Bananas are very healthy and tasty. They contain many essential nutrients and provide benefits for digestion, heart health and weight loss.
Bananas are very healthy and tasty.
They contain many essential nutrients and provide benefits for digestion, heart health and weight loss.
Besides being very nutritious, they are also a very convenient snack.
Here are 11 scientific health benefits of banana.
1. Bananas contain many important nutrients
Bananas are one of the most popular fruits in the world.
Native to Southeast Asia, they are now grown in many warmer parts of the world.
Bananas vary in color, size and shape.
The most common type is Cavendish, which is a type of sweet banana. Green when not ripe, yellow when it matures.
Bananas contain a reasonable amount of fiber, as well as many antioxidants. A medium sized banana (118 g) also boasts (1, 2 , 3 ):
- Potassium: 9% of RTI
- Vitamin B6: 33% of RTI
- Vitamin C: 11% of RTI
- Outline: 8% of RTI
- Copper: 10% of RTI
- Manganese: 14% of RTI
- Net Corps: 24 g
- Fiber: 3.1 g
- Protein: 1.3 g
- Fat: 0.4 g
Each banana has only about 105 calories and contains almost water and corps. Bananas are very low in protein and almost no fat.
The corps in green, unripe bananas is mostly starchy and anti-starchy, but as bananas ripen, the starch turns into sugar (glucose, fructose and sucrose).
Summary Bananas are rich in fiber, antioxidants and many other nutrients. A medium-sized banana has about 105 calories.
2. Bananas contain nutrients that lower blood sugar levels
Bananas are rich in pectin, a type of fiber that gives the flesh its fluffy texture (4).
Unripe bananas contain anti-starch, which acts like soluble fiber and escapes digestion.
Both pectin and anti-starch can lower blood sugar levels after a meal and reduce appetite by emptying your stomach ( 5 , 6 , 7 ).
Also, bananas get low to medium in the glycemic index (GI), which is a measure of how fast foods increase blood sugar levels - from 0-100.
The GI value of unripe bananas is about 30 and that of ripe bananas is about 60. The average value of all bananas was 51 (8, 9 ).
This means that bananas should not raise blood sugar levels in healthy individuals.
However, this does not apply to people with type 2 diabetes, who should avoid eating well-ripened bananas - and carefully monitor their blood sugar if they do.
Summary Bananas can help lower blood sugar levels after a meal and reduce appetite by lowering the stomach.
3. Bananas can improve digestive health
Dietary fiber is linked to many health benefits, including improved digestion.
A medium-sized banana contains about 3 grams of fiber, which converts bananas into a good fiber (10).
Bananas contain two main types of fiber:
- Pectin: Decreases when bananas ripen.
- Anti-starch: Found in unripe bananas.
Anti-starch escapes digestion and ends up in your large intestine, where it becomes food for the beneficial bacteria in your gut ( 11 , 12 , 13).
In addition, some test-tube studies suggest that pectin may help protect against colon cancer ( 14 , 15 ).
Summary Bananas are high in fiber and anti-starch, which can feed on your friendly intestinal bacteria and protect against colon cancer.
4. Bananas can help with weight loss
No study has directly tested the effects of bananas on weight loss. However, bananas have many characteristics that should make them a weight loss-friendly-food.
Initially, bananas were relatively low in calories. An average banana has more than 100 calories - yet it is very nutritious and filling.
Eating more fiber from vegetables and fruits such as bananas has been repeatedly linked to weight loss and weight loss ( 16 , 17 , 18 ).
Also, unripe bananas are packed with anti-starch, so they are highly replenished and can reduce your appetite ( 19 , 20 ).
Summary Bananas can help you lose weight because they are low in calories and high in nutrients and fiber.
5. Bananas can support heart health
Potassium is an essential mineral for heart health - especially blood pressure control.
Despite its importance, some people get enough potassium in their diet (21).
Bananas are an excellent source of potassium. A medium-sized banana (118 g) contains 9% of RTI.
A potassium-rich diet can help lower blood pressure, and those who consume large amounts of potassium have a 27% increased risk of heart disease ( 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ).
Furthermore, bananas contain a decent amount of magnesium, which is also important for heart health ( 26 , 27).
