Bananas are a fruit that many people love to eat. They have natural sugar, they are filling and they taste awesome. They are versatile and can be eaten raw, fried or mixed into foods. They can be made into breads, puddings and pies.
[toc]
However, bananas should be on your weekly shopping list for more than just those purposes. Bananas are quite a healthy food. There are many nutrients, fiber and vitamins within the simple banana. So not only are they an economical and convenient fruit, but it is going to do a world of good for your body and your health.
Bananas have been around for centuries, and also touted for the benefits that they provide.
1. Weight Loss
Bananas have soluble fiber. When you consume foods that have high fiber, you remain full longer, which means less snacking. Almost 10% of the daily requirement of fiber is included in one banana. Fiber is one of those nutrients that is needed to keep your gut healthy and keep you regular.
The soluble fiber in bananas helps keep your blood pressure in check, helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels, and also aids in inflammation. Eating foods that are high in fiber, also help you to lose weight when you want. The soluble fiber found in a banana helps to keep you full longer, which prevents continuous snacking.
2. Increase Metabolism
This fruit helps you increase your metabolism each day. One banana gives you almost 25% of the recommended daily requirement. Vitamin B6 is necessary for pregnant women to aid in the brain development and a healthy immune system in the unborn child. Bananas can provide enough energy for you to complete a 1.5 hour workout.
This makes them not only more economical, but more efficient and much healthier than the sugary energy drinks. A banana eaten in the afternoon is a natural energy booster. One banana will work better than a cup of coffee or a can of soda. There will be no drastic drop in energy, like there is with soda or energy drinks.
3. May Improve Blood Sugar
Eating a banana may actually help your blood sugar levels. The Soluble fiber in the banana, which turns to a gel when it is in liquid, and as it works together with the resistant starch in the unripe bananas, helps eliminate the issues that raise blood sugars.
4. Nutrient Rich
Not only do bananas have a good amount of fiber, they are also loaded with several antioxidants. Some of what you receive when you eat just one banana includes: Flavonoids and amines. These are associated with reducing the risks of degenerative diseases as well as the reduced risk of heart disease.
Potassium: 450 milligrams or 13% of the daily requirement. Potassium is a heart healthy food that helps rid you of sodium. This in turn helps to lower the blood pressure. Potassium does this by relaxing the walls of blood vessels. Potassium also helps to lower the risk of strokes.
The powerful nutrient also helps to keep our bones healthy as we age, helps to prevent kidney stones and enables your muscles to work better. However, for those who already have kidney problems, you need to watch how much potassium you do take.
Prebiotics: Bananas are loaded with prebiotics which help to keep your gut healthy. Prebiotics are a food source for probiotics which your body needs. The probiotics are the healthy biotics that do wonders for you.
These help to treat some infections in the kidneys and bladder, they help to ease IBS, lessen the effects of lactose intolerance. Bananas are low in carbohydrates. However, if you are a diabetic, or have prediabetes, limit yourself to one half of a banana to prevent a blood sugar spike.
Vitamin B6: This vitamin helps you increase your metabolism each day. One banana gives you almost 25% of the recommended daily requirement. Vitamin B6 is necessary for pregnant women to aid in the brain development and a healthy immune system in the unborn child.
Vitamin C: The Vitamin C that you consume each day helps you to fight the free chemicals from foods we eat, smoking, pesticides and other harmful effects on our bodies. Vitamin C helps your immune system fight off viruses.
Magnesium: While helping to control blood sugars, blood pressure and aiding in strong bones, Magnesium is very beneficial. One banana gives you 8% of the daily requirement.
Vitamin A: A dose of Vitamin A each day helps keep your vision strong and healthy. There are also some unverified studies that show Vitamin A can help in prevention of some cancers.
5. Improving Insulin Sensitivity
It has been shown that when eating an unripe, or green banana, you are helping to improve insulin sensitivity. By eating resistant starch, which is found in an unripe banana you can help improve and make your body more responsive to this hormone that helps to regulate blood sugar.
6. Digestive Assistance
The soluble fiber along with the resistant starch joins to help in the digestive tract. There are prebiotics in the banana, which end up in the large intestine and then work in conjunction with pectin, which is found in the banana, helps to prevent constipation and will also soften your stools. The fiber that is found in a very ripe banana will restore and maintain healthy bowel movements.
7. May Help Improve Heart Health
Potassium is extremely important for heart health. It helps to maintain blood pressure which in turn means a healthier heart. In scientific studies, it has been shown that people who eat a good amount of potassium have a 27% lower risk of heart disease. Magnesium, which is also found in the banana, has been shown to aid in healthy function.
A deficiency in magnesium has been shown to be linked to increased heart disease, high blood pressure and higher levels of fat in the blood vessels. Potassium is necessary to assist the circulatory system to deliver oxygen to the brain. This also helps to maintain a regular heart beat rate, and maintain the proper balance of water needed in the body. Foods that are rich in potassium also help reduce the risk of strokes in older women.
8. Bananas Can Help Ease Menstrual Pain and More
Bananas contain Vitamin B6. There have been studies that show that the Vitamin B6 can help ease the premenstrual pain. The vitamin is known to have a calming effect. This is believed to be the reason it may ease the symptoms of pain for menstruating women. Many women also eat a banana right away in the morning if they are pregnant.
The calming effect fights and tends to win against early stage pregnancy morning sickness. Hangovers can also be lessened by the natural ingredients in a banana. After a night of drinking, a banana will help to restore blood sugar levels to what they should be normally.
During the summer and Fall, it is wise to keep some banana peels in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator. These can be used as an itch relief from bug bites. Rubbing the banana peeling on the affected area will ease the itch and reduce the swelling.
One of the amino acids within a banana is called tryptophan. Tryptophan is responsible for increasing the amounts of serotonin within the human body. Serotonin helps improve mood and make you feel happier. The feel good hormone can help your body and your mind to relax.
Bananas are basically a superfood. There are more benefits to eating a banana than it is an apple. You want to keep the doctor at bay, eat a banana instead. With so many nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants does more for your body that a bottle of pills ever could. These vitamins and minerals, along with the antioxidants provide more of an all over health benefit.
It really is no surprise that the simple banana is the most popular fruit. Even more popular than the apple. The banana is convenient, and can be carried in a purse or briefcase. You can eat a banana wherever you are. It provides flavor, sweetness and tons of health benefits.
There are actually many other benefits that can be gained from the banana. From soothing ulcers to treating warts, that funny looking banana does not only taste good, it does a world of good for the human body. Along with the fact that there are so many ways that bananas can be eaten.
They can be fried, eaten raw, made into bread or muffins, puddings and pies. They can be made into smoothies, added to juices and placed on top of peanut butter or covered with chocolate. Bananas can be eaten morning, noon and night time. They are literally the tastiest superfood you can buy on the market that will do the job of many of the medications on the market. Give them a try and make them a part of your daily health routine.