bananas

We have been adoring bananas all our lives for their potassium. Science points to raisins as the true “super snack”

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In recent years it is easy to see on social networks like TikTok or Instagram different ‘specialists’ in sports or nutrition bombarding with different food supplementswith the best ‘super foods’ for good nutrition and more. However, in a corner of the pantries we may have a food that we despise, but that can give us many benefits in our daily diet: raisins. A great ally. A product that may be hated by many people because of its texture, but has been introduced by different nutrition experts as a very interesting option. The reason lies in the dehydration process, since raisins surpass very popular fresh fruits such as strawberries or bananas in nutritional density. The why. When we remove the water from a grape, what is left is a bomb of bioactive nutrients. This is what verified databases like the USDA and FatSecret point to, since a standard serving of 40 grams of raisins provides about 120-129 calories, between 1 and 2 grams of fiber and around 300 mg of potassium. And this is where the odious comparison comes in with the historical king of potassium and the one almost baptized as the treatment for soreness after sports: the banana. On paper, a medium banana has around 350-425 mg of potassium, while raisins, being dehydrated, They can reach 860 mg of potassium per 100 grams. In this way, we are talking about a brutal concentration of minerals that are key for the nervous and muscular system. What does science say? Far from being a simple grandmother’s remedy, the impact of raisins on our health is widely documented in different articles. One of these is an analysis published in 2017 which brought together almost 22,500 adults and revealed large numbers. Specifically, regular raisin consumers had 34% more fiber in their diet, 16% more potassium and on top of that they consumed 17% less added sugars. The results here were a 39% reduction in the rate of obesity and a 54% lower risk of metabolic syndrome. Effect on pressure. Beyond being a food that can be very attractive to gym lovers with the aim of alleviating soreness and also reducing sugar consumption, it can be ideal for our blood pressure. Here science has been able to see that the phenols and polyphenols of raisins have a powerful antioxidant effect, and that is why in patients with diabetes and hypertension, consume three servings a day manages to reduce blood pressure between 5 and 8 mmHg. But it doesn’t stop there, since it can also lower glucose levels after eating something and reduce very important inflammatory markers. At the digestive level, a 14-day trial showed that the fiber in this food acts as a powerful prebiotic, promoting the growth of butyrate-producing bacteria in our intestinal microbiota, which are known for their anti-inflammatory effect. Perfect fuel. Right now in the sports world there are a large number of products that promise to be a great pre-workout with artificial energy gels. In this case they have a moderate glycemic index, which translates into having sustained energy during training without the dreaded “bird”. But science pointed out, after analyzing triathletes, that taking raisins before exercising prevents DNA damage much more effectively than consuming equivalent amounts of pure glucose. Although beyond muscle there are other benefits, such as improvements in spatial memorywhich justify the famous Spanish saying: “For memory, corners of raisins”. Something that also seems like it belongs to older people, but that science has proven. It still has sugar. Clearly, raisins have many benefits, but it doesn’t mean you have to have a free bar of this food. And it should not be considered that way because in its composition it has natural sugars in the order of 24 to 28 grams per 40 gram serving. Although it does not behave in the body the same as white coffee sugar, since thanks to its matrix of fiber and phytochemicals, excessive consumption can cause glycemic spikes. That is why the recommendation that can be made is clear: moderation is the key. Images | Anshu A Jorge Alberto Vega Barrera In Xataka | Food has been filled with contradictory messages: a sports nutritionist helps us understand what’s behind it

bananas prices are in the clouds and the explanation is as simple as it is difficult to solve

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At the beginning of the year, The Nightmare of the Canary Islands banana lasted 24 months. From January 2023 to October 2024, only in three months of the 22 the banana has had a “remunerative” price. The situation was terrible, almost unsustainable. And then, the penultimate week of February arrived. Since then, continuous increases in the price of the Canarian bananas have created a situation that we have not seen for a long time: up to four euros per kilo in the supermarket and 1.5, in origin. The banana is in the clouds. What is happening here? That is, how is it possible that the situation has changed so much in such a short time? And the answer, although it is the product of two different situations, is surprisingly simple. The first is the week cuttingl. As analysts recognize, on the islands, the weekly bananas cutting has been reduced. At the beginning of March (the latest estimates available), The figures were “Below eight million a week and even seven, which means much less embedded fruit.” That, by pure offer-demand, tends to raise prices. The second is banana scarcity. Because yes, the banana (the “banana dollar”) is the main competitor in the peninsular Spain of the Canarian banana. In fact, As Román Delgado explained in the Canary Islands now“Last year, half of the market share of this fruit in Spain has already been clear.” Well, the shortage of Canarian banana has coincided with banana shortage. The result is that, well, prices have shot. Above all, because the demand has remained. So Sergio Cáceres has recognized itManager and director of Marketing and Communication of the Association of Organizations of bananas producers of the Canary Islands (ASPROCAN), the organization that brings together 100% of the Canarian producers. And it is not uncommon: as we have learned with olive oil, The inelasticity of demand It is the main trick of national producers in times of crisis. So … the problem is already solved? The answer is also simple: no. Of none menra. To start because There are not two good months that can ‘cure’ the wounds caused for 24 bad months. Current prices are a good news, but teaching producers accounts requires some commercial stability. And not four euros per kilo. It doesn’t take so much. Just have remunerative prices for a prudential time. Secondly, for something that is closely related to this: the market is terribly volatile. The commercial chaos of recent weeks makes anyone really know what will happen to product flows worldwide. Who can assure that all bananas will not reach Europe in Europe that cannot be sold in the US (for tariffs)? Carpen Diem. Anyway, it would be fool not to celebrate that the islands have left their peculiar silver nightmare. It only remains to expect prices in the supermarket to begin to normalize and the increases do not erode the demand. In the coming years, we will have to make many decisions around the agricultural sector and the better we get to them, the better. Image | Kamila Maciejewska | Doğan alpaslan demi̇r In Xataka | If the question is what to do with the millions of bananas that Canary Islands throw every year, there are already those who are clear: wine

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