The popularity of this fruit among European consumers, and also in Portugal, has once again come to the fore, after a recent study confirmed that this fruit continues to lead preferences in Europe. The research analyzed consumption habits, motivations and frequency with which bananas are chosen over other fruits, helping to explain why this food remains at the top of choices.
The study, conducted by the international market research and analysis company NielsenIQ, cited by the meteorology website Meteored, and which involved more than 7 thousand consumers in several European countries, concluded that bananas are the most consumed fruit in the region.
According to the data, 89 percent of respondents said they had eaten bananas “in the last four weeks”. For Adriano Di Dia, director of the company, these results prove that bananas are a “tasty, nutritious, practical and sustainable” fruit and provide important clues for defining marketing strategies and expansion plans.
The numbers also show that apples come in second place in preferences, with 75 percent, followed by oranges, with 56 percent, and grapes, with 44 percent. In a broader analysis, which considers consumption in the last six months, banana maintains the lead with 95 percent, followed by apple (89 percent), orange and grape (74 percent each), red fruits, pear, melon, lemon, avocado, pineapple, peach, mango and, finally, papaya.
A complete fruit from a nutritional point of view
From a nutritional point of view, bananas are considered a very complete food, according to the same source. It contains around 22 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams, making it a good source of energy. It also has high levels of potassium, a mineral essential for regulating water in the body and protecting the heart, helping to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and strokes.
This fruit, widely consumed in Portugal, is also rich in vitamins A, C, E and B complex (B1, B2, B6 and B9). It also provides a considerable amount of fiber, which helps to increase the feeling of satiety, promote digestion and regulate intestinal transit. Vitamin A is associated with eye protection and improved night vision, while B vitamins help balance the nervous system.
Bananas also contain minerals such as magnesium, calcium, selenium, zinc and iron. Magnesium is important in preventing cramps, while iron helps prevent anemia. The fruit also provides tryptophan, an essential amino acid involved in mood regulation and which can only be obtained through food.
High consumption frequency
In the “frequency of consumption” metric, bananas outperform all other fruits analyzed, according to the source previously mentioned. The study indicates that 72 percent of participants consume bananas at least once a week, 95 percent do so monthly and 98 percent at least once a quarter. In practical terms, three out of four consumers eat bananas weekly and nine out of ten include this fruit in their diet at least once a month.
Why is banana so attractive?
When asked about the reasons that lead them to eat bananas, 34 percent of respondents pointed out, firstly, the need to “satisfy their appetite”. In second place comes the idea of “having a quick and convenient snack”, with 27 percent of responses, and in third place the desire to “support a healthy diet”, with 24 percent.
A purchase planned by the majority
Another relevant fact is that, for the majority of consumers, the purchase of bananas is planned: 65 percent say they usually include them on their shopping list on purpose, according to . Most prefer to consume them when the skin is completely “yellow and ripe”, although a significant proportion, around 22 percent, choose to buy them “more green than yellow”.
Altogether, the results of the study help to explain why the banana, being a very popular fruit in Portugal, remains the most consumed fruit in Europe: it combines flavor, nutritional value, practicality and versatility, while at the same time being easily integrated into different lifestyles and eating patterns.
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