Banana, which is among the most consumed fruits in the world, is an important source of potassium and pectin, a type of fiber.
At the same time, banana meets our body’s need for magnesium, vitamins C and B6.
100 grams of banana has the nutritional value listed below (% Daily Value*):
- Calories 89
- Total Fat – 0.3 g (0%)
- Saturated fat – 0.1 g (0%)
- Cholesterol – 0 mg (0%)
- Sodium – 1 mg (0%)
- Potassium – 358 mg (10%)
- Total Carbohydrate – 23 g (7%)
- Dietary fiber – 2.6 g (10%)
- Sugar – 12 g
- Protein – 1.1 g (2%)
- Vitamin C – 14%
- Calcium – 0%
- Iron – 1%
- Vitamin D – 0%
- Vitamin B6 – 20%
- Cobalamin – 0%
- Magnesium – 6%
What Will We Learn?
Benefits Of Banana
American nutritionist Laura Flores states that bananas contain high levels of antioxidants and that these antioxidants provide protection against free radicals.
At the same time, due to the high amount of vitamin B6 it contains, bananas protect against Type 2 diabetes, help lose weight, strengthen the nervous system and increase the production of white blood cells.
Banana has health benefits listed below:
1. Protects The Heart
The potassium found in bananas is a mineral electrolyte that helps keep the electricity needed for the heartbeat flowing throughout the body.
Bananas can also protect your cardiovascular system against high blood pressure, thanks to their high potassium and low sodium content, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
2. May Reduce Depression
Tryptophan, which is found in high amounts in bananas, is effective against depression as it is converted into serotonin in the body.
At the same time, vitamin B6 helps you sleep well, and magnesium helps your muscles relax.
If you’re looking for vitamin-rich fruits, you can check out this article.
3. It Can Help You Lose Weight
Fiber, which is abundant in bananas, allows you to go to the toilet regularly. One banana meets about 10% of your daily fiber needs.
In addition, vitamin B6 protects your body against Type 2 diabetes and helps you lose weight.
The reason why bananas are effective in losing weight is that they blunt your need for junk food because they are sugary, and they are also satisfying.
Bananas also regulate blood sugar levels during exercise.
You can try the ‘Morning Banana Diet’, which was developed in Japan and can keep you full for a long time. You can try eating a banana for breakfast with a glass of water in the morning.
4. Beneficial For Bones
Although bananas do not contain large amounts of calcium, they contribute to keeping your bones strong.
Laut einer im Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry veröffentlichten Studie enthalten Bananen große Mengen an Fructooligosacchariden.
These strengthen the digestive probiotics and help the body absorb calcium.
5. Good For Eye Health
Although everyone thinks of carrots when it comes to eyesight, bananas also have a great contribution to vision.
According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin A, which is found in small amounts in bananas, contributes to eye health as well as maintains your normal and night vision.
Vitamin A contains components that are an element of proteins that protect the membranes around your eyes and transmit light to your corneas.
Like other fruits, bananas are beneficial against macular degeneration, which is incurable and causes blurring of your central vision.
6. Protects Against Cancer
According to some findings, an average consumption of banana provides protection against kidney cancer.
A 2005 Swedish study found that women who ate more than 75 meals of vegetables or fruits had a 40% reduced risk of cancer.
It turned out that women who ate four to six bananas a week cut their risk of kidney cancer in half.
The reason why bananas are effective against kidney cancer may be the antioxidant phenolic component found in high amounts in bananas.
7. It Relaxes The Intestines
Bananas contain a significant amount of dietary fiber and therefore provide relief in bowel movements.
It relieves the person from constipation and helps in the treatment of other stomach ailments.
If you are wondering about the Benefits of Orange, you can read this article.
8. It Is GooIt Is Beneficial For The Skin
Banana helps to shed excess sebum on the skin.
In addition, bananas are rich in potassium and moisture, which helps hydrate dry skin and make it soft and supple.
Thanks to the antioxidants in its content, it prevents the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
9. Prevents Kidney Problems
Again, a 2005 study shows that the potassium and various antioxidants in bananas help the functioning of the kidneys and promote urination.
This prevents toxins from accumulating in the body.
If you have any kidney problems, talk to your doctor before consuming bananas.
10. Relieves Asthma symptoms
Yes true. Banana is a food that can help you fight asthma.
Scientific studies conducted in England collected nutritional information from 2640 children aged 5 to 10 years.
It was found that children who ate bananas were one-third less likely to experience wheezing than children who did not.
What Are The Harms Of Banana?
Bananas are not harmful to health as long as they are consumed in moderation.
However, if too many bananas are eaten, headaches or constant sleepiness may occur.
Experts think that the headache is caused by the amino acids found in bananas that dilate blood vessels.
These amino acids are found in excess in overripe bananas.
The reason they sleep is tryptophan, which is high in bananas. In addition, while magnesium relaxes the muscles, it is sometimes seen as a benefit, but sometimes it can be harmful.
Since banana is a very sugary fruit, consuming too much banana and not paying attention to tooth cleaning can cause tooth decay.
At the same time, because there is not much protein or fat in bananas, it is not a healthy food that can be consumed alone. Bananas eaten after exercise are also not considered an effective snack.
Eating too many bananas can be extremely dangerous.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that adults eat no more than two bananas a day.
If you eat dozens of bananas every day, excessive levels of vitamins and minerals can pose a danger to your body.
The University of Maryland Medical Center states that excessive consumption of potassium can cause hyperkalemia (extremely high potassium level), which is associated with muscle weakness, temporary paralysis and irregular heartbeat.
In order for the symptoms of hyperkalemia, which can have extremely serious consequences, to appear, you need to have eaten about 43 bananas in a very short time.
Consuming more than 500 milligrams of vitamin B6 a day can cause nerve damage in the arms and legs.
However, to reach such a level of vitamin B6, a person must have eaten thousands of bananas.
Can You Eat A Banana Peel?
The banana peel can only harm you if you step on it.
Banana peel is not poisonous as it is thought.
On the contrary, it is edible and contains a large amount of nutrients.
Stating that banana peel is eaten in many parts of the world, Flores adds that it is not very common in the West.
Banana peel contains high levels of vitamins B6 and B12, as well as magnesium, potassium, fiber and protein.
According to a 2011 article published in the journal Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, banana peels also contain various bioactive components such as polyphenols, carotenoids, etc. Of course, it is recommended that you carefully clean the banana peel before you eat it, in case it has been sprayed with pesticides.
While banana peels are usually served cooked, boiled or fried, they can also be consumed raw with the help of a shredder with other fruits.
Banana peel is not as sugary as the fruit itself. Ripe banana peels are sweeter than unripe ones.
