10 Health benefits of bananas
Have you ever wonder why people eat bananas? There are lots of benefits of bananas. other than being rich in vitamin B6, it is a good source of dietary fibre and manganese. Manganese contributes to many bodily functions, including the metabolism of glucose, amino acids, cholesterol and carbohydrates.
Bananas are extremely healthy and delicious. They contain numerous essential nutrients and provide benefits for digestion, heart health and weight loss. In addition to being very nutritious, they are also a very convenient snack.
Most amazing benefits of bananas
Do you know bananas are known as the rival apples? and we all know that ” an apple a day keeps the doctor away”. same as apple there are lost of the benefits of bananas which will keep your doctor away.
Here are the health benefits of bananas.
1. Bananas contain many important nutrients
Bananas are no doubt the most popular fruits in the world and liked by all. Originating in Southeast Asia, they are now grown in many hot parts of the world. Bananas vary in colour, size and shape.
The most common type is Cavendish, which is a type of banana dessert. Green when not ripe, yellow when ripe. Bananas contain a good amount of fibre, as well as numerous antioxidants.
A medium banana (118 grams) also has
Potassium: 9% of the IDR
Vitamin B6: 33% of the IDR
Vitamin C: 11% of the IDR
Magnesium: 8% of the IDR
Copper: 10% of IDR
Manganese: 14% of IDR
Net carbohydrates: 24 grams
Fibre: 3.1 grams
Protein: 1.3 grams
Fat: 0.4 grams
Each banana has only about 105 calories and is composed almost exclusively of water and carbohydrates. Bananas contain very little amount of protein and almost there is no fat in it.
The carbohydrates of green and immature bananas consist mainly of starch and resistant starch, but when the banana matures, the starch turns into sugar (glucose, fructose and sucrose).
2. Bananas contain nutrients that help to make the blood sugar levels moderate
One of the important benefits of bananas is that it helps to make blood sugar moderate. Bananas are rich in pectin, a type of fibre that gives meat its spongy structural form.
Green bananas contain resistant starch, which acts as a soluble fibre and escapes digestion. Both pectin and resistant starch can moderate blood sugar levels after meals and reduce appetite by slowing stomach emptying.
In addition, bananas are placed low to medium in the glycaemic index (GI), which is a measure, from 0 to 100, of the speed with which food increases blood sugar levels.
The IG value of green bananas is about 30, while ripe bananas are around 60. The average value of all bananas is 51. This means that bananas should not cause strong spikes in blood sugar levels in healthy subjects.
However, this may not apply to people with type 2 diabetes, who should probably avoid eating a lot of very ripe bananas and, if they do, carefully control their blood sugar.
Summary
Bananas can help moderate blood sugar levels after meals and can reduce appetite by delaying stomach emptying.
3. Bananas can improve digestive health
Dietary fibre has been linked to many health benefits, including better digestion. A medium banana has approximately 3 grams of fibre, which makes bananas a fairly good source of fibre.
Bananas contain two main types of fibre:
Pectin: Decreases as the banana ripens.
Resistant starch: found in green bananas.
Resistant starch escapes digestion and ends in the large intestine, where it becomes food for beneficial bacteria in the intestine.
In addition, some test-tube studies suggest that pectin may help protect against colon cancer.
Summary
Bananas are rich in fibre and resistant starch, which can nourish friendly intestinal bacteria and protect them from colon cancer. So we can conclude the second benefits of bananas is that it helps indigestion.
4. Bananas can help you lose weight
No study has ever performed some kind of direct test of the effects of bananas on weight loss. However, bananas have different attributes that should make them food for weight loss.
To start with, bananas have relatively few calories. A medium banana has just over 100 calories, but it is also very nutritious and abundant.
The consumption of more vegetable fibres and fruits such as bananas has been repeatedly associated with the reduction of body weight and weight loss.
Furthermore, green bananas are full of resistant starch, so they tend to be very abundant and can reduce appetite.
Summary
Weight loss is another wonderful benefits of bananas because they are low in calories and rich in nutrients and fibre.
5. Bananas can help to maintain heart health
Potassium is an essential mineral for heart health, particularly to control blood pressure. simply we can mention that there are cardiovascular benefits of bananas too.
Despite its importance, few people take enough potassium in their diet. Bananas are an excellent dietary source of potassium. A medium banana (118 grams) contains 9% of the RDI.
A diet rich in potassium can help reduce blood pressure and people who eat a lot of potassium have a lower risk of heart disease of up to 27%.
In addition, bananas contain a good amount of magnesium, which is also important for heart health.
Summary
Bananas are actually considered as a very good dietary source of potassium and magnesium, two essential nutrients required for better heart health.
6. Bananas contain powerful antioxidants
Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of food antioxidants and bananas are no exception. They contain different types of potent antioxidants, including dopamine and catechins.
These antioxidants are related to many health benefits of bananas, such as a lower risk of heart disease and degenerative diseases.
However, it is a common misconception that banana dopamine acts as a chemical to feel good in the brain.
In reality, dopamine Banamine does not cross the blood-brain barrier. It simply acts as a strong antioxidant instead of altering hormones or mood.
Summary
Bananas are rich in various antioxidants, which can help reduce free radical damage and reduce the risk of certain diseases.
7. Bananas can help you feel fuller
Resistant starch is a type of non-digestible carbohydrate, found in green bananas and other foods, which acts as the soluble fibre in your body.
As a general rule, it is possible to estimate that the greener the banana, the higher its resistant starch content. On the other hand, ripe yellow bananas contain lower amounts of resistant starch and total fibre, but proportionally higher amounts of soluble fibre.
Both pectin and resistant starch offer appetite-reducing effects and increase the sensation of fullness after meals.
Summary
Depending on maturity, bananas contain large amounts of resistant starch or pectin. Both can reduce appetite and help you stay full. So its indirect benefits of bananas in weight loss.
8. Green bananas can improve insulin sensitivity
Insulin resistance is an important risk factor for many of the world’s most serious diseases, including type 2 diabetes. Several studies reveal that 15-30 grams of resistant starch per day they can improve insulin sensitivity by 33-50% in just four weeks.
However, the reason for these effects is not well understood and not all studies agree with the subject. More studies on bananas, benefits of bananas, the function of banans and insulin sensitivity should be performed.
Summary
Green bananas are a good source of resistant starch, which can improve insulin sensitivity. However, more research is needed.
9. Bananas can improve kidney health
Potassium is essential to control blood pressure and healthy kidney function. As a good dietary source of potassium, bananas can be particularly useful for keeping the kidneys healthy.
A 13-year study in women established that those who ate bananas 2-3 times a week were 33% less likely to develop kidney disease. Other studies show that those who eat bananas 4 to 6 times a week are almost 50% less likely to develop kidney disease than those who do not eat this fruit.
Summary
Eating a banana several times a week can reduce the risk of kidney disease by up to 50%. From here we can conclude that the benefits of bananas is also linked with renal health.
10. Bananas can have benefits for exercise
Last but not the least, the other benefits of bananas is to reduce muscle cramps. Bananas are often known as the perfect food for athletes largely due to their easily digested mineral and carbohydrate content.
Eating bananas can help reduce muscle cramps related to exercise and pain, affecting up to 95% of the general population.
However, the research offers mixed results on bananas and muscle cramps. While some studies find them useful, others find no effect. That said, bananas provide excellent nutrition before, during and after endurance exercise.
Summary
Bananas can help relieve muscle cramps caused by exercise. They also provide excellent fuel for endurance exercise.
