Going Bananas

 

 It has been a while since I wrote about the benefits of a specific fruit. I am still loading old entries from my first blog site onto this one. According to this current Archive I wrote about the benefits of my all time favorite fruit blueberries back in December of 2019. If you haven’t read “10 Proven Health Benefits of Blueberries” check it out.

 Lately I have been eating a lot of bananas. I have liked bananas since I was a kid. As I have said many times, like most people I of course know all fruits and vegetables are good for us. But not until recently did I actually take the time to learn why bananas are so good for us. I love that my son always asks what different fruits and vegetables are good for. I believe we should all be well informed what the health benefits for every fruit and vegetable and all foods we consume are. Many of them are very healing and do their jobs better than modern medicine. 

 I eat two bananas almost daily. One post workout and one as an evening snack mixed with muesli or wheat puffs. It’s a simple, nutritious, and quick snack option that combines fiber-rich cereal with potassium from fruit and a little protein from the dairy (milk). A small bowl goes a long way. Below find 11 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Bananas that I came across. These facts inspire me to reach for a banana over anything unhealthy like say, some chips. I hope this information inspires you as well. Thank you for reading. 

11 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Bananas

Bananas are fresh, versatile, and relatively inexpensive fruits. They’re packed with essential nutrients and may benefit weight loss, digestion, and heart health.

1. Rich in nutrients

Bananas contain a fair amount of carbs, water, fiber, and antioxidants but little protein and almost no fat.

One medium bananaTrusted Source contains:

• Calories: 112
• Fat: 0.4 grams (g)
• Protein: 1 g
• Carbs: 29 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• 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. May improve blood sugar levels

Bananas are rich in soluble fiber. During digestion, soluble fiber dissolves in liquid to form a gel.

Unripe (green) bananas also contain resistant starch, a type of fiber that your body does not digest.

Together, these two types of fiber may help moderate your blood sugar levels after meals and regulate your appetite by slowing the emptying of your stomach.

This means that despite their higher carb content, bananas may not cause major spikes in blood sugar levels in people who don’t have diabetes.

According to this 2021 study, raw bananas have a glycemic index (GI) of 47 (low) and a glycemic load (GL) of 7 (low). It’s also worth noting that overripe bananas have a GI of 57 (medium) and a GL of 9 (low).

However, for those who have diabetes, eating a large portion in one sitting may cause blood sugar levels to rise too high, so it’s best to stick to one banana at a time.

3. May support digestive health

Dietary fiber has been linked to many health benefits, including improved digestion.

Resistant starch, the type of fiber found in unripe bananas, is a prebiotic. Prebiotics escape digestion and end up in your large intestine, where they become food for the beneficial bacteria in your gut (probiotics).

What’s more, pectin — a fiber found in both ripe and unripe bananas — may help prevent constipation and soften stools.

Some test-tube studies even suggest that pectin may help protect against colon cancer, although further research in humans is needed to learn more about this possible benefit.

4. May aid weight loss

No study has directly investigated the effects of bananas on weight loss. However, bananas have several attributes that could make them a weight-loss-friendly food.

Bananas have relatively few calories — just over 100 calories in an average banana — but are nutritious and filling.

They’re also packed with dietary fiber and resistant starch, which may help you feel full longer and reduce the frequency and size of your meals.

If you’d like to include unripe bananas in your diet, try using them as you’d use plantains.

5. May support heart health

Potassium is a mineral that’s vital for heart health and especially for blood pressure management. However, few people get enough potassium in their diet.

Bananas are a great source of potassium, with a medium banana providing 10% of the DV.

A potassium-rich diet could help lower your blood pressure, reducing your risk of hypertension. A 2021 study found that people who consumed more than 3,000 mg of potassium daily had a 25% lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Additionally, bananas contain 8% of the DV for magnesium, another important mineral for heart health.

Magnesium deficiency (hypomagnesemia) may be linked to an increased risk of heart disease, elevated blood pressure, and high levels of fats in the blood. Therefore, it’s essential to get enough of this mineral from either your diet or supplements.

6. Full of antioxidants

Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of dietary antioxidants, and bananas are no exception.

They contain several types of potent antioxidants, including flavonoids and amines. These antioxidants are linked to many health benefits, such as a reduced risk of heart disease and macular degeneration.

Antioxidants help prevent oxidative damage to your cells caused by free radicals. If you do not consume enough antioxidants, free radicals can build up over time and cause harm if their levels become high enough in your body.

7. May help you feel fuller

The soluble fiber in bananas may help keep you full by adding bulk to your digestive system and slowing digestion.

Additionally, bananas are relatively low in calories for their size.

Combined, the low calorie and high fiber content of bananas make them a more filling snack than some other options, such as processed or sugary boxed snacks.

Protein is filling, but bananas are low in this macronutrient. For a hunger-reducing snack, you can try eating a sliced banana with a protein-rich food such as Greek yogurt or blending a banana into a protein shake.

8. May improve insulin sensitivity when unripe

Insulin resistance is a significant risk factor in several chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes.

Studies suggest that regularly eating resistant starch may improve insulin sensitivity, making your body more responsive to the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin.

However, more research is needed to investigate how the resistant starch in green (unripe) bananas might affect insulin sensitivity.

9. May improve kidney health

Potassium is vital for healthy kidney function and blood pressure regulation.

As a great dietary source of potassium, bananas could be especially beneficial for keeping your kidneys healthy.

A 2019 study that included more than 5,000 people with early stage chronic kidney disease linked potassium with lower blood pressure and a slower progression of kidney disease.

However, some people who have late-stage kidney disease or are undergoing dialysis need to restrict their potassium intake. If you fall into one of these categories, speak with a healthcare professional before increasing your potassium intake.

10. May support exercise performance

Bananas are sometimes referred to as the perfect food for athletes. This is largely due to their content of easily digested carbs, along with potassium and magnesium, which act as electrolytes.

During vigorous exercise, you lose electrolytes through sweat. Resupplying your body with fluid and electrolytes after sweating helps support muscle function and protect against exercise-related muscle cramps.

Specific research on the effects of bananas on exercise performance, cramping, and exercise recovery is lacking. But bananas can provide excellent nutrition before, during, and after exercise.

11. Easy to add to your diet

Bananas are not only healthy and tasty but also convenient.

They make a great addition to yogurt, cereal, or smoothies, and they work well as a topping for whole grain toast with peanut butter. You can even use them in place of sugar in your baking and cooking.

Bananas are also easy to transport and are usually well tolerated and easily digested. All you need to do is peel them and you’re good to go.