Banananananana!
How are Bananas good for your health?
I’m here in Mysore, Karnataka studying therapeutic yoga at Atmavikasa Yoga Kutira. As a part of the very disciplined course, we have a very specific diet, one of which includes eating 4 bananas for breakfast everyday with dry fruits if we like. Its been 2 weeks through this daily dose of bananas. Seems like a nice idea is to understand the importance of bananas experientially as well as theoretically since I am going to be having so many of them!
“One should teach something only if he or she has experienced it and not from reading or hearing about it “- Acharya Hema from Atmavikasa yoga kutira.
What I have noticed through these weeks :
After eating 4 bananas at a stretch everyday at 10:30 am I see that I am pretty satisfied. I feel like I don’t need to eat anything else after that. In addition I noticed that I’m a lot more energised and focused. Just a few minutes after I feel the need to do my “monkey business” and feel ever so light after that! I don’t get too hungry till lunch, and even for lunch I have not overeaten yet. I end up eating just enough that makes me satisfied. Banana eating in this case is accompanied with a lot of drinking of water which is definitely an added benefit!
I will keep updating this as I notice more and more.
//Meanwhile, you can have a look at scientifically how bananas have apparently a proven benefit for your system! But before that..do we know everything about these mundane fruits?//
Here is a little about the History of Bananas.
The origin of the word banana seems to be from West Africa, possibly from the Wolof word “banana,” later passed down to the English Language by either Portuguese or Spanish.
This humble fruit, botanically a berry, has been around for a very long time. Farmers in southern Asia and Papua New Guinea were the first to harvest it.
It has been suggested that cultivation of bananas dates back to at least 5000 BCE in Papua New Guinea.
It is likely that other species of the fruit were cultivated later in southern Asia, which is now considered the primary region where bananas are grown, the second being Africa.
There is evidence that bananas were discovered in Madagascar in 400 CE.
It is also believed that Alexander the Great found bananas in India in 327 BC.
For many years; bananas were considered a “luxury fruit” and sold in individual tin foil.
How they grow!
Unlike other fruits, bananas do not grow from a seed but from a rhizome or bulb.
The time between planting and harvesting a banana ranges from nine to twelve months.
The plants are typically grown in tropical regions, where average temperatures are generally high.
They are harvested when they are still green.
Contrary to popular belief, bananas do not grow on trees or palms even though their plants resemble palm trees.
Benefits!
- Rich in Potassium
Bananas are rich in a mineral electrolyte called potassium, a mineral that helps prevent high blood pressure, a risk factor for stroke and heart attacks. Potassium helps regulate blood pressure by blunting the effect of sodium, which you consume when you eat salty foods. Potassium is also essential for normal electrical activity of your heart.
When potassium enters your body, it absorbs directly into your bloodstream through intestinal walls. Potassium travels around to cells all over your body and dissolves in fluid inside of cells. It travels across cell membranes if needed to keep fluid balanced in and around cells. This process keeps electricity flowing throughout your system, which is required to make your heart beat. In cases of severe potassium deficiency, your heart rhythm may become irregular, which can be deadly. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, you need 4,700 milligrams of potassium on a daily basis. Bananas provide more than 360 milligrams per 6-inch piece of fruit.
Bananas’ potassium content also benefits your kidneys and bones. Increased potassium intake suppresses calcium excretion in the urine, preventing painful kidney stones. (source)
Decreased calcium excretion means more calcium to preserve your bones. This means a banana or two a day can reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis and brittle bones.
2. They help combat depression
They also contain the amino acid L-tryptophan, which gets converted to 5-HTP in the brain. The 5-HTP in turn is converted to serotonin (a relaxing neurotransmitter) and melatonin. Bananas help overcome depression due to high levels of tryptophan, which is converted into serotonin — the happy-mood brain neurotransmitter.Improve your mood and reduce PMS symptoms too!
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid; hence, it can only be introduced into your body through your diet.
Regulating healthy levels of serotonin elevates mood and reduces stress (15).
This enhances your general outlook on life, helping you adopt a positive attitude. Serotonin also helps regulate sleep patterns (16).
Tryptophan helps to relieve Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Quitting smoking? Bananas contain high levels of B-vitamins as well as potassium and magnesium to speed recovery from the effects of withdrawal.
3.Rich in Fiber
One 6-inch banana has more than 2.5 grams of total fiber, about half of which are insoluble. As insoluble fiber travels through your digestive tract, it sweeps up waste and helps push it out. You’ll have more regular bowel movements that are soft and easy to pass.
4.Helps with weight Loss
Bananas may help with weight loss. They are low in calories, high in nutrients and fiber, and may have appetite-reducing effects.A single piece of banana is said to contain only 90 calories, which also makes it a great (and healthy) snack to munch on rather than sugar loaded goodies or deep-fried treats.
If you can replace candy bars and other junk foods with bananas, it’s a helpful step towards losing weight. Not only will your body thank you for the vitamin and mineral boost but the energy release will be much more consistent.
Resistant starch is a type of indigestible carbohydrate found in unripe bananas, which functions sort of like soluble fiber in the body.
As a rule of thumb, you can estimate that the greener the banana is, the higher the amount of resistant starch it contains (31).
On the other hand, ripe (yellow) bananas contain lower amounts of resistant starch and total fiber, but proportionally higher amounts of soluble fiber.
