25 Natural Chemical Properties of Banana – Characteristics

Banana is common fruit that we used to consume in daily routine. Well, banana has a good taste, sweet, and creamy. Meanwhile, have you ever heard about the natural chemicals compound in banana? Here is the list of chemical properties of banana:

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1. Carbohydrate

Carbohydrate, which can also be written as Cm(H2O)n, is one of the most common organic compounds in food. It can easily be found in different types of food such as nuts, fruits, milk and vegetables. Carbohydrate provides energy for various physical activities and brain functions as it is the body’s primary source of energy.

Overeating carbohydrate in a long time can derange balanced diet and increase blood sugar level which, if it occurs very often, can lead to diabetes.

2. Protein

Protein is a chemical compound with a common chemical formula R-CH-(NH2)(COOH). It consists of chains of amino acids and functions as a source of energy, and it is primarily needed for growth and metabolism in the human body.

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3. Fat

Alongside carbohydrate and protein,the next chemical properties of banana is fat. Fat is one of three essential nutrients that the human body needs. The nutrient can be divided into two main types, saturated fat and unsaturated fat. Fat, other than as a source of energy, serves as a digestive force that can process a variety of vitamins.

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4. Calcium

This chemical element is known as the fifth most common element in the human body with atomic number 20. Calcium is crucial for the health of the digestive, muscular and circulatory systems. Despite being classified as an alkaline Earth metal, calcium can be easily found in common dairy products, leafy greens and fruits.

5. Iron

Also known as symbol Fe, Iron is one of the most abundant metal in the human body and the Earth’s core. This transition metal is often used in metallurgical applications, but it also has a role in red blood cells production as it creates hemoglobin to carry oxygen to cells.

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6. Magnesium

Known for building bones and preserving them strong, Magnesium is found naturally in fruits and vegetables. Using atomic number 12, Magnesium or Mg normalizes blood pressure and the heart rhythm. However, studies prove that excessive intake of Magnesium can cause low blood pressure, nausea and it sometimes leads to fatal medical conditions.

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7. Phosphorus

Divided into two forms, red and white phosphorus, this chemical element forms the sugar phosphate backbone of human DNA which is used to deposit and transfer energy. Phosphorus was first found by German chemist Hennig Brand after he evaporated his urine and warmed up the residue.

8. Potassium

Being one of the alkali metals that can be found in bananas, Potassium or K is a chemical element with atomic number 19. Its name is derived from English term ‘potash’ which means the ashes of plants. Balanced intake of potassium can reduce the risk of high blood pressure and low-consumption of this chemical element can lead to hypertension and stroke.

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9. Zinc

This chemical element is deemed as an essential mineral for men as it enables male reproductive systems to produce testosterone. Zinc was classified as an element in 1746, although scientists believe that it was widely used during the ancient civilizations in Middle East. Some food and fruits that contain a large amount of Zinc are nuts, blackcurrant and beans.

10. Copper

Most people recognize copper as solid malleable metal that are often used as a conductor of electricity and heat. This function applies to human’s biological activity too as it helps transport electron and oxygen transportation to every cell of the human body. Due to its important role, Copper deficiency can cause osteoporosis while high level Copper in metabolism can worsen Alzheimer’s symptoms.

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11. Manganese

Unlike other chemical element, Manganese or Mn cannot be found as a free element in nature. The human body needs a few amount of Manganese so that the brain can function properly and it also helps strengthen the bone formation. Green vegetables and nuts contain a rich amount of Manganese although it is not easily absorbed by the human body.

12. Selenium

Selenium or Se falls into the non-metal element with atomic number 34. Its name is derived from ‘selene’, the goddess of the moon. Even though selenium is carcinogenic, an adequate amount of this chemical element can help protect cells from damage. It also used as a force that can attack scalp fungus that causes dandruff.

13. Sodium

This soft metal chemical element has [Ne] 3s1 as its electron configuration. Humphry Davy, a British chemist, was the first person who managed to isolate Sodium or Na and it has been used as an essential element in many home industries. Sodium plays a major part in the human body as it helps balance blood pressure and it is important for osmoregulation.

