Apples have a GI (Glycaemic Index) of 38 and bananas have a GI of 51. Both are low-calorie foods, but it’s better to eat them at separate times. Apple peel is rich in vitamin C and many phytochemicals that serve as strong antioxidants.
Bananas contain many bioactive compounds that help prevent chronic conditions like cancer. They are often used to replace electrolytes like potassium that are lost due to diarrhoea or vomiting.
How to maximise the benefits
• You can have an apple just before your meal to reduce a glucose spike due to the meal.
• You could balance your apple salad by adding little spinach, walnuts, lemon juice and yoghurt.
• You could make a salad with chopped apples, a banana, some peanut butter, and extra milk. You can also add sliced bananas to your breakfast cereal.
Apples are useful against cancer and heart disease. They reduce the risk of diabetes and help in weight loss.
Bananas are rich in carbohydrates, iron, and potassium. Unripe bananas contain resistant starch that is absorbed slowly and doesn’t cause a glucose spike.
The potassium in bananas is essential for heart muscles. It is useful to maintain the water balance inside cells. A good balance of potassium and sodium is needed to maintain blood pressure.