A Banana a Day...

Bananas are loved by children, monkeys and just about everyone. What’s not to like about a fruit that comes gift-wrapped and is packed with nutrients that lead to good health and fat loss?

Once considered exotic, bananas are so mainstream that we can now enjoy the health benefits year-round. Let’s explore banana nutrition facts to find out why they provide us with so much good health.

About Bananas

The individual wrapping of a banana makes it an ideal mid-afternoon snack with just 105 calories per banana. Choose the banana as your go-to snack rather than relying on sugary snacks to keep you energized.

With just 3 calories coming from fat, banana nutrition facts should let you snack without guilt. Other reasons you should enjoy the health benefits of bananas without worrying about the bad stuff includes no cholesterol and almost no sodium! With about 14 grams of sugar, you should be sure not to eat too many bananas each day.

With 3 grams of fiber and just 1 gram of protein per banana you can eat a banana knowing that you are burning fat just to process it.

Many of the health benefits of bananas stem from many nutrients found in bananas. Vitamins C and B6 are found in the largest numbers, while vitamin A, riboflavin and folate are also found in significant quantities. Other health-boosting minerals found in bananas include potassium, magnesium and manganese.

Health Benefits of Bananas

As an excellent source of potassium, bananas help maintain proper blood pressure and heart health. In addition, the potassium in bananas will give you a much-needed energy boost while minimize muscle cramping.

Adding a banana to your diet each day can help prevent illnesses such as heart disease, while also preventing a thinning of the bones due to a high-salt diet.

The real standout nutrient found in bananas is vitamin B6, which reduces swelling that can lead to many obesity and diet-related illness that include heart disease, type II diabetes and even obesity. Vitamin B6 protects your body against infection and disease by aiding the production of white blood cells.

Add one banana a day to your diet to improve brain functioning and ensure a properly functioning nervous system.

The fiber content in bananas contribute to good health by aiding regular digestion and keeping blood sugar low so you don’t choose a high-calorie snack when hunger strikes. Finally, because fiber is so satisfying, enjoying a banana prior to a meal can prevent overeating that leads to weight gain.

More on Bananas

Bananas consist mainly of sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose) and fiber, which

makes them ideal for an immediate and slightly prolonged source of energy

Reducing Depression

Bananas contain tryptophan, an aminoacid that can be converted to serotonin, leading
to improved mood

Anemia

Bananas are relatively high in iron, which helps the body’s hemoglobin function

Constipation and Diarrhea

Due to their content in fiber, they help restore a normal bowel function. In
addition, diarrhea usually depletes your body of important electrolytes (of which the
most important is potassium, contained in high amounts in bananas). They also contain
pectin, a soluble fiber (hydrocolloid) that can help normalize movement through the
digestive tract.

Eyesight Protection

Research published in the Archives of Ophthalmology has proven that adults
consuming at least 3 servings of fruit per day have a reduced risk (by 36%) of developing
age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older
adults, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.

Healthy Bones

Bananas are an exceptionally rich source of fructooligosaccharide, a compound
that nourishes probiotic (friendly) bacteria in the colon. These beneficial bacteria
produce enzymes that increase our digestive ability and protect us from unhealthy
bacteria infections. Thanks to fructooligosaccharides, probiotic bacteria can increase
both in number and functionality, increasing our body’s ability to absorb calcium.
In addition, green bananas contain indigestible short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that are
very nutrient to the cells that make up the mucosa of the stomach. These cells, when
healthy, absorb calcium much more efficiently

Healthy Kidney

About 190,000 cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed each year.
Research published in the International Journal of Cancer has shown that daily
consumption of whole fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, is highly protective to
kidney health. The results show that, over a long timeframe (13.4 years), women eating
more than 2.5 servings of fruits and vegetable per day cut their risk of kidney cancer by
40%. Among the fruits, bananas were especially protective. Women eating bananas four to
six times a week halved their risk of developing the disease compared to those who did
not eat this fruit. The conclusion of the study is that frequent consumption of fruits
and vegetables, especially bananas, cabbage and root vegetables, may reduce risk of
kidney cancer. This is because bananas and many root vegetables contain especially high
amounts of antioxidant phenolic compounds, while cabbage is rich in sulfur, necessary for
effective detoxification of potential carcinogens.

Blood Pressure

Bananas are extremely high in potassium (about 4673mg), yet very low in sodium (1mg),
thus having a perfect ratio for preventing high blood pressure. So much so, the US Food
and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for
the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Heartburn

Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn,
try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness

Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood-sugar levels up and avoid
morning sickness.

Smoking

Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. They contain vitamins B6 and
B12 they contain, as well as potassium and magnesium: these substances help the body
recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Ulcers

This is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicle
cases. It also helps reduce acidity and reduces irritation. Bananas stimulate the cells
on the internal stomach lining to produce a thicker mucus (which protects against acid).
Additionally, bananas contain protease inhibitors that help eliminate bacteria in
the stomach that have been pinpointed as a primary cause of ulcers.

Nerves

Bananas are high in B vitamins that have been shows to improve nerve function

Mosquito Bites

Many people report that rubbing the inside of a banana peel on a mosquito bite is
very effective in reducing itching and swelling

Stress Relief

Bananas are high in potassium, which helps normalize the hearthbeat and regulate the
body’s water balance. During periods of high stress, our body’s potassium levels tend to
be rapidly depleted: eating bananas is a healthy way to rebalance them without using
drugs

Stroke Risk

According to a study in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part
of a regular diet can reduce the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%