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14. Fluoride

Fluoride is an inorganic and monoatomic sibling of Fluorine. This anion is often found in raw fruits, vegetables and fresh water and is resistant to acid attack on teeth that it is widely used as a chemical property in many dental products. Nevertheless, the American government has linked fluoride in water fountains to cavities problem.

15. Vitamin A

This chemical compound is responsible for keeping the human vision system and skin healthy. Despite being classified as a vitamin, Vitamin A is also an antioxidant. Vitamin A has two primary forms, active Vitamin A and beta carotene, which are easily found in carrots, eggs and liver. A deficiency of Vitamin A can reduce visibility and damaged skin.

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16. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is known as a chemical compound used in many dietary supplement products. First discovered in 1912, this vitamin has been utilized for various medical treatments ever since, from cancer prevention to a vital chemical property in skincare products. Fresh fruits have a high amount of Vitamin C and it is also existent in human breast milk.

17. Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a common vitamin found in different types of diet. Furthermore, this chemical compound is an umbrella term for tocol and tocotrienol derivatives, two classes of organic chemical compounds. Modern studies have proven that Vitamin E has a critical role in treating age-related macular degeneration, as an antioxidant and other benefits for skin and hair health. This vitamin is commonly found in nuts and organic oils.

18. Vitamin K

Also known as a fat-soluble vitamin, Vitamin K plays an important role for blood coagulation. This chemical compound is available in different varieties of green leafs and dairy products. The deficiency of Vitamin K can lead into osteoporosis and impaired blood coagulation that later can cause to excessive amount of bleeding.

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19. Thiamine

Thiamine is also known as thiamin and Vitamin B1. Some of food sources that contain thiamine are liver beef, nuts and oranges. Thiamine is a part of B vitamins family and what differs this vitamin with its other family members is it breaks down sugar and amino acids.

20. Riboflavin

Riboflavin has been used for decades for medicinal purposes due to its therapeutic behavior. As a part of Vitamin B group, riboflavin is also called Vitamin B2. Eggs, green leafs and milk are some of food sources with high amount of riboflavin. Compared to other B vitamins, riboflavin has poor solubility tendency in water.

21. Niacin

Niacin or nicotinic acid or vitamin B3 serves as one of important human nutrients. Medical experts often prescribe vitamin B3 supplements to treat high blood cholesterol. The inadequate amount of niacin can lead to nausea and tiredness. Niacin can be found in a variety of meats, seafood and spices.

22. Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is a part of essential nutrients and B vitamins family. There are several forms of Vitamin B6 with pyridoxine as the most common form. This vitamin serves as complex organic molecules in enzymatic reactions. Bananas, potatoes and different kinds of meats are some food sources that contain Vitamin B6.

23. Folate

Folate is known as folic acid and Vitamin B9. While folic acid is important for women during pregnancy, consuming synthetic folic acid excessively is not recommended. Folate is available in fresh leafy greens, fruits and meats. Due to its importance in pregnancy, many countries in the world have mandated the addition of folic acid in flour.

24. Pantothenic Acid

The other name for pantothenic acid is Vitamin B5 and it automatically makes it a member of B vitamins family. Pantothenic acid’s anion synthesizes and metabolizes fats, carbohydrates and proteins. This chemical compound is first discovered in 1933 by American biochemist Roger J. Williams and has been known as a supplement to reduce anxiety and boost immunity.

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25. Choline

Choline, an essential nutrient which is also known as C5H14NO+, is categorized as a quaternary ammonium cation. First isolated from pig by German chemist Adolph Strecker, choline is needed for brain development. The low choline intake can elevate the risk of liver diseases and several neurological disorders.

26. Betaine

Betaine is classified as a natural chemical compound which is commonly found in grains, vegetables and meat products. Betaine has C5H11NO2 as its chemical structure and it has been utilized to treat metabolism-related disorders such as homocystinuria.

Thus, there are many natural chemical properties of banana. some of those chemicals are good for body and that’s why we love to consume it.

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