The healthiest fruit which easily comes in handy is the banana. Banana is tasty as well as the cheapest. Bananas are a great alternative for people who like to consume and eat healthily. There are numerous health benefits of bananas that people are unaware of.
Even when they’re native to Southeast Asia, they can be found growing in a variety of warm regions, making them available all over the world. The Cavendish variety, the most widely used form seen in supermarkets, starts off stiff and green, but as it ripens, it turns yellow, soft, and delicious.
Bananas are high in vitamins and minerals, and they may lead to weight loss, digestion, and cardiovascular health.
Is it true that the health benefits of bananas are good for you? Yes! The curved golden fruit is linked to a wide range of health benefits. Bananas are abundant in potassium and pectin, a type of fiber, according to Laura Flores, a dietitian in San Diego. They’re also a significant source of magnesium, as well as vitamins C and B6.
Flores also explained to Live science “Banana has a high level of vitamin B6 which also helps in reducing edema and fight against Type 2 diabetes. It also helps in reducing weight loss and benefits our nervous system. They also play a vital role in creating white blood cells in our bodies.
She also said, “Antioxidants are abundant in bananas, and they can protect us from reactive oxygen species, which we come into touch with day to day, from the sun to the lotion we use.”
Health Benefits of Bananas
1. Banana Nutrition
Bananas are enriched with high fiber content and fiber is very important for our bodies. It includes a proportionate amount of antioxidants needed for our body. One regular-sized banana contains 126 grams and has roughly 112 calories and is almost entirely made up of water and carbohydrates. They are low in protein and have zero fat.
The carbohydrates in green, unripe bananas are primarily starch and resistant starch, a sort of indigestible fiber we’ll discuss later. The amount of fiber content decreases when it ripens and the flavor of the fruit banana becomes sweeter.
- Calories: 112
- Fat: 0 grams
- Protein: 1 gram
- Carbs: 29 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Vitamin C: 12% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Riboflavin: 7% of the DV
- Folate: 6% of the DV
- Niacin: 5% of the DV
- Copper: 11% of the DV
- Potassium: 10% of the DV
- Magnesium: 8% of the DV
2. Antioxidants work as health benefits of bananas
Bananas are a good source of dietary antioxidants, as are other fruits and vegetables. They also include some powerful and strong antioxidants like flavonoids and amines.
Antioxidants are great for the body as they help to provide various benefits to our body. They also play an important role in reducing the risk of heart diseases and degenerative diseases.
They protect your cells from oxidative damage produced by free radicals. Free radicals can build up in your body without antioxidants throughout time and cause damage if their levels get high enough.
3. Improve blood sugar level
Soluble fiber is abundant in bananas. Soluble fiber dissolves in fluids and forms a gel during digestion. It’s also responsible for the sponge-like texture of bananas. Underripe bananas also include stubborn starch, which your body does not digest.
These two forms of fiber, when combined, may help to keep blood sugar levels in check after meals. Furthermore, by reducing the emptying of your stomach, they may aid with appetite control. This indicates that, despite their larger carbohydrate content, bananas will not cause significant blood sugar rises in healthy people. While people with diabetes can eat bananas, eating a substantial piece in one sitting is not suggested.
4. Weight loss as health benefits of bananas
Bananas have a lot of fiber, which might help you stay regular. A single banana can provide approximately 10 percent of your daily fiber needs.
Flores claims that vitamin B6 prevents our body and fights against Type 2 diabetes. Which further aids in weight loss. Bananas are a wonderful weight-loss food in general because they are sweet and filling, which helps to control hunger.
A type of dietary fiber also known as resistant starch is found in the maximum amount of bananas. The resistant starch in bananas may enhance gut health and blood sugar regulation, according to a 2017 review published in Nutrition Bulletin. In the gut, resistant starch boosts the formation of short-chain fatty acids, which are essential for gut health.
5. Workout buddy
Bananas may be more effective than sports drinks at restoring energy and electrolytes. Male cyclists competing in long-distance cycling competitions were studied in a 2012 study published in PLOS One.
