Potassium of Potassium
Everyone always says, Health Benefits of Bananas: Eat your bananas to get potassium. But do any of potassium why is potassium so important? I’ll give you a few.
A lower risk of strokes lowers the risk of congestive heart failure and overall cardiovascular disease.
Potassium is good for?
Health Benefits of Bananas in Muscle Building!
It helps maintain body growth. Has an impact on the electrical activity of the heart (arrhythmias) Overall! Potassium is important for overall health, and bananas are potassium of potassium!???
Good source of vitamin B6
Low vitamin B6 has a lot of nasty effects on your body. These include scaling at the mouth (cheilosis for those Curious George types out there!), anemia, swollen tongue (glossitis), depression, confusion, and even lowers your immune function. In children, it can cause seizures (convulsions), among other things.?
This is why bananas are great!
They contain 20% of your daily value required intake of vitamin B6!????
Might help with Migraines!
A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of magnesium in migraines. Infusion of magnesium during a migraine attack resulted in immediate and prolonged relief. Continued oral magnesium may even help prevent frequent migraines.
But what does this have to do with bananas?
Well, bananas have an 8% daily value of magnesium needed. According to the NIH, low magnesium has been linked to a few chronic disorders, including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and migraines!?
Great as a pre- or post-exercise nutritious snack???
A study compared the effects of Gatorade versus banana ingestion in a group of cyclists. If equal amounts of Gatorade and banana were given, the results were similar. However, although bananas had higher antioxidant activity, there was no change in oxidative stress in the body.
There was also a higher increase in dopamine levels in the body after banana ingestion, but no effects on the heart.
Usually, dopamine increases the amount of blood pumped by the heart (cardiac output), increases heart rate, and blood pressure. Still, the levels from the banana after it’s metabolized are too low to have any effect.
Overall, even though it doesn’t have a significant impact on oxidative stress from the exercise you do, or increase heart function during exercise:
It is just as good as Gatorade to replenish yourself after a hard workout and even before to fuel yourself.?????
Benefits of Bananas for Intestinal Health
Bananas contain fibers called Pectin and Starch. One of the lesser-known Health Benefits of bananas is that unripe bananas contain more pectin and resistant starch, which helps them stay longer in your intestines and reach your colon—great news for your digestive health! Because fiber draws water and promotes the right bowel movements. Also, a study found that pectin has some anti-cancer activity and might, therefore, help protect against cancer, and more specifically, colon cancer.????
It may help with weight loss!
For all those calorie counters out there, bananas are your friends! Only 107 Kcal per banana! Both pectin and resistant starch stimulate feelings of fullness. In fact, resistant starches have proven to promote satiety and weight loss.????
It lowers fat storage in fat cells (adipocytes) and preserves lean body mass. According to the study from 2014 by Higgins, “retention of lean body mass during weight loss or maintenance would prevent the decrease in basal metabolic rate and, therefore, the decrease in total energy expenditure, that occurs with weight loss”.
What does this mean?
Weight loss usually slows your metabolism by retaining your lean body mass with the help of resistant starches; your metabolism stays the same, promoting more weight loss!
Resistant starch is now thought of as ‘weight loss wonder food’ because of these properties. Studies also show that people who have diets high in soluble fibers, like resistant starch, have lower body weight. Meals high in fiber are also lower in fat and calories, which promotes weight loss and weight maintenance.
This is why bananas are often considered to be a great fat loss and weight loss food!
BUT!
If you have bowel issues such as constipation, it is best to steer clear of bananas. Some studies show that whether they are raw or ripe, bananas may induce constipation.????
If already constipated, bananas might worsen it, especially in children. It is recommended not to give bananas to children with constipation.
Also, according to the FDA, people who take diuretics (water pills like furosemide or triamterene without hydrochlorothiazide) or ACE inhibitors (captopril) should not eat potassium, in potassium like our bananas here! Why?
These medications cause your bPotassiumtain potassium. Potassium, much potassium is just as potassium as low Potassium?
Like I always say!
Moderation is the key! And always always always talk to your doctors if you have any concerns.
SIDE NOTE:
Under-ripe bananas are best! Especially for diabetics
While exploring the Benefits of bananas, it’s important to note that ripe bananas contain more sugar and soluble starches, which is why they may not be the best choice for people with diabetes. However! Under-ripe Bananas have a low to moderate glycemic index; this means that it doesn’t raise your blood sugar too much.
The under-ripe bananas’ glycemic index of 30, whereas the ripe bananas’ glycemic index of 60, with an average index of all bananas of 51.????
A study in 2014 showed that daily consumption of bananas is harmless to both diabetics and patients with high cholesterol. The NIH even includes bananas in the groups of foods diabetic patients should eat to have a healthy diet, and they don’t specify whether they should be under-ripe or ripe. In summary! Bananas are amazing! Granted, you eat them moderately! Excessively eating or drinking anything is just as bad as never doing it!
Find the balance!
And if you have diabetes, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor about seeing a nutritionist. They can guide you on how to enjoy the Benefits of Bananas and other foods safely, helping you understand what to eat and why.
Know the benefits of what you put in your body, so you become motivated to follow your plan!
How do you eat your bananas?
WHEN DO I EAT BANANAS?
I mostly enjoy bananas as a snack between breakfast and lunch usually about an hour before exercising because one of the Benefits of Banana is their energy-boosting carbs. I rarely eat them for breakfast unless they’re in a smoothie, with yogurt and granola, or on a rice cake with peanut butter.
The most I’ll eat in a day is two bananas! Unless I also have a smoothie, in which case it’s like 2.5-3.