From the WebMD Archives. Of all the information on the nutrition facts panel on food labels, cholesterol may be the most misunderstood. Part of the confusion comes from the fact that cholesterol in food isn't the same thing as the cholesterol that clogs arteries. To be sure, foods high in cholesterol can cause blood levels of cholesterol to rise. But only about one in three people seem to be especially susceptible to the effects of cholesterol in food. And even then, dietary cholesterol isn't the biggest worry when it comes to heart disease, says Kathy McManus, MS, RD, director of nutrition for Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston.
A ripe banana contains a high concentration of dietary fiber. A ripe banana contains a high concentration of dietary fiber, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin B-6 and antioxidant compounds.
Green bananas contain up to 70-80% starch, on a dry weight basis. During ripening, the starch is converted into sugars and ends up being less than 1% when the banana is fully ripe (2). The most common types of sugar found in ripe bananas are sucrose, fructose and glucose. In ripe bananas, the total content of sugars can reach more than 16% of the fresh weight (2).