Introduction
Banana is a fantastic option for anyone who wants to eat healthily. Despite being native to Southeast Asia, they are widely available since they grow anywhere in warm temperatures. The most typical kind sold in grocery stores, the Cavendish variety, starts firm and green but ripens to yellow, soft and sweet fruit.
The several vital elements included in bananas may improve digestion, weight loss and heart health.
Surprising nutritional facts about banana
Starting with a quick fact contrary to beliefs, banana peels necessarily don't have to be in the bin. It can be consumed as it is packed with nutrients, antioxidants and vitamin A, which aids in weight loss and immunity and maintains eye health. Its other nutritional facts include
Fibre
Pectin, a type of fibre found in bananas, is a good source. Bananas contain some water-soluble pectin. One of the primary causes of bananas becoming softer with age is the rise in water-soluble pectin content when bananas ripen. Pectin and resistant starch both help to lower post-meal blood sugar spikes.
Carbohydrates
The majority of the carbohydrates in bananas are found as sugars in ripe bananas and as starch in unripe bananas. Bananas' carbohydrate content changes as they ripen.
Starch makes up the majority of an unripe banana. Starch content in green bananas can reach up to 80% by dry weight.
The total sugar content in ripe bananas might exceed 16% of the fresh weight. The reason for the low GI of bananas is their high quantity of resistant starch and fibre.
Vitamins and minerals
Bananas are a great source of various vitamins and minerals, particularly potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C.
- Potassium
Bananas are an excellent source of potassium. Individuals with high blood pressure might gain from a diet high in potassium.
- Vitamin B6
Bananas are abundant in vitamin B6. This vitamin's Daily Value (DV) can be as high as 33% in one medium-sized banana.
Bananas, like most fruit, are a good source of vitamin C.
Other plant compounds
Bananas are no exception to the rule that fruits and vegetables contain a wide variety of bioactive plant compounds.
Dopamine from bananas cannot alter mood because the blood-brain barrier prevents it from doing so, even though it is an essential neurotransmitter in the brain. Instead, it serves as an antioxidant.
- Catechin
Bananas contain a number of antioxidant flavonoids, most notably catechins. They have been associated with a number of health advantages, including decreased risk of heart disease.
5 Benefits of eating a banana you need to know about
Apart from being a feast of fibre and keeping the tummy happy, bananas provide these top 5 benefits that you need to know about.
Supports digestive health
One of the many health benefits of dietary fibre is improved digestion. An average medium banana contains 3 grammes of fibre. Additionally, the fibre pectin, which is present in both ripe and unripe bananas, may aid in preventing constipation and softening stools.
Aids weight loss
The impact of bananas on weight loss has not been tested. However, a few qualities of this popular fruit could help with weight loss.
First off, there are fewer calories in bananas. It is nourishing and filling. Numerous studies have connected eating more fibre-rich foods like fruits and vegetables to reduced body weight and weight loss.
Supports heart health
The mineral potassium is essential for maintaining heart health, particularly for controlling blood pressure. A medium-sized banana (126 grammes) contains 10% of the daily need for potassium, making them a fantastic mineral source.
Lack of magnesium may increase the risk of heart disease, raise blood pressure and increase blood lipid levels. 8% of the daily value (DV) of magnesium, another mineral vital to heart health, may be found in bananas.
Supports exercise recovery
It's been said that bananas are the ideal nourishment for athletes. This is partly because they include carbs that are simple to digest and the minerals potassium and magnesium, which both function as electrolytes. Bananas are a great source of nourishment before, during and after exercise.
Improves kidney health
Potassium is important for maintaining good kidney function and controlling blood pressure. Bananas are a fantastic dietary source of potassium, which may be particularly advantageous for supporting kidney health.
However, some individuals with late-stage kidney disease or those undergoing dialysis need to limit their potassium consumption. Before increasing your potassium consumption, consult your healthcare staff if you fall into one of these categories.
Benefits of eating Banana everyday
One of the best fruit sources of vitamin B6 is the banana. Red blood cell production, lipid and glucose metabolism, amino acid metabolism, liver and kidney detoxification, and nervous system health are all aided by it.
