Englberger Lois, Darnton-Hill Ian, Coyne Terry, Fitzgerald Maureen H, Marks Geoffrey C
Nutrition Program, Division of International Health, School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Food Nutr Bull. 2003 Dec;24(4):303-18. doi: 10.1177/156482650302400401.
This review article points out that bananas are an important food for many people in the world. Thus, banana cultivars rich in provitamin A carotenoids may offer a potential food source for alleviating vitamin A deficiency, particularly in developing countries. Many factors are associated with the presently known food sources of vitamin A that limit their effectiveness in improving vitamin A status. Acceptable carotenoid-rich banana cultivars have been identified in Micronesia, and some carotenoid-rich bananas have been identified elsewhere. Bananas are an ideal food for young children and families for many regions of the world, because of their sweetness, texture, portion size, familiarity, availability, convenience, versatility, and cost. Foods containing high levels of carotenoids have been shown to protect against chronic disease, including certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Because the coloration of the edible flesh of the banana appears to be a good indicator of likely carotenoid content, it may be possible to develop a simple method for selecting carotenoid-rich banana cultivars in the community. Research is needed on the identification of carotenoid-rich cultivars, targeting those areas of the world where bananas are a major staple food; investigating factors affecting production, consumption, and acceptability; and determining the impact that carotenoid-rich bananas may have on improving vitamin A status. Based on these results, interventions should be undertaken for initiating or increasing homestead and commercial production.
这篇综述文章指出，香蕉是世界上许多人重要的食物。因此，富含维生素A原类胡萝卜素的香蕉品种可能为缓解维生素A缺乏提供一种潜在的食物来源，特别是在发展中国家。许多因素与目前已知的维生素A食物来源相关，这些因素限制了它们在改善维生素A状况方面的有效性。在密克罗尼西亚已经鉴定出了可接受的富含类胡萝卜素的香蕉品种，在其他地方也鉴定出了一些富含类胡萝卜素的香蕉。由于香蕉的甜度、质地、份量大小、熟悉度、可获得性、便利性、多功能性和成本，对于世界上许多地区的幼儿和家庭来说，香蕉是一种理想的食物。已证明含有高水平类胡萝卜素的食物能预防包括某些癌症、心血管疾病和糖尿病在内的慢性病。因为香蕉可食用果肉的颜色似乎是类胡萝卜素含量的一个良好指标，所以有可能开发出一种在社区中选择富含类胡萝卜素香蕉品种的简单方法。需要开展研究来鉴定富含类胡萝卜素的品种，针对香蕉是主要主食的世界那些地区；调查影响生产、消费和可接受性的因素；并确定富含类胡萝卜素的香蕉对改善维生素A状况可能产生的影响。基于这些结果，应该采取干预措施来启动或增加家庭种植和商业生产。
