Bananas are extremely healthy and delicious but they also offer contain several essential nutrients. Bananas have benefits for health such as for digestion, heart health and weight loss. The one most often mentioned is Potassium, which when dangerously low can even result in heart failure.
Aside from being very nutritious, they are also a highly convenient, very portable snack food. It is really worth eating a banana regularly.
Bananas contain a fair amount of fiber, as well as several antioxidants.
One medium-sized banana contains:
Potassium: 9% of the RDI.
Vitamin B6: 33% of the RDI.
Vitamin C: 11% of the RDI.
Magnesium: 8% of the RDI.
Copper: 10% of the RDI.
Manganese: 14% of the RDI.
Net carbs: 24 grams.
Fiber: 3.1 grams.
Protein: 1.3 grams.
Fat: 0.4 grams.
Each banana contains only about 105 calories, and consists almost exclusively of water and carbs. Bananas contain very little protein and almost no fat.
The carbs in unripe bananas consist mostly of starch and resistant starch, but as the banana ripens, the starch turns into sugar -glucose, fructose and sucrose.
Bananas contain nutrients that can help moderate blood sugar levels after meals. They may also reduce appetite by slowing stomach emptying.
Bananas are rich in a fibre called pectin.
Unripe bananas contain resistant starch, which acts like soluble fibre and escapes digestion.
Both pectin and resistant starch may moderate blood sugar levels after meals, and reduce appetite by slowing stomach emptying.
Bananas also rank low to medium on the glycemic index, which is a measure (from 0–100) of how quickly foods increase blood sugar levels.
The glycemic value of unripe bananas is about 30, while ripe bananas rank at about 60. The average value of all bananas is 51.
This means that bananas should not cause major spikes in blood sugar levels in healthy individuals.
However, this may not apply to diabetics, which should probably avoid eating lots of well-ripened bananas and monitor their blood sugars carefully when they do.
Bananas contain nutrients that can help moderate blood sugar levels after meals. They may also reduce appetite by slowing stomach emptying.
Dietary fibre has been linked to many health benefits, including improved digestion.
A medium-sized banana contains about 3 grams of fibre, making bananas a fairly good fibre source.
Bananas contain mainly two types of fiber:
Pectin: Decreases as the banana ripens.
Resistant starch: Found in unripe bananas.
Resistant starch escapes digestion and ends up in our large intestine, where it becomes food for the beneficial gut bacteria.
Additionally, some cell studies propose that pectin may help protect against colon cancer.
Bananas are a good dietary source of potassium and magnesium, two nutrients that are essential for heart health.
Potassium is a mineral that is essential for heart health, especially blood pressure control.
Yet despite its importance, most people are not getting enough potassium in their diet.
Bananas are a great dietary source of potassium. One medium-sized banana contains 9% of the RDI.
A potassium-rich diet can help lower blood pressure, and people who eat plenty of potassium have up to a 27% lower risk of heart disease.
Furthermore, bananas contain a decent amount of magnesium, which is also important for heart health.
Eating a banana several times a week may reduce the risk of kidney disease by up to 50%.
Potassium is essential for blood pressure control and healthy kidney function.
As a good dietary source of potassium, bananas may be especially beneficial for maintaining healthy kidneys.
One study in women showed that over 13 years, those who ate bananas 2–3 times per week were 33% less likely to develop kidney disease.
Other studies have found that those who eat bananas 4–6 times a week are almost 50% less likely to develop kidney disease, compared to people who don’t eat bananas.
Bananas 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.
Eating bananas may help reduce exercise-related muscle cramps and soreness, which affect up to 95% of the general population.
The reason for the cramps is basically unknown, but a popular theory blames a mixture of dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. However, studies have provided mixed findings about bananas and muscle cramps. Some find them helpful, while others find no effect.
That being said, bananas have been shown to provide excellent nutrition before, during and after endurance exercise.
Bananas Are Easy to Add to Your Diet
Not only are bananas incredibly healthy — they’re also one of the most convenient snack foods around.
Bananas make a great addition to your breakfast yogurt, cereal or smoothie. You can even use them instead of sugar in your baking and cooking.
Furthermore, bananas rarely contain any pesticides or pollutants, due to their thick protective peel.
Bananas are incredibly easy to eat and transport. They are usually well-tolerated and easily digested, and simply have to be peeled and eaten.
It doesn’t get much easier than that.
Take a look at other helpful articles on healthy lifestyle habits on our Skymartbw Blog.
