Banana is one of the most consumed fruit as it is easily available across the globe. bananas benefit us in fascinating ways to make our lives better. While eating a banana helps boost energy, its puree is an excellent way to get amazing skin and silky and smooth hair. It is also useful to fight off premature aging of the skin. Hence, it is a great idea to include bananas in your beauty regimen and enjoy the benefits of the fruit which is rich in potassium and vitamin A, B, and C. To learn more on the Amazing Benefits Of Banana, keep reading.
Speaking in botanical terms, the banana belongs to the family of Musaceae. The scientific name of the fruit is Musa acuminata Colla.
Banana is called kela in Hindi, arati pandu in Telugu, vazhai pazham in Tamil, bale hannu in Kannada, and ethapazham in Malayalam. The fruit is variable in color, size, and firmness. It is one of the widely cultivated crops in the tropical and subtropical zones. Though there is no sharp distinction between bananas and plantains, the former is the softer variety while the latter is more firm.
Are Bananas Good For You? How?
They are super-rich in antioxidants and other nutrients. That settles it, doesn’t it?
One banana contains about 467 mg of potassium. Potassium is vital to control blood pressure, which, in turn, protects your heart. The same banana has just 1 mg of sodium. Bananas also contain vitamin B6 that prevents anemia and coronary heart disease.
The fiber in bananas takes care of your digestive health and promotes weight loss. The fruit (the green and unripe variety) is also high in resistant starch, a type of indigestible carbohydrate that acts like fiber. This promotes colon health and lowers blood sugar post meals.
ananas is also rich in magnesium that might prevent type 2 diabetes (4). They contain high levels of tryptophan that promotes mood and aids in depression treatment. Vitamin B6 also helps you to sleep well. The potassium in bananas might also improve sexual health in men.
All this simply tells us that banana benefits us in incredible ways
Even the banana peel contains vitamins B6 and B12, along with magnesium, potassium, protein, and fiber. The peel, by the way, is edible and eaten in several parts of the world.
Now we come to what we spoke initially – bananas are one of the most widely consumed fruits in this world, and that’s very good news. Why? Because of their magical benefits, which you will see right now.
Amazing Benefits Of Banana to the health?
1. Improve Heart Health
A report by the Harvard Medical School says that low potassium levels can cause disturbances in heart rhythm. Bananas, being rich in potassium, can help counteract this problem. (Too much potassium could be bad for the heart. Hence, take care.)
The heart is a smooth muscle that depends on potassium for proper contraction and expansion. Low potassium levels, a condition called hypokalemia, may lead to heart palpitations.
New research suggests that one banana a day can cut your risk of heart attack by a third. This could also be associated with other healthy lifestyle habits like abstaining from tobacco and regular exercise.
2. Enhance Brain Health
Bananas are also rich in vitamin B6, which improves cognitive function. In one study by Tuft’s University, men with higher concentrations of vitamin B6 performed better in memory tests. And the magnesium in bananas facilitates the electrical activity between the nerve cells in your brain.
More importantly, the cells in your brain utilize glucose as fuel. Since our brain cannot store glucose, we must regularly supply it. Bananas (as they contain fiber) release their sugars slowly into the bloodstream, and your body uses this sugar more gradually than refined sugar (pastries and candies, etc.) – this provides a steady supply of glucose to your brain.
3. Promote Bone Health
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, potassium in bananas is good for bone health. Bananas are also good sources of silicon, which, as per certain preliminary studies, can contribute to bone health. And the magnesium in the fruit is another important nutrient for bone structure.
Foods rich in potassium also produce alkali in the body to maintain the acid-base balance. This is important to note because when a body is acidic, the bones get a signal to neutralize the acid – and the bones tend to achieve this by breaking down to release the alkali. But potassium-rich foods can prevent this and allow the bones to maintain their structure. In other words, potassium consumption can prevent calcium loss from bones.
4. Help Treat Diarrhea
Bananas aid in diarrhea treatment through electrolyte replacement. Since the fruit is rich in potassium, it can help replace the lost potassium. You can simply eat a banana to get some relief. You can then add a pinch of salt to the water and drink the mixture – this will help replace the lost sodium and chloride.
There is one specific diet designed for quick recovery from diarrhea. It is called the BRAT diet – bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. This is especially effective for infants and children with upset stomachs. This diet reduces the amount of stool produced by the body and gives some rest to the stomach. However, it is better to go for a normal balanced diet as the BRAT diet is low in protein, fiber, and fat – and hence lacks all the required nutrients. Also, within 24 hours of diarrhea, you must eat a diet that includes fruits and vegetables. Though the BRAT diet is okay to have, it is no longer the preferred diet choice for relieving diarrhea.