Summary Bananas are a good source of potassium and magnesium - two essential nutrients for heart health.
6. Bananas contain powerful antioxidants
Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of dietary antioxidants, and bananas are no exception.
Among them are dopamine and catechins (1, 2 ).
These antioxidants have been linked to a number of health benefits, such as reducing heart disease and degenerative diseases ( 28 , 29 ).
However, it is a common misconception that dopamine from bananas acts as a sensory-good chemical in your brain.
In fact, dopamine from bananas does not cross the blood-brain barrier. It acts as a strong antioxidant instead of changing hormones or mood ( 2 , 30 ).
Summary Bananas are high in antioxidants, which help reduce damage from free radicals and reduce the risk of certain diseases.
7. Bananas can help you feel more complete
Anti-starch is a type of indigestible carp - found in unripe bananas and other foods - that acts like soluble fiber in your body.
As a rule of thumb, you can estimate the greenness of a banana by its anti-starch content (31).
Yellow, ripe bananas, on the other hand, have low levels of anti-starch and total fiber - but high levels of soluble fiber.
Both pectin and anti-starch provide appetite suppressant and enhance the feeling of fullness after a meal ( 20 , 32 , 33 , 34 ).
Summary ripe depending on the nature, bananas contain a high level of anti-carbohydrate or pektinaik. Both will help reduce appetite and keep you full.
8. Unripe bananas may improve insulin sensitivity
Insulin resistance is a major risk factor for some of the world's most serious diseases, including type 2 diabetes.
Several studies have shown that 15-30 grams of anti-starch a day can improve insulin sensitivity by 33-50% within four weeks ( 35 , 36 ).
Unripe bananas are an excellent source of anti-starch. Therefore, they may help improve insulin sensitivity.
However, the reason for these effects is not well understood and not all studies agree on this point ( 35 , 37 ).
Further research should be conducted on bananas and insulin sensitivity.
Summary unripe bananas are a good source of anti-lactose, which may improve insulin sensitivity. However, more research is needed.
9. Bananas can improve kidney health
Potassium is essential for blood pressure control and healthy kidney function.
As a good food source of potassium, bananas are especially beneficial for maintaining healthy kidneys.
A 13-year study of women found that those who ate bananas 2-3 times a week had a 33% lower risk of developing kidney disease ( 38 ).
Other studies have shown that people who eat bananas 4–6 times a week are almost 50% less likely to develop kidney disease than those who do not eat them ( 38 , 39 ).
Summary Eating a banana several times a week can reduce the risk of kidney disease by up to 50%.
10. Bananas may have benefits for exercise
Bananas are often referred to as the perfect food for athletes due to their mineral content and easily digestible corps.
Eating bananas can help reduce exercise-related muscle cramps and pain, which affects up to 95% of the general population ( 40 ).
The cause of seizures is often unknown, but a popular theory blames a combination of dehydration and electrolyte imbalance ( 41 , 42 , 43 ).
However, research provides mixed findings on bananas and muscle cramps. While some studies were helpful to them, others found no results ( 44 ).
Bananas provide excellent nutrition before and after endurance exercise ( 45 ).
Summary Bananas can help relieve muscle cramps caused by exercise. They also provide excellent fuel for endurance training.
11. Bananas are easy to add to your diet
Bananas are not only incredibly healthy - they are also one of the most convenient snacks.
Bananas are great for yogurt, cereals and smoothies. You can use them instead of sugar in your baking and cooking.
Also, bananas do not contain pesticides or contaminants due to the thick protective peel.
Bananas are incredibly easy to eat and carry. They are generally well tolerated and easily digested - they simply need to be peeled and eaten.
It's not so easy than that.
Summary Bananas make an excellent snack, dessert or breakfast. Their diversity makes it easy to add to your diet.
Underline
Bananas are a popular fruit that provide numerous health benefits.
Among other things, they increase digestive and heart health due to their fiber and antioxidant content.
They can help you lose weight because they are relatively low in calories and nutrient dense.
Ripe bananas are the best way to fill your sweet tooth. What’s more, yellow and green bananas can make you feel healthier and fuller.
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