The banana has numerous properties and benefits for health, especially for the mind and mood: improves digestion, relieves reflux, improves heart health, vision and asthma, prevents anemia, kidney disorders and ulcers, is a source of potassium and manganese, and others that I will explain to you below.
Today, bananas are grown in at least 107 countries and rank fourth among the world's food crops in monetary value. More bananas are consumed than apples and oranges combined.
Among other advantages, bananas help weight loss, maintain healthy intestines, regulate heart rate, maintain eye health, reduce swelling, protect against the development of type 2 diabetes, strengthen the nervous system ...
Being rich in pectins they help digestion, they also help eliminate heavy metals.
They also act as prebiotics, stimulating the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Moreover, they can restore electrolytes lost after diarrhea.
One banana can provide nearly 10 percent of your daily fiber requirement. Vitamin B6 can also protect against type 2 diabetes and aid in weight loss.
They are relatively easy to digest and are considered non-irritating to the gastrointestinal tract..
Bananas are good for the heart. They are rich in potassium, which is required to maintain the heartbeat. They are also low in sodium, which helps maintain blood pressure.
Bananas can help overcome depression due to their high content of tryptophan, the precursor of serotonin.
They are also rich in vitamin B6 which helps you sleep well..
They have a small but significant amount of vitamin A, which is essential for protecting the eyes, maintaining normal vision, and improving vision at night.
Bananas, like many other fruits, are packed with antioxidant compounds and carotenoids, as well as a suitable combination of minerals that can improve eye health. Macular degeneration, cataracts, night blindness, and glaucoma have been shown to decrease with the normal intake of bananas and other similar fruits.
Bananas contain a large amount of fructooligosaccharides. These are prebiotic carbohydrates that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract by improving calcium absorption..
Some evidence suggests that moderate consumption of bananas may be protective against kidney cancer.
Fully ripe bananas (with black spots) produce a compound called TNF-a. This is a cytokine that is believed to have the potential to increase the white blood cell count, thus strengthening the immune system and fighting cancer cells..
In addition, they can be useful in the prevention of kidney cancer due to their high levels of antioxidant phenolic compounds..
A study by Imperial College London found that children who ate just one banana a day were 34% less likely to develop asthma.
Studies have shown that type 1 diabetics who eat high fiber diets have lower blood glucose levels than type 2 diabetics and may have better blood sugar, lipid and insulin levels. One medium banana provides about 3 grams of fiber.
Green bananas are a great source of complex starch and therefore can help improve insulin sensitivity..
Electrolytes such as potassium are lost in large amounts during bouts of diarrhea and can make affected people feel weak. Bananas can help promote regularity and replenish potassium stores.
They help balance the pH of the stomach and improve the protective mucus layer. With this they help to relieve pain. Fiber content helps food move quickly through the digestive tract, preventing reflux.
It also helps protect the stomach from ulcers. In the long term they increase mucus in the stomach helping to protect it from hydrochloric acid damage. Bananas also contain protease inhibitors, which help kill stomach bacteria that can cause stomach ulcers..
Sports drinks, energy bars, and electrolyte gels are very popular today, yet professional athletes are often seen eating bananas right before and even during their sports..
Watching tennis, for example, it is not uncommon to see players eating a banana between games..
Bananas are particularly rich in vitamin B6. This vitamin is important for the creation of hemoglobin in the blood..
Vitamin B6 is also involved in maintaining proper blood sugar levels, synthesis and breakdown of amino acids, and the production of antibodies for a stronger immune response. A single banana contains one fifth of the recommended intake of vitamin B6.
In addition to high levels of potassium and vitamin B6, bananas have high levels of vitamin C, magnesium, and manganese. They are also a great source of other B vitamins and small amounts of minerals such as iodine, iron, selenium, and zinc..
Bananas contain a good amount of fiber, as well as several antioxidants. A medium-sized banana (118 grams) also contains:
Each banana contains only about 105 calories, and is made up almost exclusively of water and carbohydrates. Bananas contain very little protein and almost no fat.
The carbohydrates in green (unripe) bananas consist mainly of starch and resistant starch, but as the banana ripens, the starch is converted to sugar (glucose, fructose, and sucrose).
They contain several types of powerful antioxidants, including catechins. These antioxidants have been linked to many health benefits, such as a lower risk of heart disease and degenerative diseases..
A 16 cm banana has a minimum of 90 calories, about a quarter of the calories you get from a chocolate bar. Also, about half of the fiber content of bananas is soluble..
When soluble fiber reaches the digestive tract, it absorbs water and slows down digestion. Food is forced to settle in your stomach for a while, causing you to feel full.
The reason for the cramps is basically unknown, but a popular theory blames a mixture of dehydration and electrolyte imbalance..
However, studies have provided conflicting results on bananas and muscle cramps. Some find them helpful, while others find no effect.
That said, bananas have been shown to provide excellent nutrition before, during, and after endurance exercise.
As with many fruits, bananas contain a good amount of vitamin C. One banana provides about 10 mg of vitamin C, or about 15 percent of the recommended daily allowance. Vitamin C stimulates the immune system and cellular health and improves the absorption of other nutrients such as iron.
Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that neutralizes harmful free radicals in the body. It also helps keep blood vessels healthy and encourages collagen production that holds muscles, bones, and other tissues together..
Since B vitamins are most commonly found in animal products, it may come as a surprise that bananas are an excellent source of vitamin B-6, also called pyridoxine. One banana supplies 35% of your daily requirement for vitamin B-6. The body uses vitamin B-6 to create new cells.
Bananas are a good source of manganese, a mineral necessary for healthy bones and metabolism… One medium banana provides around 0.3 mg and adults need 1.8 to 2.3 mg of manganese per day.
Potassium is a vital nutrient as it helps regulate blood pressure, which helps keep the heart working properly.
Our bones also need this potassium as it helps reduce calcium excretion, which is how bananas help reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis and help keep bones strong the older we get..
Bananas may be able to help protect against stomach ulcers, or help treat existing ones. This is due to certain compounds in bananas that create a thick protective barrier in the stomach that can help defend against the damaging effects of excess hydrochloric acid..
In addition to this, bananas also contain protease inhibitors that can help kill certain bacteria in the stomach that cause ulcers..
Potassium helps regulate fluid balance in the body, therefore it can help relieve stress on the kidneys, as well as promote urination..
This can help prevent toxins from building up in the body, and speeding up their release from the body by increasing the frequency and volume of urination..
On the other hand, there are polyphenols, antioxidant compounds in bananas that positively impact kidney function and the accumulation of toxins, while also stimulating the proper functioning of the kidneys..
Bananas are high in iron and help treat anemia, as iron is an essential part of hemoglobin that colors red blood cells.
With this, not only anemia is prevented, but it can increase circulation to all parts of the body, therefore there will be greater oxygenation of the various parts of the organs, thus optimizing their functionality..
And you, what other benefits of banana do you know??
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