5. Promote Digestive Health
Bananas help restore normal bowel function. And since they are rich in fiber, they are what you must be looking for in digestive health. Also, the smooth functioning of your digestive tract depends on its musculature – it contracts in a wave-like pattern (a process called peristalsis). And potassium plays a major role in muscle function, which is why it can aid in this process.
Bananas are rich in both insoluble and soluble fiber. The former adds bulk to your food and aids in its smooth movement – it also helps you feel full after a meal. Soluble fiber improves the health of your intestines. It also slows down the absorption of fats and carbs, keeping your blood sugar levels in a healthy range.
6. Treat Hangovers
Potassium is one mineral that is lost following alcohol consumption, and this also causes dehydration. You can have a banana milkshake sweetened with honey – a quick fix for a hangover. The banana calms the stomach, and the honey replenishes the depleted sugar levels. And the milk soothes and rehydrates your body.
Vitamins B1 and B6 are two of the nutrients whose levels fall post alcohol consumption – bananas are rich in these and can help improve hangover symptoms. The glucose and electrolytes in bananas also help treat a hangover
7. Whiten Teeth
Though there is limited research, certain reliable sources say that the potassium, manganese, and magnesium in ripe banana peels help whiten teeth. You can simply rub the inside of the peel on your teeth for a couple of minutes. Wait for about 10 minutes before you brush as usual.
But even otherwise, the magnesium in bananas is great for teeth.
8. Reduce Stress
Since the potassium in bananas lowers blood pressure, it might also help reduce stress. And since bananas are also rich in carbohydrates, you can have a relaxing effect – carbs produce serotonin, the neurotransmitter that calms you down.
The fruit also contains dopamine, a chemical that can soothe your nervous system and reduce stress
9. Offer An Instant Energy Boost
Bananas are a combination of complex carbs, amino acids, natural sugars, and other minerals that give an energy boost. The carbs in bananas are slowly released into the blood, providing a sustained supply of energy. Even whole-grain bread and pasta contain slow-release carbs.
Bananas also contain nutrients that are vital post a workout – these nutrients aid muscle repair and balance water retention. In fact, research says that just two bananas can give you enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout.
According to a report by the Appalachian State University, bananas could be as beneficial as sports drinks.. Another report by the Harvard Medical School says that bananas can have benefits absent in most sports drinks. The fruit contains antioxidants and a healthier blend of sugars (and fiber and vitamin B6) that can further help sustain energy.
10. Help Fight Cancer
A yellow banana is healthy. But a banana going brown and spotty could be healthier. The more the brown patches, the more Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF). Research says TNF is a cancer-fighting compound that helps fight the abnormal cells in the body. Also, yellow skin bananas with dark spots are about 8 times more effective in combating the bad cells than the green skin variety. They also stimulate the production of white blood cells, which enhance immunity .
Another study links banana consumption to a reduced risk of colorectal cancer. Bananas also have a protective association with lung cancer. The fruit can also offer protection against kidney cancer as per a study. The study states that women who consume four to six bananas a week can cut their risk of kidney cancer by 50 percent. This effect can be owed to the antioxidant phenolic compounds in bananas.
11. Improve Eye Health
Medical practitioners in Nigeria are known to combine with another African herb (called Orinol) to treat macular degeneration and cataracts. This can be attributed to the vitamin A content in bananas, which protects the eye membranes and offers light to the cornea.
12. Relieve Menstrual Pain
This could be attributed to the potassium in bananas. The mineral can work as a muscle relaxant and relax the uterine muscles during periods.
Bananas can also work wonders for muscle cramps triggered by menstruation And vitamin B6 (and potassium) can prevent water retention and keep you from feeling bloated (a common symptom during periods).
13. Reduce Inflammation Due To Mosquito Bites
This is where the banana peel comes to the rescue, again. The sugars in the peel can help draw the fluid out of the mosquito bite. You just have to rub the inside of the peel on the affected area. But before using the peel, sanitize the affected area first.
14. Strengthen The Immune System
Banana contains copper that improves immunity by protecting the cells from damage during chemical reactions. It also is an important component of enzymes that metabolize iron, and yes, iron is also vital for the immune system.
The fruit also contains vitamin C that stimulates the production of the ever-important white blood cells. The vitamin also protects the white blood cells from the chemicals they release to destroy pathogens. Another crucial nutrient bananas contain is folate – this nutrient is required for the synthesis of cytokines, which are proteins that regulate the immune response.
