Bananas : Health benefits, Nutrition facts & information
Scientific name : Musa
Hindi name : Kela
Find Out : Why should we eat bananas regularly ?
Health benefits
What health benefits are associated with eating bananas?
Banana has amazingly huge health benefits. Let’s take a look at the possible health benefits of bananas :
1. Fights with cancer
- As a good source of vitamin C, bananas can help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer.
- High fiber intakes from fruits and vegetables like bananas are associated with a lowered risk of colorectal cancer.
2. Reducing chances of heart disease
- The fiber, potassium, vitamin C and B6 content in bananas all support heart health.
3. Improve eyesight
- Carrots may get all the glory for helping your eyes, but bananas do their share as well. The fruits contain a small but significant amount of vitamin A, which is essential for protecting your eyes, maintaining normal vision and improving vision at night, according to the National Institutes of Health.
4. May Have Benefits for Exercise
- Banana may help relieve muscle cramps caused by exercise. They also provide excellent fuel for endurance exercise.
- Bananas are often referred to as the perfect food for athletes, largely due to their mineral content and easily digested carbs.
5. Maintains Your Blood Pressure
6. Maintains Your Blood Sugar Levels
- Unripe bananas are a great source of resistant starch, and may therefore help improve insulin sensitivity. However, more research is needed.
7. Aids digestion
- Bananas are high in fiber, which can help keep you regular. One banana can provide nearly 10 percent of your daily fiber requirement.
8. Treats diarrhea
- Bland foods such as apple sauce and banana are recommended for diarrhea treatment. Electrolytes like potassium are lost in large quantities during bouts of diarrhea and may make those affected feel weak. Bananas can help to promote regularity and replenish potassium stores.
9. Preserving memory and boosting mood
- Banana also contain tryptophan, an amino acid that studies suggest plays a role in preserving memory and boosting your mood.
- Banana can be helpful in overcoming depression “due to high levels of tryptophan, which the body converts to serotonin, the mood-elevating brain neurotransmitter,” Flores said.
10. May Help With Weight Loss
- Bananas may help with weight loss. They are low in calories, high in nutrients and fiber, and may have appetite-reducing effects.
11. May Improve Kidney Health
- Eating a banana several times a week may reduce the risk of kidney disease by up to 50%.
12.Reducing chances of asthma
13.Green-banana flour makes healthy pasta alternative for celiac disease patients
14.Water purifying banana skins
- To the surprisingly inventive uses for banana peels – which include polishing silverware, leather shoes, and the leaves of house plants – scientists have added purification of drinking water contaminated with potentially toxic metals.
Nutrition facts & information
Bananas contain the following important nutrients:
- Antioxidants like Vitamin C
- Vitamin A
- Dietary fibres like resistant starch, pectin
- B-complex vitamins (riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6 and folic acid,)
- Minerals such as Manganese, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, Calcium
- Protein
Health risks
- Beta-blockers, a type of medication most commonly prescribed for heart disease, can cause potassium levels to increase in the blood. High potassium foods such as banana should be consumed in moderation when taking beta-blockers.
- Consuming too much potassium can be harmful for those whose kidneys are not fully functional. If your kidneys are unable to remove excess potassium from the blood, it could be fatal.