Bananas are an excellent source of vitamin C, which helps your body produce collagen, maintain cells and tissues, and support brain function by aiding in serotonin production.
A one medium banana helps meet the daily manganese requirements. Manganese protects your skin and other cells from oxidative stress and helps produce collagen.
Your body benefits from the potassium in bananas by preserving a healthy heart and blood pressure. They are also low in salt. Combining a low-sodium and high-potassium diet can help lower blood pressure. Additionally, bananas can improve digestion and treat digestive problems.
Are bananas good for people with certain diseases?
Bananas are consumed by people worldwide to treat or fight a range of illnesses, including but not limited to Diabetes, heart disease, cancer and depression.
Diabetes
As a result of their high carbohydrate and natural sugar content, bananas have a bad reputation in the diabetic world. Still, when you look at bananas as a whole, they're not necessarily off-limits if you have diabetes.
Foods are given a glycemic index score based on how rapidly glucose is released into the bloodstream. Foods are categorised as low-GI if their GI value is under 55. With a GI of 51, bananas can be had in moderation.
Heart disease
Bananas and other potassium-rich meals are important for controlling high blood pressure because potassium reduces the effects of sodium. You lose more sodium when you consume more potassium.
The biggest risk factor for heart disease is high blood pressure, which potassium helps to regulate by reducing the tension in your blood vessel walls. Lower blood pressure results from less tension, which lowers the risk of developing heart disease.
Depression
Serotonin, a neurotransmitter that controls mood and social behaviour as well as cognitive and digestive processes, can be increased in the brain by eating bananas.
Low amounts of vitamin B6, which is found in bananas, are linked to depression.
Cancer
Bananas are high in vitamin C, an antioxidant that may protect DNA from oxidative damage by eliminating free radicals. Cells experience oxidative damage, which can result in mutations and issues, including cancer, hastened ageing, autoimmune disorders and more.
Ripe bananas may aid in cancer prevention by stimulating the production of white blood cells.
Possible side effects of eating a banana
The fruit's many benefits include providing rapid energy improved heart health and kidney stone prevention. But if consumed in excess, the tropical fruit can also be harmful. The possible side effects of eating too many bananas, if you enjoy them, could be
Constipation
The starch found in bananas, which is particularly challenging for the body to digest, is also high in fibre. Additionally, consuming an excessive amount of bananas can result in constipation by disturbing the bowel system.
Nutrient imbalance
Our body needs a balance of all vital nutrients in order to function properly. However, bananas are a filling fruit, and if you eat too much of them, you won't have room for other healthy foods.
Weight gain
Bananas have a lot of calories, which might cause unhealthy weight gain. A banana a day is okay since the body uses the energy it receives to burn calories. However, eating too many bananas can lead to unhealthy weight gain that may be challenging to lose afterwards.
Dental problems
Bananas contain a lot of natural sugar, contributing to dental problems like tooth decay, cavities and even gum inflammation. Too many bananas can cause dental enamel to erode due to the acid in the fruit.
Easy ways to add bananas to your daily diet
Bananas could be added to the daily diet. Here are a few simple methods of doing so.
- Spread toast with mashed ripe banana and peanut or almond butter.
- Make a dip for apple slices; combine mashed ripe banana with plain yoghurt and a small amount of peanut butter.
- Add a chopped banana to muesli or porridge.
- Banana chips could be made
- Add them to smoothies and waffles.
Banana dishes you could try.
Banana is a highly valued fruit in India. It is used in the making of decadent desserts like kheer, malpua, halwa, payasam, sheera and paniyaram, to mention a few. Raw fruit is also included. It is used to make wafers, sabzis, kebabs, pakoras and well-known Keralan curries like Avial and Kalan after being cut into tiny pieces or thinly sliced.
If you travel to the East and Northeast, you'll find it as a breakfast cereal known as jolpan in Assam, which is made of puffed or sticky rice, curd and jaggery and topped with banana pieces. It is frequently offered on breakfast menus.
Conclusion
Bananas are a popular fruit that contains important nutrients that help people stay healthy. It is important to remember that eating bananas may not have the same effects on every individual, even though the minerals in bananas can keep people healthy and prevent diseases.
However, a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables will give a person access to a variety of vital nutrients that can help them stay healthy.
