The Benefits Of Bananas

By Peter Liu
[Nutrition & Diet]
It has been said that bananas prove the existence of intelligent design. Peter Liu proves bananas fulfill a delicious nutritional design!
Recently, I was at a literary festival with a friend of mine when she got hungry. When I asked if she wanted to get some food, she declined, telling me she had brought along two bananas and an orange to keep her appetite at bay. I knew that bananas were a good source of potassium, great for keeping satiety levels normal and an excellent source of energy, but bringing two bananas at once struck me as odd. Perhaps it was because I never saw beyond the banana being a simple, tasty fruit. In fact there are many more virtues to the banana than I once thought, and the next time I bite into one, I may think about grabbing a second.

Banana Benefits

The banana is actually an herb that grows on tall plants with huge leaves, not a fruit that grows on trees. They contain high levels of vitamin B6, vitamin C and potassium, among many other minerals like magnesium. Bananas are also high in sucrose, glucose and fructose, all natural sugars that can quickly energize your body, should you be in need of a fix. Eating two bananas can actually help your body produce enough energy for a 90-minute workout, not to mention, curb your cravings for unhealthy snacks like a pack of fries or half a box of cookies.

Bananas also have an eclectic mix of benefits to your overall health and well-being. Everyone knows that bananas are a good source of fibre. The high amounts of pectin in bananas help to regulate bowel movements through the digestive tract. They also help your body to better absorb calcium. Bananas contain high levels of a prebiotic called fructooligosaccharides that help to nourish probiotics, and in turn, increase their numbers assisting absorption of nutrients in the intestinal tract. Antioxidants in bananas can also help to significantly reduce the overall risk of kidney cancers and disease if bananas are eaten regularly.

Banana Breakdown

The nutritional breakdown of a banana might surprise you since it is easy to underestimate the amount of nutrients and minerals present in them. Low in saturated fat and sodium, bananas contain high levels of magnesium, riboflavin, vitamin A and the oft-overstated potassium, which greatly helps to maintain normal blood pressure, lowering the risk of stroke. The potassium also helps decrease the risk of coronary heart disease.

Vitamin B6 contributes to your health through protein metabolism, the conversion of tryptophan (which bananas also contain to help you feel relaxed!) and helps to create haemoglobin. It also helps to maintain proper blood sugar levels, as well as aid your immune system. A high level of vitamin B6 in your system will help keep your lymphoid organs healthy, assisting with the creation of white blood cells.
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