15. Might Help Withdraw From Smoking Urge
Though there is limited research on this, eating bananas won’t do any harm. People who smoke often have higher levels of nicotine in their blood, which, in turn, urges them to smoke again. This cause a cycle of the unhealthy smoking habit. The potassium and magnesium in bananas are said to lower the nicotine levels in the blood, thereby helping smokers resist the urge.
17. Help Treat Anemia
Anemia, especially when caused during pregnancy, can be treated with the ideal dose of folic acid. A nutrient is a form of B vitamin found in foods, and bananas are blessed with a good amount of it. Folic acid prevents anemia in pregnant women and also promotes the health of the fetus.
The vitamin C in bananas also helps in the proper absorption of iron (and yes, iron is what one needs to fight anemia). Vitamin B12 helps treat pernicious anemia (when a body can’t produce enough red blood cells as it doesn’t have enough vitamin B12). Though bananas don’t contain encouraging levels of vitamin B12, the vitamin B6 they contain is required for the proper absorption and storage of vitamin B12. And the copper in bananas also aids in iron absorption.
18. Treat Nausea From Morning Sickness
Potassium in bananas can help relieve morning sickness. And so can the carbohydrates. However, more research is warranted in this regard.
19. Reduce Fever
Excessive sweating, diarrhea, and vomiting are some of the common symptoms of fever. These symptoms deplete potassium levels in the body and cause weakness. Bananas, being rich in potassium, can be of great help. They can also help replace lost electrolytes, thereby accelerating recovery.
The flavonoid compounds in the fruit can decrease inflammation and boost immune activity – which invariably helps fight fever.
20. Enhance Mood
Since bananas help stabilize blood sugar levels, they enhance mood. And vitamin B6 in the fruit relieves stress and anxiety. Bananas are also superb sources of tryptophan, the amino acid that stimulates the production of serotonin (also called the happiness hormone) .
Keeping your B-vitamin intake high can help ward off depression as you age. And bananas are replete with these vitamins. Potassium in bananas also positively impacts the brain neurons, the deficiency of which can lead to brain fog and other cognitive issues.
21. Help Treat Piles
According to the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, eating a banana on an empty stomach every day can help treat hemorrhoids. For bleeding hemorrhoids, three bananas a day can be a good choice.
22. Treat Insomnia
Potassium and magnesium in bananas help relax muscles and promote sleep. And the tryptophan in bananas has been used to treat numerous sleep disorders. A dose of tryptophan was also found to show improvement in patients with sleep apnea. Bananas also contain another compound melatonin that helps in insomnia treatment.
23. Can Promote Weight Loss
The fiber in bananas can aid weight loss. And since they also contain starch, they can control blood sugar levels. This is good for weight loss because excess sugar gets stored as fat in the body.
Amazing Benefits Of Banana to the skin:
1. Skin moisturizer
“Bananas are the secret to a well-nourished skin as it helps keep it hydrated. It also helps moisturize dry skin, making it soft and supple. Vitamin A in banana restores the skin’s moisture and smoothens out the rough texture by healing dry and parched skin,” says Plabita Sharma, skincare expert, The Body Shop.
Bananas act as a great exfoliator and help in sloughing off excess sebum on the skin’s surface.
2. Anti-aging effects
Bananas contain a high level of antioxidants and act as nature’s Botox, preventing fine lines and wrinkles from forming.
3. Treats acne
Bananas are loaded with many nutrients like vitamin A, zinc, and manganese, which are anti-inflammatory. Rubbing a banana peel on your face acts as a blemish banisher, and also helps in treating acne.
4. Help Treat Puffy Eyes
The nutrients in bananas can help calm the blood vessels under the eyes and reduce puffy eyes. All you need to do is mash half a banana and apply it generously around the affected area. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes, post which you can rinse with cool water. The potassium in the banana draws out the excess fluid from under the skin and gives relief.
You can also apply the banana peels instead of the mashed fruit.
5. Aid In Treating Itchy Skin, Warts, And Psoriasis
For itchy skin, simply rub the inside of the banana peel on the affected area, and you will find relief.
For treating warts and psoriasis, just apply the banana peel to the affected area and rub it for 10 to 15 minutes twice every day. You can use this in addition to your medication. However, do talk to your dermatologist for advice.
6. Help You Achieve Beauty Sleep
We all know how essential a good night’s sleep is for maintaining skin health. Melatonin is the sleep-inducing hormone in the human body and tryptophan is the amino acid that is necessary for the production of this sleep hormone.