Athletes who refueled with Soda every 15 minutes were compared to athletes who recharged with both a banana and water. The athlete’s performance timings and body mechanics were similar in both circumstances, according to the researchers. The banana’s serotonin and dopamine, on the other hand, boosted the athletes’ antioxidant potential and reduced oxidative stress, resulting in improved overall performance.
6. Improves digestive health and system
Many health advantages have been linked to dietary fiber, including improved digestion. A medium-sized banana may carry approximately three grams of fiber.
An unripe banana has a form of fiber also known as a prebiotic-resistant starch. Prebiotics make it through digestion and into your large intestine, where they feed the good bacteria in your gut.
Furthermore, pectin, a fiber contained in both ripe and unripe bananas, may aid with constipation prevention and stool softening.
Pectin may even effectively safeguard us against colon cancer, according to certain test-tube studies, however, a more human study is needed to validate this advantage.
7. Improves bone health as health benefits of bananas
Bananas might not even be high in calcium, although they are still beneficial for maintaining bone health. Bananas are high in fructose, according to a 2009 study published in the Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry.
Fructose further is a non-digestible carbohydrate that promotes the growth of bacteria that are digestive-friendly in our body. It also helps to improve the absorption of calcium in our body which hence improves bone health. These are non-digestible carbohydrates that promote the growth of digestive-friendly bacteria and improve calcium absorption in the body.
8. Balances heart health
Potassium is an essential nutrient for heart health, particularly for blood pressure control. Potassium is so essential for our body, but some people tend to ignore and overlook it.
Bananas are a convenient source of vitamins and minerals, with a medium-sized banana (126 grams) supplying 10% of the daily value. With numerous health benefits of bananas, this one is considered to be important as it balances heart health.
A potassium-rich diet can aid in the reduction of blood pressure. Furthermore, prior studies and animal studies show that people who consume a lot of potassium had a 27 percent decreased risk of heart disease.
Furthermore, bananas provide 8% of the daily value of magnesium, another mineral crucial for heart health.
High blood pressure and blood fat levels are the biggest risks due to magnesium shortage. As a result, it’s critical that you consume enough minerals in your diet or meal plans.
9. Balances Kidney health
Potassium is necessary for normal kidney functioning and blood pressure control. The high level of potassium in bananas improves our kidneys and helps them be in a good shape. Potassium was associated with lower blood pressure and a slower course of renal disease in research involving over 5,000 participants having early-stage chronic kidney disease.
We would recommend to people with or who face advanced kidney problems to limit their potassium consumption. Before increasing your potassium consumption, talk to your doctor if you belong to one of these categories.
10. May improve insulin sensitivity
Insulin sensitivity is related to a number of other chronic illnesses. It also includes Type 2 Diabetes. If we consume unripe bananas on regular basis then the human body stimulates insulin levels. Unripe bananas as mentioned above contains resistant starch that is beneficial in increasing insulin sensitivity. It will also regulate the blood sugar hormone and increase your body’s sensitivity.
Studies and research are in process to know how exactly the resistant starch in bananas helps in affecting insulin sensitivity.
Important note- Moderation should be the key to gaining all the health benefits of bananas.
Bananas do not have any side effects if consumed in moderation. As we all know everything should be consumed in moderation. All you want is to add it to your meal plan to consume the benefits rather than making a wholesome banana meal. If not added to the meal you can eat bananas as a one-time snack in a day but in moderation.
Consumption of more than the required number or amount of fruits may cause headaches and tiredness. The amino acids in bananas that widen blood arteries create severe headaches. Overripe bananas have more amino acids than regular bananas.
Excessive consumption of bananas may lead to tiredness as it contains a high level of tryptophan.
Magnesium effectively relaxes the muscles, which is a benefit and a risk at the same time. Excessive consumption may aid in other unknown problems too depending on your body system.
Because bananas are a sweet fruit, eating too many of them without practicing good dental care might result in tooth decay. Bananas also wouldn’t have enough fat or protein to be a complete meal or an effective snack.
Just if you consume too many bananas it will become dangerous. Adults should consume around two cups of fruit every day, or two bananas, according to the USDA. If you consume hundreds of bananas every day, you can end up with an excessive amount of minerals and vitamins and those are not one of the health benefits of bananas. And as we all know excessive intake of anything is not good for our bodies, moderation should be the key factor.
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