Banana – Health Benefits and Side Effects You Might Not Know

 

Banana – Health Benefits and Side Effects You Might Not Know

Banana health benefits are comparable to any other type of fruit.
In fact, bananas have several positive benefits that many other fruits do not have.
These yellow-skinned fruits are ideal for health because they have a sweet taste that most people enjoy. Because of this, it is easy to implement bananas into a daily diet.
Bananas are also convenient because you can carry them with you whenever you are in a hurry.
Knowing the banana health benefits and the other positive things that bananas can be used for will likely give you a new appreciation for this popular fruit

 

A Banana a Day…

Instead of eating an apple each day for optimum health, the adage should state that a banana each day keeps the doctor away.

The banana health benefits far outweigh those of the apple because it has many more vitamins and nutrients than their round counterparts.

Bananas have two times as many carbohydrates as an apple, five times as much Vitamin A and iron and three times as much phosphorus. In addition, bananas are also rich in potassium and natural sugars.

All of these factors combined make the banana a “super food” that is an integral part of a healthy daily regimen.

                    

Bananas Provide Energy

Because of the abundance of vitamins and minerals, bananas are a great source of natural energy.
Eating only two bananas will give you enough energy to exercise or workout for an hour and a half.
Bananas are also ideal for eating during that midday full when you feel tired and sluggish.
Instead of drinking caffeine or having a sugary snack, bananas provide a level of energy that lasts longer without the dramatic crash caused by caffeine.

Potassium is Vital for Performance

Because they are rich in potassium, bananas help the body’s circulatory system deliver oxygen to the brain.
This also helps maintain a regular heartbeat and a proper balance of water in the body.
Potassium is also helpful for reducing strokes and regulating blood pressure because of the way it promotes circulatory health.

Bananas Promote Bowel Health

One of the banana health benefits is that they can help stop constipation.
Bananas have a certain type of fiber that helps to restore and maintain regular bowel functions.
Instead of using laxatives that might have chemicals or other synthetic substances, bananas are a natural source for lessening the effects of constipation without causing other bowel problems such as diarrhea.
Nutrient Composition
Serving size 100 grams; 1 big banana, ripe
Bananas Can Lift Your Spirits
Bananas have a chemical called tryptophan – the same chemical that turkey contains.
This mood regulating substance contains a level of protein that helps the mind relax so you feel happier.
people suffering from depression often report feeling better after eating a banana.
Eat a Banana during Your Monthly Visitor
Instead of taking pills designed to reduce your menstrual pains, bananas can be a great help. Bananas have a level of vitamin B6 that helps to regulate blood glucose level and help your overall mood.

Increase Your Brain Power with Bananas

In addition to banana health benefits, they can also help you with your mind.
A study with 200 students who were asked to eat one banana three times a day – breakfast, recess and lunchtime – along with their normal meals
What they found was that the potassium in the bananas boosted their brainpower and made them more alert during their classes while they followed the regimen.

Eat Bananas after a Night of Partying

The natural ingredients in bananas and their ability to replenish the body’s vitamins make them an ideal way to reduce the effects of a hangover.
Put a couple bananas in the blender with some plain yogurt and add some honey to sweeten the taste.
The fruit tends to calm the stomach and the honey helps to restore the blood sugar levels to normal.
Similarly, bananas can help people who are trying to quit smoking.
The B vitamins and other minerals that they contain reduce the physical and psychological stress.


                             

Bananas are great for Pregnant Women

Because of their calming properties; pregnant women often eat bananas to combat their morning sickness.
They also help to replenish the body and restore a healthy blood glucose level.
In addition, they also help regulate a pregnant woman’s temperature, although this is mostly used in other cultures that rely more heavily on natural cures.

Rub the Peel on Mosquito Bites

Before you throw those peels away, rubbing the inside of it along a mosquito bite will help reduce the itching and swelling that is normally associated with these types of bites.
You might even find that it works better than the creams or medications you find at the drugstore.

