Effects of Banana (Musa spp.) Bract Flour on Rats Fed High-Calorie Diet

The extensive cultivation of bananas (Musa sp.) is related to producing tons of residues, such as leaves, pseudostems and bracts (inflorescences). The banana bract is a commercially interesting residue due to its dietary fibre content and high antioxidant potential. With this in mind, this study evaluates the effects of administering banana bract flour in animal models fed a cafeteria diet.

Thirty-two male rats were divided into 4 groups: (i) control diet, (ii) control diet with 10 % banana bract flour, (iii) hypercaloric diet, and (iv) hypercaloric diet with 10 % bract banana flour. The study was conducted for 12 weeks and included analysis of phenolic compounds, assessment of the antioxidant effect of banana bract flour, determination of serum biochemical parameters (glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), amylase, albumin, uric acid, creatine, total protein, and oral glucose), determination of faecal fat content, and histomorphological analysis of the liver, pancreas and adipose tissue. In addition, molecular parameters such as IL6, total and phosphorylated JNK, total and phosphorylated IKKβ, TNFα, TLR4 and HSP70 were determined.

The banana bract flour showed a high content of phenolic compounds and an antioxidant effect. The in vivo results suggest that the supplementation of a hypercaloric diet with banana bract flour prevented pathological damage by reducing total cholesterol and glucose amounts, which may imply a hepatoprotective effect of this supplement. Thus, using banana bract flour as a supplement can increase the consumption of fibre, antioxidants and bioactive compounds.

The development of flour from banana waste and its inclusion in the diet can prevent and/or help treat obesity. In addition, the use of banana bracts can help protect the environment, as they are considered a source of waste by the food industry.