Some Bananas Benefits

Here are some of the medically proven benefits of eating 1 - 2 bananas a day.

* Blood Pressure

Essential to helping lower blood pressure is a regular intake of Potassium because of its vasodilation effects. Note that Potassium should be taken with Magnesium for greater efficacy.

Potassium Deficiency (AKA: Hypokalaemia)

According to a National Health Survey, fewer than 2% of adults meet the daily 3800 mg recommendation of Potassium.

Also of note, a high Potassium intake is associated with a 20% decreased risk of dying from all causes.

* Potassium and Osteoporosis

It has been hypothesised that high protein + low potassium diets could induce a low-grade metabolic acidosis that could induce demineralisation of bone, osteoporosis and kidney stones (Barzel 1995, Lemann et al 1999) and epidemiological and metabolic studies have supported this suggestion (Maurer et al 2003, Morris et al 2001, New et al 1997, Sebastian et al 1994, Tucker et al 1999).

Potassium blunts the effect of sodium chloride (table salt) on blood pressure, mitigating salt sensitivity and lowering urinary calcium excretion (Whelton et al 1997).

* Asthma

A study conducted by the Imperial College of London found that children who ate just one banana per day had a 34% less chance of developing asthma.

* Heart Health

The fiber, Potassium, vitamin C and B6 content in bananas all support heart health.

An increase in Potassium intake along with a decrease in sodium intake is the most important dietary change that a person can make to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease, according to Prof Mark Houston, MD, MS, an associate clinical professor of medicine at Vanderbilt Medical School and director of the Hypertension Institute at St Thomas Hospital in Tennessee.

In one study, those who consumed 4069 mg of Potassium per day had a 49% lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease compared with those who consumed less Potassium (about 1000 mg per day).

High Potassium intakes are also associated with a reduced risk of stroke, protection against loss of muscle mass, preservation of bone mineral density and reduction in the formation of kidney stones.

* Diabetes

Studies have shown that type 1 diabetics who consume high-fiber diets have lower blood glucose levels and type 2 diabetics may have improved blood sugar, lipids and insulin levels.

One medium banana provides about 3 grams of fiber.

Typical Dietary Guidelines recommend 21-25g a day for women and 30-38g a day for men.

* Bananas and Digestive Health

Bananas can also help to promote regularity and replenish Potassium stores.

Dietary fiber has been linked to many health benefits, including improved digestion.

A medium-sized banana contains about 3 grams of fiber, making bananas a fairly good fiber source.

Bananas contain mainly two types of fiber:

• Pectin: Decreases as the banana ripens
• Resistant starch: Found in unripe bananas

Resistant starch escapes digestion and ends up in our large intestine, where it becomes food for the beneficial gut bacteria.

Additionally, some cell studies propose that pectin may help protect against colon cancer

Also, electrolytes like Potassium are lost in large quantities during bouts of diarrhea and may make those affected feel weak. Bananas can help replace these lost nutrients.

* Bananas and Potassium

Bananas contain Potassium and also contain good levels of protein and dietary fiber.

Whilst bananas do contain a mineral called Potassium, it is important to note that without other supporting minerals such as Magnesium, over 99% of any Potassium you ingest will be excreted by the body with up to 90% of that through your urine.

Potassium is an important mineral as it helps maintain fluid levels in the body and regulates the movement of nutrients and waste products in and out of cells, hence one of the main reasons we lose Potassium so rapidly.

• Potassium also helps muscles to contract and nerve cells to respond.
• It keeps the heart beating regularly and can reduce the effect of sodium on blood pressure.
• Potassium may reduce the risk of kidney stones forming as people age.
• In turn, healthy kidneys make sure that the right amount of Potassium is utilized by the body.
• One medium-sized banana contains 422 milligrams of Potassium.

It is best to try to get Potassium from dietary sources such as bananas.

* Banana Nutritional Profile

One serving of banana is considered to be about 126 grams.

One serving of banana contains 110 calories, 30 grams of carbohydrate and 1 gram of protein.

Bananas are naturally free of fat, cholesterol, and sodium.

Bananas provide a variety of vitamins and minerals:

• Vitamin B6 - 0.5 mg
• Manganese - 0.3 mg
• Vitamin C - 9 mg
• Potassium - 450 mg
• Dietary Fiber - 3g
• Protein - 1 g
• Magnesium - 34 mg
• Folate - 25.0 mcg
• Riboflavin - 0.1 mg
• Niacin - 0.8 mg
• Vitamin A - 81 IU
• Iron - 0.3 mg

The recommended intake of Potassium for adults is 4,700 milligrams per day.

** NOTE: People who use beta blockers should not suddenly increase their intake of bananas.

* Bananas Help Moderate Blood Sugar Levels

Bananas are rich in a fiber called pectin, which gives the flesh its structural form.

Unripe bananas contain resistant starch, which acts like soluble fiber and escapes digestion.

Both pectin and resistant starch may moderate blood sugar levels after meals, and reduce appetite by slowing stomach emptying.

* Low Glycemic Index

Furthermore, bananas also rank low to medium on the glycemic index, which is a measure (from 0-100) of how quickly foods increase blood sugar levels.

The glycemic value of unripe (green) bananas is about 30, while very ripe bananas rank at about 60.

The average GI value of bananas which are yellow but showing no brown spots is approx 51.

This means that bananas should not cause major spikes in blood sugar levels in healthy individuals.

However, this may not apply to diabetics, which should probably avoid eating lots of well-ripened bananas and monitor their blood sugars carefully when they do.

* Unripe Bananas May Help Improve Insulin Sensitivity

Insulin resistance is a major risk factor for many of the world's most serious diseases, including type 2 diabetes.

Several studies have shown that 15-30 grams of resistant starch per day may improve insulin sensitivity by 33-50%, in as little as 4 weeks.

Unripe bananas are a great source of resistant starch, and may therefore help improve insulin sensitivity.

However, the reason for these effects is not well understood, and not all studies agree on the matter.