We already saw how bananas could help induce sleep. Eating bananas a few hours before going to bed will help you get that essential beauty sleep – which basically means you are encouraging your skin to repair itself as you sleep.
What About Amazing Benefits Of Banana on Hair?
1.Banana for dandruff
Dandruff can be caused by scalp irritation, dryness, as well as fungal and bacterial pathogens. “Applying the banana mask to your scalp can add moisture (cutting down on dryness) and also rid your scalp of microscopic offenders causing dandruff,” says Sharma adding that for centuries, banana peel, leaf, flower, and fruit have been used to treat various ailments as the extracts of different parts of the banana have antioxidant and antibacterial properties.
2. Smoothens frizzy hair
Banana may help smoothen frizzy hair as it has high silica content. Silica is absorbed by our body to produce collagen, a protein that is a building block of bouncy and beautiful hair.
3. Makes hair shiny
Bananas are a great way to get soft, smooth, manageable as well as moisturized hair. Because of its rich potassium, vitamin, calcium, and carbohydrates content along with natural oils, bananas provide nourishment to the hair and make it smooth and shiny.
4. Boosts hair growth
Antioxidants in bananas can also infuse your scalp and hair with a stronger defense system, and decrease oxidative stress — a major reason for hair to look brittle and aged. Using bananas over time can make hair follicles stronger, and, as a result, grow longer.
There are numerous banana hair packs that help your hair in different ways:
5. For Soft Hair
- Mix a ripe banana with avocado and add coconut milk to the mixture.
- Apply it to your hair and wait for 15 to 20 minutes.
This pack conditions damaged hair and make the hair soft. Instead of avocado, you can also make the same pack by adding cocoa. The presence of cocoa helps in bringing out the natural color of the hair.
6. For Shiny Hair
- Peel a banana and add 1/4 cup of olive oil and one egg white.
- Add all the ingredients to a blender and puree for a couple of minutes.
- Apply the mixture to your hair and let it stay for 15 minutes.
- You can then wash your hair with your favorite shampoo and conditioner.
7. For Strong Hair
- Mix the pulp of a ripe banana with yogurt.
- Apply the smooth paste to your scalp and rinse with cool water after 15 to 20 minutes.
8. For Dry Hair
- Mix 3 teaspoons of honey with the pulp of a ripe banana.
- Apply the mask to your hair while it is still wet.
- Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Shampoo and condition your hair.
9. For Damaged Hair
- Make banana pulp and add a few drops of almond oil to it.
- Apply the mixture to your hair and leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes. The vitamins A and C present in the banana, along with the vitamin E in almond oil, leave your hair silky, shiny, and, not to mention, moisturized and soft.
Something Important To Be Noted
– While applying any of the above hair masks, it is essential to keep two things in mind so that you don’t end up with chunks of banana in your hair post hair wash.
First, whenever you use a banana for a hair mask, make sure it is in pulp form and there are no chunks. Just to be sure, blend all the contents of the hair mask.
Second, never let these hair masks dry your hair completely. The hair mask should still be wet when you wash your hair so that you can easily get rid of the banana, which otherwise tends to stick. You might feel that your hair is a little stiff when it is drying, but once it dries completely, you will be able to see the results.
Any Popular Banana Recipes?
Frankly speaking, you can use bananas in literally any recipe. Whether it is caked 9my favorite ), baked items, or desserts, you can make them using bananas.
And here, we have some of the popular recipes with the fruit.
1) Banana Breakfast Shake
What You Need
- 2 large overripe bananas, peeled, sliced, and frozen
- 1 cup of almond milk
- ¾ cup of ice
- ¼ cup of peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, unsweetened
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
Directions
- Add all the ingredients to the blender and process until well pureed.
- Serve right away.
2) Banana Avocado Smoothie
What You Need
- 1 banana
- 1 medium soft avocado, peeled
- ½ cup of natural Greek yogurt
- 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon of natural vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of maple syrup or honey
- Crushed ice, as required
Directions
- Toss all the ingredients into a blender and process until well pureed.
- Serve right away.
Any Fascinating Banana Facts?
- Bananas are radioactive as they contain high levels of potassium.
- There are about 1,000 different types of banana plants.
- Over 100 billion bananas are consumed in the world every year.
- Ugandans consume an average of about 500 pounds of bananas per person in a year.
- A cluster of bananas is called a hand. And a single banana is called a finger.
Conclusion(Amazing Benefits Of Banana)
The benefits of bananas are worth going bananas for.
Eh?
Whatever. Have them every day. Nothing more to say.
Oh wait, do leave a comment in the box below. Tell us how this post has made your life better.
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