I love bananas, so I wanted to find out more about the associated health benefits and I
was amazed with what I found! Not only are they low calorie (105 per banana), but they are also packed with wonderful vitamins and nutrients that our bodies need to become and stay healthy.
It is recommended that we eat roughly two cups of fruit daily, which you can
get with just two bananas. Here are the health benefits of adding bananas to
your daily diet:
Bananas May Aid Weight Loss
Because they are low in calories and high in fiber, bananas are great for the body if you are
trying to lose weight. Eating two bananas for breakfast is a filling and healthy way to start your day. I like to add mine to a smoothie. You can also top your banana with some peanut butter and you’ll get an extra boost of protein as well as a delicious taste!
Bananas Improve Digestive Health
A banana that is medium in size contains approximately 3 grams of fiber.
Fiber is known for numerous healthy benefits, and most of all helps with digestion.
Bananas have two kinds of fiber in them: resistant starch and pectin.
Both resistant starch and pectin are great for your large intestine and colon,
so whether ripe or not so ripe, bananas will help your digestion.
Bananas Help Maintain Healthy Blood Sugar Levels
The starch found in bananas is a type of starch not digested in the small intestine, but is instead processed by the bacteria found in the gut, which promotes healthy blood sugar levels.
Bananas have a low to medium glycemic index (GI): 30 for unripe, 60 for
ripe, yet those with type 2 diabetes may need to monitor how many ripe bananas they consume.
Bananas Are Good For Your Heart
An average sized ripe banana has 9% of our recommended daily amount of
potassium! Because they contain so much potassium, bananas are great for
heart health and potentially lowering chances of heart disease. According to cardiologist Dr. John Day, consuming bananas regularly can decrease blood pressure. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that we get at least 4,700 milligrams of potassium each day in our diet. Bananas also contain magnesium, which is wonderful for your heart. So eat up!
Bananas Contain Amazing Antioxidants
Bananas have several types of powerful antioxidants, including dopamine and
catechins. They provide amazing health benefits and can reduce damage
from free radicals.
Bananas Can Ward Off Strokes
A study conducted over eight years which studied 5,600 men and women over the age of 65 found that those with the least potassium in their diet were 1.5 times more likely to have a stroke than those with the most. Researchers at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Hawaii defined low potassium intake as less than 2.4 grams per day and high intake as more than 4 grams per day. As ripe bananas are a great source of potassium, consider adding some to your diet.
Bananas Give You Energy
Bananas have a high mineral content and contain easily digested carbohydrates,
which makes them popular among athletes. They will give an immediate
boost of energy and have been shown to reduce muscle cramps, which
helps us whether we are Olympic Athletes or not.
Adding bananas to your diet is simple, as there are so many great ways they can consumed: through smoothies, with cereals or simply just by peeling and eating. With all of their wonderful health benefits, it’s a good idea to try integrating a few into our daily diets.
Do you eat ripe bananas regularly?
Let us know in the comments.
You are Loved.
See Also: A Fast And Easy Way To Shed Pounds: The Japanese Morning Diet
