How healthy is a banana? Read 7 benefits here
Bananas are popular because of their delicious taste, high nutritional value and low calorie content. In this article you will learn more about the health benefits of bananas.
You will also discover whether eating bananas can help you if you want to lose a few kilos .
Contents:
- Facts about bananas
- Why a banana is healthy
- Nutritional value
- Bananas and weight loss
Facts about bananas
- In total, more than 100 billion bananas are eaten worldwide every year.
- Bananas are mainly grown in countries with a warm climate, such as Africa, Asia, the Canary Islands, Australia and America [1].
- India is the largest producer of bananas in the world with 23% of total production.
- Archaeologists have found evidence of banana cultivation in New Guinea dating back to 8000 BC.
Why a banana is healthy
Bananas contain a lot of potassium and are also rich in magnesium . This means that this type of fruit has many benefits for our health.
We list the 7 health benefits of bananas for you.
- Good for blood pressure
Bananas contain various minerals that support healthy blood pressure. Potassium and magnesium contribute to relaxed blood vessels, which promotes blood flow and can help prevent high blood pressure. Calcium causes the blood vessels to tighten and relax when necessary [2,13].
Other fruits that contain potassium, calcium and magnesium are kiwi , mango and cantaloupe . For healthy blood pressure, it is therefore a good idea to include these types of fruit on the menu more often. For example, make a smoothie with mango or a smoothie with kiwi .
Summary: Bananas may help lower blood pressure.
- For a well-functioning heart
Your heart is a special muscle. It beats as many as 100,000 times a day and pumps about 7,000 liters of blood [3] through your body. It needs potassium for this . This mineral helps to keep the heart beating [1].
Potassium does this in the following way: it helps the muscles contract and electrical signals continue to be sent through your body. This way your heart receives the necessary support in its important work.
Summary: With their high potassium content, bananas support the pumping function of the heart.
- Improves mental health
Bananas can help you feel more cheerful. The yellow fruits are rich in the amino acid tryptophan , which is converted by the body into serotonin. Serotonin is a ‘feel good’ neurotransmitter that improves your mood, suppresses your appetite and can even help soothe painful stimuli [4].
Bananas can also be helpful in relaxing, as they contain vitamin B6 and magnesium . Vitamin B6 contributes to a good night’s sleep and magnesium supports muscle relaxation [5,6].
Summary: Bananas contribute to a good mood and a good night’s sleep.
- Beneficial for blood sugar levels
Bananas are rich in fiber . These are not only satiating, but can also help keep your blood sugar levels better balanced. Fiber slows down the absorption of glucose from food. Peaks and troughs in sugar levels can be prevented in this way.
There is some evidence that the high vitamin B6 content in bananas may be beneficial for blood sugar levels during pregnancy. In fact, a study shows that taking vitamin B6 for 2 weeks improves blood sugar levels in people with gestational diabetes and low levels of vitamin B6 [7].
Summary: The fiber in bananas helps keep blood sugar levels balanced.
- Good for the eyes
Like carrots, bananas contain a valuable substance for your eyes: vitamin A. This vitamin contributes to the maintenance of the membranes around your eyes. In addition, vitamin A is a component of proteins that allow light to pass through the corneas [8].
Vitamin A can also be found in blackberries , broccoli and oranges . Apricots in particular contain a lot of this vitamin. A portion of goji berries even contains 50% of the amount of vitamin A we need daily to stay healthy.
Summary: The vitamin A in bananas is beneficial for maintaining good eyesight.
- Strengthens the bones
According to an article in the Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry, bananas are rich in fructo-oligosaccharides . These are substances that help our body to absorb more calcium . As you may know, calcium is an important mineral for our bones [9].
Bananas also contain magnesium , a mineral that is also important for keeping bones strong and healthy. It helps with the absorption of calcium and the transport of this mineral to the bones [10].
Summary: Bananas contain minerals that contribute to strong, healthy bones.
- Protects the cells
In 2005, a Swedish study found that women who eat four to six bananas per week have healthier kidney cells than women who do not [11]. This has to do with the high antioxidant content of this fruit.
Antioxidants help to clean up harmful free radicals . Free radicals are substances that can damage our body cells, reducing their health. The antioxidants in bananas can help prevent this adverse effect.
Summary: The antioxidants in bananas are helpful when it comes to healthy cells.
Nutritional value of a banana
A 118 gram banana contains the following nutritional values [12]:
- Energy: 105 kcal ( calories)
- Carbohydrates: 23.9 grams
– Sugars: 14.4 grams - Protein: 1.3 grams
- Fats: 0.4 grams
- Fiber: 3.1 grams
Vitamins and minerals:
- Vitamin A: 2% RDA
- Vitamin B1: 2% RDA
- Vitamin B2: 5% RDA
- Vitamin B5: 4% RDA
- Vitamin B6: 22% RDA
- Vitamin B11 (folic acid): 6% RDI
- Vitamin C: 17% RDI
- Potassium: 12% RDA
- Calcium: 1% RDA
- Magnesium: 8% RDA
- Manganese: 16% RDI
- Copper: 5% RDA
By eating a banana you get a lot of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamins and minerals, making eating a banana a healthy choice.
Bananas and weight loss
Bananas are suitable to eat if you want to lose weight. They contain fiber and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, and provide your body with the necessary nutrients.
But beware: Bananas contain fructose (fruit sugar), which in large quantities can delay or even prevent weight loss. That is why it is advisable to eat no more than two pieces of fruit per day while losing weight.
