Are Bananas Good for You?

Some have known as bananas “nature’s perfect snack,” and it’s straightforward to see why. The curvy yellow fruits come conveniently packaged, journey effectively in a lunch bag or purse and are extremely versatile. They make an incredible smoothie mixer or a tasty topper on cereal or oatmeal and even have their very personal class of (scrumptious!) muffins and bread.

Are bananas wholesome?

 “Absolutely,” says registered dietitian Elyse Homan, RD, LD. “They’re full of nutrients and easy on the gut. Very few people have problems digesting bananas.”

So, what are you consuming whenever you peel and revel in? A medium-sized ripe banana accommodates:

• 105 energy.
• 1 gram of protein.
• 28 grams of carbohydrates.
• 15 grams of (pure) sugar.
• 3 grams of fiber.
• Less than 1 gram of fats.

Health advantages of consuming bananas

From nutritional vitamins to minerals to fiber, bananas are good for you, with a number of diet to supply. Plus, they’re straightforward to digest, reiterates Homan. Here’s a breakdown of banana’s most notable dietary advantages:

1. Fiber for improved digestion and illness prevention

With 3 grams (g) of fiber, a banana provides almost 10% of what you want in a day, primarily based on a 2,000-calorie every day food plan, in line with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) dietary pointers.

You hear “fiber” and doubtless mechanically consider digestion. It’s true — fiber is nice to your intestine. It helps maintain issues shifting in your intestines, and most of us in all probability must eat extra.

But fiber additionally impacts your well being in different methods. Researchers who looked at data from nearly 200 studies discovered that individuals who ate 25 to 29 g of fiber a day had as much as a 30% decreased danger of:

• Colorectal most cancers.
• Heart illness.
• High blood stress.
• High ldl cholesterol.
• Stroke.
• Type 2 diabetes.

2. Vitamin C for higher immune well being

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a nutrient that helps your physique take up iron and boosts your immune system’s ability to fight illness. Adults want 75 to 90 milligrams (mg) per day. A banana delivers about 10 mg of vitamin C.

Vitamin C is considered one of many antioxidants you may get from meals. Antioxidants are necessary as a result of they cancel out free radicals in your physique. Free radicals can construct up and injury your cells, resulting in illness. But antioxidants like vitamin C maintain free radicals in verify.

3. Vitamin B6 for improved metabolism and extra

Your physique wants vitamin B6 for:

• Appetite regulation.
• Immune system features.
• Metabolic processes.
• Nervous system well being.
• Sleep regulation.

“One banana will give you one-quarter to one-third of the vitamin B6 you need in a day,” says Homan.

4. Potassium for organ well being and decrease blood stress

The USDA really helpful every day consumption of potassium for adults is 4,700 to five,000 mg. A banana provides you with about 422 mg, or rather less than 10% of what you want per day.

Potassium, a mineral, does lots to your physique. It’s important for the correct operate of your:

• Heart.
• Kidneys.
• Muscles.
• Nerves.

Getting sufficient potassium additionally retains your blood stress in a wholesome vary. Potassium, which lowers blood stress, balances out sodium, which raises blood stress.

Homan says potassium additionally advantages your vascular system — the community of blood vessels and lymph vessels that run by way of your physique’s tissues and organs — and reduces your danger of:

• Heart illness.
• Kidney failure.
• Stroke.

5. Magnesium for improved blood stress, blood sugar and extra

A single medium-sized banana provides about 32 mg of the mineral magnesium, which fulfills round 8% to 10% of your every day magnesium requirement.

Magnesium is concerned in lots of processes in your physique, together with:

• Blood stress.
• Blood sugar ranges.
• Building proteins.
• Maintaining bone.
• Muscle operate.
• Nerve operate.

Bananas and resistant starch

Green, or unripe, bananas are excessive in resistant starch. “Your body can’t digest resistant starch,” notes Homan. “Instead, it’s a prebiotic that promotes the growth of good bacteria in your colon.” Prebiotics enhance digestive well being and will be useful when you’re experiencing diarrhea.

“I often hear patients say they avoid bananas since they’ve heard the fruit is too high in sugar,” says Homan. As bananas ripen, a lot of the resistant starch adjustments to sugar. But the well being advantages of antioxidants and fiber outweigh the naturally occurring sugar. For these frightened about blood sugar ranges, pair bananas with a protein supply corresponding to peanut butter or a cheese stick for higher management.

A small phrase of warning about unripe bananas: “If you’re not used to eating resistant starch, start slowly to let your body get used to it. Some people can experience constipation, gas and bloating at first,” provides Homan.

Another plus of this fruit? In addition to all of the well being advantages of bananas, they’re cheaper than many different fruits.