Like most fruits and vegetables, bananas are capable of helping our bodies in a number of fascinating and important ways. Consider the following motivations to start making bananas a regular part of your diet.
1) They can help you lose weight:
Every time you eat a banana, it provides you with 11% of your recommended daily allowance of dietary fiber. This fiber helps to keep your blood sugar at healthy levels, helps you feel fuller for longer and discouraging binge eating. In addition, bananas only contain just over 100 calories, so they are perfect for dieters.
2) They help to keep your bones healthy:
The high amount of potassium in bananas is also useful for the bones, as it helps to keep them strong. Having a diet rich in potassium helps to counteract high sodium intake, which is important because too much sodium can cause far too much calcium to be lost through urine. Calcium is critical for strong, healthy bones and also helps to keep the nervous system in working order.
3) They improve cardiovascular health:
Ingesting adequate amounts of potassium is vital for heart health. Potassium helps to regulate your heart rhythm and keeps the balance of fluids in your body just right. This fluid balance, in turn, affects your blood pressure. If you have healthy blood pressure, you are less likely to have a stroke or a heart attack.
4) They help to maintain your stomach health:
Bananas trigger mucus production in the stomach, and this helps to protect the stomach from the strong acids it contains. In addition, there are protease inhibitors in bananas, and these help prevent stomach ulcers by breaking down and destroying the particular kinds of bacteria that can cause ulcers.
5) They help to prevent certain kinds of cancer:
A recent and credible scientific study showed that bananas are especially helpful in reducing your likelihood of developing kidney cancer. If you eat bananas at least five times a week, you are around 50% less likely to end up suffering from kidney cancer.
6) They help your body absorb nutrients:
Bananas contain something called fructooligosaccharide (or ‘FOS’ for short). FOS encourages your body to encourage more calcium, which results in all the benefits mentioned above in connection with bone health. In addition, when your body absorbs plenty of FOS this helps to keep your colon rich in the healthy bacteria that produce particular digestive enzymes that are vital for the body’s general ability to absorb nutrients.
7) They provide lots of Vitamin B6:
Vitamin B6 is one of the most important vitamins, and one banana will provide you with 34% of your recommended daily allowance. This will help your lymphatic system to produce white blood cells that fend off infection, as well as helping your nervous system function properly and aiding your body in the production of new cells.
8. They keep your digestive system healthy:
Bananas can relieve the effects of both constipation and diarrhea. Potassium is an electrolyte and also helps to replenish your body’s general supply of electrolytes (which are lost when you have bouts of diarrhea). Pectin in bananas, on the other hand, helps those with constipation by making stools softer and easier to pass.
9) They can help you have an easier pregnancy:
The potassium in bananas decreases the severity of swelling during pregnancy (especially around the ankles). Bananas also seem to help some people who suffer from morning sickness.
As is obvious from the above health benefits, bananas are one of the best fruits to snack on if you want to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. Not everyone likes the taste of bananas, but remember that you can incorporate them into your diet in creative ways. Try blending them into a smoothie with other fruits, or slice them into your breakfast cereal.
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