic activity. Phytosterols can act as ligands for PPARs (Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor), reduce visceral fat accumulation, and reduce the concentration of glycosylated hemoglobin, serum glucose, nitric oxide, and substances that react with thiobarbituric acid, and they can increase serum insulin and pancreatic antioxidants.

The importance of phytosterols is due to their action of reducing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, and a daily consumption of 2–3 g of phytosterols could decrease the LDL-cholesterol by 10–15%.

Banana fruit has been shown to contain a good amount of phytosterols both in the peel and pulp. The phytosterols content in unripe banana in the range of 2.8 to 12.4 g·kg DW has been reported.

Phytosterols isolated from banana flowers (e.g., β-sitosterol and 31-norcyclolaudenone) inhibit amylase as an uncompetitive inhibitor, with a km value of 5.51 μg/mL. Phytosterols also can be found in fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, legumes, whole grains, tubers, wheat germ, vegetable oils, and sunflower seeds.

Phytosterols cannot be synthesized endogenously in humans and are derived solely from diet. The biosynthesis of these compounds occurs through the succession of 30 enzyme-catalyzed reactions.
Phytosterols

Vitamin C (L-ascorbic and L-dehydroascorbic acids) content in banana

Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) is the most important vitamin in fruits and vegetables. Vitamin C is a group of analogues of ascorbic acid, highly soluble in water. Most plants and animals synthesize it for their own requirement but the human body is unable to synthesize vitamin C due to lack of an enzyme gulonolactoneoxidase. Banana is vitamin rich contains of vitamin C (10-20 mg/100g).

This vitamin plays important roles in various metabolic processes in human body from acting as co-substrate for many enzymes, maintenance of redox to neurophysiological functions, including collagen synthesis, wound healing and many positive effects on chronic degenerative diseases.

It functions in absorption of inorganic iron, reduction of plasma cholesterol level, inhibition of nitrosoamine formation, enhancement of the immune system, and reaction with singlet oxygen and other free radicals.

Nutrient values of 100 g edible portion of banana is adequate to fulfill the carbohydrates and vitamin C daily values for babies aged one to three years old whereas for adults need more quantities. About 300 g of bananas are needed to fulfill vitamin C for female adults per day whereas male adults need 400 g.

Vitamin C (L-ascorbic and L-dehydroascorbic acids) content in banana

Functions of serotonin

Bananas are a powerhouse of nutritional value. They contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fibre. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Many people experiencing depression report they feel much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin melatonin. Inadequate serotonin can cause depression, anxiety and insomnia. Serotonin regulates mood, sleep, anxiety and helps to relieve depression.

In the central nervous system, 5-HT pathways modulate behaviors, eating, and sleep, whereas, in the gut, they are involved in the regulation of gastrointestinal motility. Fruits, vegetables, and seeds are major sources of 5-HT. In recent years, the number of studies on the content of 5-HT in plants has increased, greatly encouraged by the discovery of melatonin, which stimulates the late vegetative growth of different tissue sections.

5-HT appeared to be prevalent in the green fruit of the Musa genus (that is, prata banana, and other species), containing about 7100–21,000 ng/g of fresh weight, followed by a significant decrease during ripening. Higher concentrations were found in banana peels compared to the pulp.

Depression affects the brain chemistry, and in particular it reduces your serotonin levels. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter which acts like a happiness inducing ingredient – happy in the sense of mellow and content, not high and buzzy (that’s dopamine).
Functions of serotonin