Health Benefits of Banana
Bananas are incredibly healthy, convenient, delicious, and one of the most inexpensive fresh fruits you can buy. This makes them an excellent choice for anyone interested in eating healthy. While they’re native to Southeast Asia, they grow ubiquitously in many warm climates, making them available worldwide. The Cavendish variety, the most common type found in grocery stores, starts out firm and green but turns yellow, soft, and sweet as it ripens. Bananas contain many essential nutrients and may benefit weight loss, digestion, and heart health. Here are 11 science-based health benefits of bananas.
1. Rich in nutrients Bananas contain a fair amount of fiber and several antioxidants. One regular-sized banana (126 grams) also boasts (1Trusted Source): Calories: 112 Fat: 0 grams Protein: 1 gram Carbs: 29 grams Fiber: 3 grams Vitamin C: 12% of the Daily Value (DV) Riboflavin: 7% of the DV Folate: 6% of the DV Niacin: 5% of the DV Copper: 11% of the DV Potassium: 10% of the DV Magnesium: 8% of the DV One banana provides about 112 calories and consists almost exclusively of water and carbs. They hold little protein and no fat. The carbs in green, unripe bananas are mostly in the form of starch and resistant starch — a type of indigestible fiber we’ll get to shortly.
As the fruit ripens, its flavor becomes sweeter while its fiber content drops (2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source). 2. May improve blood sugar levels Bananas are rich in soluble fiber. During digestion, soluble fiber dissolves in liquid to form a gel. It’s also what gives bananas their sponge-like texture (3Trusted Source). Unripe bananas also contain resistant starch, which isn’t digested by your body (2Trusted Source). Together, these two types of fiber may moderate your blood sugar levels after meals. Plus, they may help regulate your appetite by slowing the emptying of your stomach (4Trusted Source).
This means that despite their higher carb content, bananas won’t cause major spikes in blood sugar levels in healthy individuals. However, while people with diabetes can enjoy bananas, it’s not recommended to enjoy a large portion in one sitting. 3. May support digestive health Dietary fiber has been linked to many health benefits, including improved digestion. One medium-sized banana provides about 3 grams of fiber (1Trusted Source). Resistant starch, the type of fiber found in unripe bananas, is a prebiotic. Prebiotics escape digestion and end up in your large intestine, where they become food for the beneficial bacteria in your gut (2Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source).
What’s more, pectin — a fiber found in both ripe and unripe bananas — may help prevent constipation and soften stools (3Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source). Some test-tube studies even propose that pectin may help protect against colon cancer, although research in humans is still needed to confirm this benefit (7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source). 4. May aid weight loss No study has directly tested bananas’ effects on weight loss. However, this popular fruit does have several attributes that could make it a weight-loss-friendly food.
First, bananas have relatively few calories. The average banana has just over 100 calories, yet it’s nutritious and filling (1Trusted Source). Eating more fiber from vegetables and fruits has repeatedly been linked to lower body weight and weight loss (4Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source). Furthermore, unripe bananas are packed with resistant starch, so they tend to be filling and reduce your appetite. If you’d like to include unripe bananas in your diet, try using them as you’d use plantains (2Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source). 5. May support heart health Potassium is a mineral that’s vital for heart health, especially blood pressure management.
Despite its importance, few people get enough potassium in their diet (12Trusted Source). Conveniently, bananas are a great source of potassium, with a medium-sized banana (126 grams) providing 10% of the DV (1Trusted Source). A potassium-rich diet can help lower your blood pressure. Plus, according to older research and animal studies, people who eat plenty of potassium have up to a 27% lower risk of heart disease (13Trusted Source, 14Trusted Source).
What’smore, bananas contain 8% of the DV for magnesium, another mineral that’s important for heart health (1Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source). Magnesium deficiency may be linked to an increased risk of heart disease, elevated blood pressure, and high levels of fats in the blood. As such, it’s essential that you get enough of the mineral from your diet or supplements (14Trusted Source).
