What's so Great about Bananas

A banana is not only an amazing little snack, it has wonderful health benefits too. For a start, it supplies instant energy as it contains 3 natural sugars - glucose, sucrose, and fructose. In addition, it provides a host of essential vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber. It has no cholesterol or fat. And it's all packaged neatly in its own natural carry-case that is compact, clean, and convenient!

Compared to an apple, it has 3 times the phosphorus, 6 times the magnesium, 5 times the iron, and slightly more vitamin C. It is especially rich in potassium, containing as much as 460mg per banana, 3 times that in an apple.

Its many health benefits is derived from its high nutritional value. Here we look at some of them.

Potassium

Bananas are known for being high in potassium, one of the essential minerals that help regulate heartbeat, normal growth, muscle-building, and fluid balance in the body. It plays a role in nerve transmissions and muscle contractions, and so helps to prevent muscle cramping. It is also important for bone strength, as optimal intake of potassium reduces loss of calcium in urine, which in turn minimizes the risk of kidney stones.

Potassium helps to oxygenate the brain. Studies have shown that the potassium-rich fruit can improve learning by making students more alert.

Besides being rich in potassium, it is low in salt, which makes it ideal for preventing high blood pressure and protecting against atherosclerosis. From research carried out, the New England Journal of Medicine has reported that consuming bananas regularly can reduce strokes by as much as 40%. The US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has allowed the banana industry's claims for the fruit's ability to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

For more on the importance of potassium, see potassium benefits.

Magnesium

Magnesium's importance to health has been rather overlooked until recently. Research however, now shows that magnesium is essential for many functions in the body, and is especially important to healing.

This is because magnesium is needed for the functioning of over 300 enzymes that trigger essential biochemical processes in the body. These affect almost all our body systems, including healthy blood pressure and immune system, development of healthy teeth and bones, regulation of PMS symptoms, and protection against heart disease, just to name a few.

Magnesium is a macro-mineral, so we need to consume a few hundred milligrams of it each day. For more on why magnesium is important to health, see benefits of magnesium.

Iron

Bananas are rich in iron, which is needed for the production of hemoglobin to make red blood cells. A lesser-known fact about iron is that it is required for the immune system to function properly, and for resistance to disease and infections.

Vitamin B6

Bananas are high in the B vitamins that help calm nerves. They are especially rich in vitamin B6 that is needed for normal growth and brain function, and that help the body eliminate toxic substances and fight off diseases, as well as regulate blood glucose levels and enhance moods. Vitamin B6 is also useful in cancer prevention, treatment of allergies, and in alleviating premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

For the many other functions of vitamin B6, see vitamin B6 benefits.

Digestive Health

Being high in pectin, a water-absorbent fiber, bananas can help in cases of both diarrhea and constipation, to restore normal bowel function. They are also exceptionally rich in a prebiotic-like compound, so called because it nourishes friendly bacteria (probiotics) in the colon, that are beneficial for digestive health. These friendly bacteria improve our ability to absorb nutrients such as calcium, and protect us from 'bad' bacteria in our gut.

Bananas have also long been recognized for their protective effects against stomach ulcers. They not only help eliminate the bacteria that cause ulcers, but can significantly increase the thickness of the protective mucous membrane on the inner walls of the stomach.

They can calm an upset stomach, neutralize acidity, and reduce irritation, especially in cases of chronic ulcers. As they neutralize acidity, they are a good way to reduce heartburn, by acting as a natural antacid.

Depression

Based on a recent survey by MIND (a national association for mental health in the UK), people suffering from depression felt better after eating a banana. This appears to be because bananas contain tryptophan, one of the common amino acids that the body uses to convert to serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps improve moods, induce relaxation, and make a person feel happier.

Selection and Storage

Like all fruits, the best bananas are the tree-ripened ones. They are the sweetest.

Most bananas turn yellow when ripe, though there are reddish/purplish types as well. As bananas ripen, they develop better aroma and texture, and their starch turns to sugar so they become sweeter.

Bananas are usually plucked and sold while still green. Keep those over the counter at room temperature until they turn yellow. Eat them at this stage if possible, before they over-ripen, which happens when the skin turns black and the flesh becomes mushy. Store ripened bananas in the fridge. In the refrigerator, the peel of the fruit could continue to darken, but the flesh should remain firm.

The writer is the editor of the HealthSupplementsNutritionalGuide, a free online resource that simplifies research into health-enhancing nutrition. Covers facts about vitamins, vitamin charts, whether you need to take vitamins daily and what the top rated one-a-day vitamins supplements ranked by independent research are.