Bananas Help Soothe Ulcers

As a way to prevent and treat ulcers, bananas help to reduce the acidity that some foods can leave in the stomach.
Healps to reduce the bad effects of nicotine withdrawal.
They help reduce the irritation of the digestive system by leaving a protective coating around the inner walls, making it a natural way to promote intestinal health as well.
Since they help to neutralize acidity, they are also a great way to get rid of heartburn. They act as a natural antacid and they quickly soothe the burn.

Bananas are Rich in Iron

For people suffering from a deficiency in iron, bananas help to give your body the iron that it needs.
As a result, they help promote hemoglobin production so your blood can clot faster in case of a cut or serious injury.

Banana Peels are Good Fertilizer

Bananas can also benefit your garden. Instead of throwing the peels away, banana peels are ideal fertilizer for gardens and soils.
Rose bushes benefit a great deal from the peels.
If you have a certain plant that you want to blossom, simply bury a few peels next to it by the roots. In a few weeks, the plant will be huge.
Peels Can Be Used to Treat Warts
The outside of the banana peel also has healing and beneficial properties for the human body.
If you have a wart on your foot, wrapping a banana peel around your foot so that the exterior of the peel rubs against the wart will help it go away in a matter of time.
To keep the peel in place, you can wrap tape around it for better results.
With all of the banana health benefits, it is easy to see why they are such a popular fruit. In many ways, their benefits are far greater than that of other fruits.
They not only have more vitamins and minerals than some other choices, they also taste great and are easy to eat.
However, having a diet that consists of only bananas as your fruit each day is not healthy and it can even be harmful to your health.
Try to include several of your favorite fruits throughout the week because each of them has different advantages for your body.
If you do not normally include bananas or any other fruit in your daily routine, find some ways to include fruit in your diet in order to improve your health and overall well-being.


Caloric Content

Nutrient	Values per 100 gms. of edible portion	Content as compared to other fruits
Calories	116	Caloric dense
Protein (g)	1.2	Average
Fat (g)	0.3	Low
Dietary fibre (g)*	2.6	Rich
Carbohydrates (g)	27.2	Rich

Mineral Content

Nutrient	Values per 100 gms. of edible portion	Content as compared to other fruits
Calcium (mg)	17	Average
Phosphorous (mg)	36	Rich
Iron (mg)	0.36	Low
Magnesium (mg)	41	Rich
Sodium (mg)	36.6	Average
Potassium (mg)	88	Rich
Zinc (mg)	0.15	Average

Vitamin Content

Nutrient	Values per 100 gms. of edible portion	Content as compared to other fruits
Carotene (mcg)	78	Average
Vitamin C (mg)	7	Low
Vitamin B6(mg)*	0.8	Rich

Banana is a food most appropriate when small but nutrient dense food has to be given in situations of extreme weight loss or extreme fever where the body becomes weak and there is food aversion.
The high potassium content promotes bone health too.

Banana help counteract the urinary calcium loss caused due to increase ion potassium levels in the urine.

Bananas have an antacid effect and are said to protect against stomach ulcers. They contain a compound called as protease inhibitor which protects the stomach from unfriendly bacteria which cause stomach or gastrointestinal disturbances.

Bananas are also known to stimulate cell proliferation which thickens the stomach mucosa and is a barrier against stomach acids.

Conditions like diarrhea can easily dehydrate the body and deplete the electrolytes.. Consumption of banana helps to restore the lost potassium and helps maintain heart function.
Bananas are rich in the soluble fibre pectin. Thereby it assists healthy digestion and eases out constipation.

They are a rich source of fructo-oligosaccharides which act as a prebiotic and stimulate the growth of friendly bacteria in the intestine.  They protect us from harmful bacteria that cause gastric disturbances.

Fructooligosaccharides also produce digestive enzymes which improve the ability to absorb nutrients.
Bananas contain short chain fatty acids which are essentially needed by the cells lining the intestinal tract to stay healthy. This further improves the nutrient absorption.

