Health Benefits of Bananas

Has anyone ever told you that too many bananas could be bad for you? And you believed them? Well let’s put the banana myth too rest once and for all!

Bananas are good for you, and no, they do not make you fat. Bananas are actually one the few natural foods that provide all the key vitamins and minerals for a healthy mind and body. Still have your doubts? Here’s why:

Health Benefits of Bananas

Bananas are rich in key minerals and vitamins, namely:

• Biotin:  promotes healthy cell growth and food metabolism
• Copper: aids formation of red blood cells, bone growth and a healthy nervous system
• Magnesium: aids acid/alkaline balance and promotes a healthy metabolism of carbs, minerals and sugars
• Manganese: aids enzyme activations, wound healing, bone development and serves as a natural antioxidant
• Potassium: promotes fluid balance, controls activity of heart muscles, nervous system and kidneys, and lowers high blood pressure. Counteracts calcium lost through urination
• Vitamin A: alpha-carotene and beta-carotene helps to keep your eyes healthy
• Vitamin B6: promotes good levels of serotonin, a happy hormone that has its hand in a good night’s rest, mood and appetite control, a healthy immune system and strong cognitive functions.

Other key vitamins and minerals include: Riboflavin, Vitamins B, C, D, E and K, Folate, Calcium, Protein and Fibre – to mention but a few.

Bananas are also probably the only fruit that offers you the largest amount of organic mineral and vitamins in just one serving.

In addition to being a jam-packed with minerals and vitamins, bananas also serve as a natural remedy:

• Contains tryptophan, and when released into the blood stream it converts to serotonin that helps to reduce stress levels and PMS symptoms
• Can be used to treat constipation and diarrhoea
• Can be used to treat skin problems like acne, eczema and psoriasis
• Prevents and treats stomach ulcers
• Natural energy booster
• Used as a treatment to nourish hair
• Alleviates and prevents nausea
• Can lower a fever and blood pressure
• Reduces the risk of kidney cancer, heart attack and stroke.

Tips for Selecting, Storing and Eating Bananas

Choose bananas based on when you will eat them: green is for later, and firm and bruise free is for now. Keep overripe bananas for baking. Size doesn’t determine quality, because the nutrients within remains the same.  The daily recommended intake is a banana a day, or unless otherwise required. For example, you could eat bananas all day when treating stomach problems.

There you have it, the health benefits of bananas, and then some. If you’re not a fan of bananas in the raw, add it to your shopping list anyway, and try masking the flavour in a smoothie with some other fruits.  Bananas are also a great alternative for energy drinks. An NCRC study conducted on runners during the course of a three hour simulated road race, where asked to consume half a banana every 15 minutes. The banana kept the runners hydrated and their performance was on par with those who consumed a cup of carbohydrate drink every 15 minutes.

So the next time someone tells you to go easy on the bananas – smile.