Banana Flour Benefits

* PLEASE NOTE: We do not sell banana flour. This is put here in the interest of your health. Links to suppliers are listed below.

This info is also put here for Farmers who may have over-sized bananas and are looking for an alternate income source.

Scientists formulate gluten-free pasta with green banana flour.

Many more people are suffering from Gluten intolerance, Celiac disease and other intestinal related disfunctions according to an increasing number of scientific reports. (1) (2) (pdf)

For sufferers of these debilitating illnesses, there is a new glimmer of hope for those who like to make their own pasta and bread.

And what is the name of this miracle?

It is called Banana Flour.

And you can buy it right here in Australia. [1] [2]

Brazil Research

• Researchers in Brazil have found that using green banana flour to make pasta is appealing to all consumers, but especially those with celiac disease.
• Scientists formulate gluten-free pasta with green banana flour.
• Researchers in Brazil have found that using green banana flour to make pasta is appealing to all consumers, but especially those with celiac disease.
• Researchers at the University of Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) have stumbled upon an ingredient that may give people with celiac disease more options.

Science Daily.com reports that the researchers developed a gluten-free pasta product from green banana flour, and discovered that tasters found it more acceptable than regular whole-wheat pasta.

Of note is that the pasta product is generally cheaper to produce than other more exotic pastas.

Their research was published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Expanding markets

The lead investigator, Renata Puppin Zandonadi, PhD, says there was no significant difference between the modified pasta and standard samples in terms of appearance, aroma, flavour, and overall quality.

She said that "Banana flour pasta was better tasting especially to younger people and children".

She went onto say that, "Green bananas are often considered a sub-product of low commercial value with little expanded industrial use."

She said that "given the number of over-sized bananas that are destroyed every year simply for being over the standard 8" recommended size, this view of bananas being a half value crop is about to change".

Taste Tested

Fifty testers who did not have celiac disease and 25 celiac disease patients compared the pastas.

Researchers compared a standard whole-wheat pasta preparation made from whole-wheat flour and whole eggs with one made from green banana flour, egg whites, water and gums.

In both groups, the modified pasta was better accepted than the standard in aroma, flavour, texture, and overall quality, indicating that the product can possibly be commercialized to a wider market than just those with celiac disease.

The modified pasta had a high quantity of resistant starch, which may help control glycemic indexes, cholesterol, intestinal regularity, and fermentation by intestinal bacteria.

"Considering that untreated celiac disease promotes cancer in intestinal cells and a highly inflammatory mucosal status, developing gluten-free products with bioactive compounds such as the ones present in green banana flour is important for celiac disease patients." says Zandonadi.