They are a good source of carotenoids which are antioxidants and have a protective effect against chronic disease condition. They also have a high content of antioxidant phenolic compounds.

Banana is known to render a soothing effect. It has a compound called as tryptophan which on getting converted to serotonin improves mood.

It is one of the ideal foods to be eaten immediately after a strenuous workout too. The simple sugars present in them quickly provide energy and normalize the blood sugar levels.

Bananas can be eaten whole, as a part of a salad, as a healthy beverage or as an ingredient of a vegetable. It is a fruit made by god for one and all and for every age group.

Side Effects of Banana

Bananas are chock full of vitamins and minerals as well as other nutrients that positively influence your health, but eating too many bananas or eating just one banana under the wrong circumstances can trigger health dangers. Understanding the negative potential side effects of eating bananas helps you properly plan your diet.

Heart Problems

Bananas are a good source of potassium: Each large banana provides 487 mg, a considerable portion of the daily recommended intake of 2,000 mg. The potassium in this fruit is critical for heart function, but if you consume too many bananas or even an extra banana when you already consume a high potassium diet, you might develop a condition known as hyperkalemia. Note that your body, when healthy, has the ability to filter out excess potassium; however, some diseases can dampen this function, which makes hyperkalemia more prevalent. Hyperkalemia can cause heart palpitations, which might lead to cardiac arrest.

Constipation

While the fiber in bananas — one large banana contains 3.5 g of this nutrient — generally helps prevent constipation, be sure you consume only ripe fruit. Brigitte Mars, author of “Rawsome! Maximizing Health, Energy, and Culinary Delight with the Raw Foods Diet,” notes that under-ripe bananas contains enzyme inhibitors, which make this fruit hard to digest. This might trigger constipation.

Drowsiness

Bananas are a source of tryptophan, containing 0.012 g, a small portion of the amount you need each day: 12.5 mg per kg of your body weight. Tryptophan, an amino acid, induces a sleepy feeling through the production of certain neurotransmitters. This is a benefit when you want to sleep, but if you are behind the wheel of a car or at work, drowsiness is not a beneficial side effect. Time the consumption of bananas to the appropriate time of day to avoid excessive desire to sleep, although keep in mind that you are not likely to experience drowsiness from just one or two bananas; the effect is cumulative if you eat a tryptophan-rich diet.

Migraines

Migraine headaches, or severe headaches often accompanied by nausea and vomiting, are triggered by a wide range of things, including stress, environmental factors, alcohol consumption or sleep changes. They also can be triggered by foods, including bananas — each person’s trigger varies. The University of California, Berkeley Health Services recommends limiting yourself to half a banana each day if you are prone to migraines.

Could Cause Allergic Reactions

While food allergies usually develop in childhood, they may also appear as you get older. Therefore, eating a banana each day may not harm you until something changes in your body chemistry to suddenly make you allergic to them. One type of banana allergy may trigger itching and inflammation in the throat and mouth, while a different type of allergic reaction to bananas may cause stomach pain, nausea and vomiting, skin rash and breathing problems. If you experience trouble breathing after eating a banana, seek immediate medical attention.

Weight Gain

Enjoy eating banana if you want to put on weight but dieters should avoid eating banana. The fruit is a rich source of carbohydrate and doesn’t have significant amount of proteins or fats. Thus, it is laden with calories that add more weight to the body. To avoid this situation, the best option of eating banana is to take it along with other fruits.

Low Blood Pressure

Lowering the blood pressure is also one of the negative effects of bananas, though it is rare in occurrence. Individuals on blood pressure medications should take necessary precaution; else banana may interfere with the blood pressure level

More than 7 Bananas per day may cause Harm to Your Heart.

Eating too much banana will cause potassium overload it will not good for your heart. It can cause potassium toxicity. So eat maximum of 3-4 banana per day is healthy.

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