Health Benefits of Banana
happier belly:It seems bananas are good for your tummy, too.
The yellow fruit is a source of prebiotics. Those are carbs you don’t digest, but they’re a food source for the more-popular probiotics. Those are the good bacteria found in your gut.
There’s also evidence that probiotics can help with the annoying diarrhea people get after they take some antibiotics.
The right amount of carbs:Like all fruits, bananas have carbs. But not so many that folks with diabetes can’t enjoy them. If you have diabetes, you can enjoy half a banana when you need a snack.
They also won’t blow up a low-carb diet. A medium one gives you about 27 grams.
Powerful potassium: A medium banana gives you 422 milligrams, which is 9% of what you need every day. This mineral is a big player in heart health. Potassium-rich foods help manage your blood pressure because they help you get rid of more sodium when you pee. Potassium also relaxes the walls of your blood vessels, which helps lower your BP.
What’s more, potassium:
May lower your risk of stroke
Can help keep your bones healthy as you age
Helps your muscles work better
Can help prevent kidney stones
But if you have kidney problems, too much potassium isn’t good for you. Check with your doctor to see how much you should have.
A feast of fiber: It’s no secret that the right amount of fiber in your diet is good for you. An average-size ripe banana gives you 3 grams of it. That’s about 10% of what you need each day.
Most of the fiber in bananas is what’s called soluble fiber. It can help keep your cholesterol and blood pressure in check, and help ease inflammation.
Green bananas are full of something called resistant starch. It acts like insoluble fiber, which is the kind that can help keep your bowels working at their best. Resistant starch also helps lower your blood sugar.
In general, foods that are high in fiber make you feel full without extra calories. That also makes them a good choice if you want to shed a few pounds.
Banana Nutrients
Bananas contain a number of vitamins and minerals.
Vitamin B6: A medium banana gives you about a quarter of the vitamin B6 you should get each day. It helps with metabolism. And it plays an important role in brain development during pregnancy and infancy, as well as immune system health.
Vitamin C: You should shoot for between 75-90 milligrams per day. So with about 10 milligrams, your morning banana can get you well on your way. Vitamin C helps protect you from the damage caused by things called free radicals. Those are reactions in our body to the food we eat, cigarette smoke, pesticides, and other potentially harmful things. Vitamin C also helps your immune system work better and can help you heal better.
Magnesium:This mineral helps control your blood pressure and blood sugar and keeps your bones strong. A banana gives you 8% of what you need.
Vitamin A: This vitamin is good for your vision and might help protect you from cancer.