Both pectin and resistant starch have been shown to have appetite-reducing effects and increase the feeling of fullness after meals
5.Keeps your eyes healthy
Adding a banana to your diet also helps keep your eyes healthy. Bananas have a small amount of vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin that is vital for protecting your eyes and normal vision. The term “vitamin A” refers to a series of compounds, including beta-carotene and alpha-carotene. These compounds preserve the membranes that surround your eyes and are a component of one of the proteins that brings light into your cornea. Adequate daily vitamin A intake also lessens your risk of night blindness and is essential for everyday vision. Women require 700 micrograms of daily vitamin A, and men need 900 micrograms, explains the Office of Dietary Supplements. One 6-inch banana has nearly 10 micrograms of vitamin A. Bananas also contain alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, which convert to vitamin A to further keep your eyes healthy.
6. Helps Patients with Anaemia
Anaemia is a condition where there is a decrease in the number of red blood cells or haemoglobin in the blood. This leads to fatigue, shortness of breath, and paleness. The content of iron is quite high in bananas, can stimulate the production of haemoglobin in the blood for patients with anaemia. Two bananas a day, very good for people with anaemia.
7.Essential for heart health.
Consumption of fiber-rich foods such as bananas can lower risk of both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and coronary heart disease (CHD). Bananas are a good dietary source of potassium and magnesium, two nutrients that are essential for heart health.
This isn’t pseudoscience. US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows the banana industry to make official claims, much like they would a pharmaceutical drug, with respect to the reduction in risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Research published in the American Heart Association’s journal suggests eating bananas regularly can cut your risk of having a stroke by up to 20%.
8.Unripe bananas are a good source of resistant starch, which may improve insulin sensitivity. However, more research is needed for type 2 diabetes
Other studies have found that those who eat bananas 4–6 times a week are almost 50% less likely to develop kidney disease, compared to people who don’t eat bananas
9.Helps dealing with ulcers and in digestion
Eating bananas regularly may help protect against stomach ulcers. Over the long term, bananas thicken the protective mucus barrier in the stomach, preventing damage from hydrochloric acid. Bananas also contain protease inhibitors that help eliminate stomach bacteria which can cause stomach ulcers.
Turning to another important element of digestion, bananas are rich in fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS). FOS is a prebiotic — i.e. it feeds the important “friendly” bacteria that live in your digestive tract. These bacteria help us absorb nutrients more efficiently. (source)
Rich in pectin, bananas aid digestion and gently chelate toxins and heavy metals from the body.
Constipated? High fiber in bananas can help normalize bowel motility.
Got the runs? Bananas are soothing to the digestive tract and help restore lost electrolytes after diarrhea.
Bananas are a natural antacid, providing relief from acid reflux, heartburn, and GERD.
10.Serve as small home remedies.
Rub the freshly peeled inside of the banana skin gently over the affected area and leave the residue to be absorbed. The fatty acid content of the banana skin helps relieve a variety of skin conditions, as well as having a strong moisturising effect.
Banana peel treatments are a traditional remedy to heal warts. Rub a small piece of banana peel over the wart and then tightly tape it in place. Leave it overnight and repeat this process for at least a week or until the wart disappears.
11.Pre-Workout Boost
Bananas not only have one of the highest carbohydrate counts of any fruit [from 25 to 50 grams], they also release their energy in three separate increments. Bananas contains three different types of sugar — glucose and fructose [both simple carbs], plus sucrose [a complex carb]. After eating one, you get a quick and powerful boost of energy, which is then followed by a steady release of complex carbs into the bloodstream.
12. Replenish Muscles Post-Workout
During intense exercise, your glycogen supply is depleted, which is why experts recommend consuming a sports drink during a workout — for an energy refill. The banana’s greatest benefit could be its large amount of potassium — an electrolyte that promotes muscle growth, boosts the immune system and facilitates calcium absorption, which in turn helps build stronger bones. Eating bananas may help reduce exercise-related muscle cramps and soreness, which affect up to 95% of the general population
13.Bananas reduce swelling, protect against type II diabetes, aid weight loss, strengthen the nervous system, and help with the production of white blood cells, all due to high levels of vitamin B-6.
Insulin resistance is a major risk factor for many of the world’s most serious diseases, including type 2 diabetes.
Several studies have shown that 15–30 grams of resistant starch per day may improve insulin sensitivity by 33–50%, in as little as 4 weeks (35, 36).
Unripe bananas are a great source of resistant starch, and may therefore help improve insulin sensitivity.
14. Helps during pregnancy
Women who are pregnant are encouraged to eat bananas, because they contain high folic acid is important for the perfection of the fetus, the formation of new cells and preventing birth defects occur.
A ripe banana, will contain approximately 85–100 calories. So by eating two bananas fresh, folic acid requirement of approximately 58 micrograms can be met. In addition, the banana will help keep blood sugar levels can reduce morning sickness, so the bananas are good for snacks pregnant women.
15. Good amount of Manganese
Bananas have a good amount of manganese good for bone health and metabolism.
Also! you can make a bunch of delicious smoothies and baked items with it! :D
Nutrition Profile of Bananas
One serving of banana is considered to be about 126 grams. One serving of banana contains 110 calories, 30 grams of carbohydrate and 1 gram of protein. Bananas are naturally free of fat, cholesterol, and sodium.2
Bananas provide a variety of vitamins and minerals:
- Vitamin B6 — .5 mg
- Manganese — .3 mg
- Vitamin C — 9 mg
- Potassium — 450 mg
- Dietary Fiber — 3g
- Protein — 1 g
- Magnesium — 34 mg
- Folate — 25.0 mcg
- Riboflavin — .1 mg
- Niacin — .8 mg
- Vitamin A — 81 IU
- Iron — .3 mg
This is all just information, to see its real impact you would have to just try it!
What say?