Benefits of Bananas (Red and Yellow)
Let’s look in more detail at the many ways eating a banana a day can help give your health a boost.
Bananas Promote Good Digestive Health
Bananas are a good source of dietary fiber and so can help keep your digestion working properly.
Many studies point to the fact that a high-fiber diet is essential to prevent many chronic diseases. Also getting the right amount of fiber daily helps to have regular bowel movements. (6)
Having a large banana in the morning can help you start your day by getting 14% of your fiber intake and 20% of your required vitamin C intake.
Researchers from Harvard School of Public Health say that another way bananas promote digestive health is because they contain resistant starch. This type of starch found mainly in unripe bananas is absorbed slowly in the small intestine. This helps beneficial microbes to grow in the gut that are essential for digestion. (7)
Studies have found that banana consumption has a prebiotic effect in the intestines. Prebiotics are necessary to help friendly bacteria (probiotics) to grow. In one study, women who consumed 2 bananas a day had increased levels of bifidobacterial compounds which are friendly bacteria in the human gut. The women also reported less abdominal bloating. (8)
Find out about other ways to improve your digestive health naturally.
Bananas Are a Good Source of Energy
If you enjoy exercising regularly, then bananas can give you a great healthy energy boost.
One medium banana contains 27 g carbs but has a low glycemic index which classes them as a healthy carb. Studies have shown that bananas provide good nutritional value during intensive exercise. Scientists described bananas as a “cost-effective energy source” for athletes. (9)
Enjoying a banana before exercising will also help reduce the effects of oxidative stress on the body and exercise-induced inflammation. (9)
Apart from enjoying the health benefits of bananas, find out what other great foods can give you energy.
Bananas Can Help Prevent Muscle Cramps After Exercising
Another reason to consume a medium-sized banana before working out is that compounds in bananas can help reduce post-exercise muscle pain.
Research into the nutritional content of bananas has found that the nutritional content in bananas can help reduce exercise-associated muscle cramps and pain. One clinical trial found that athletes who consumed 2 bananas before intensive cycling had less muscle cramping than those who only consumed water. (10)
The scientists found that sugar and phytochemicals in bananas help reduce inflammation after exercise and speed up metabolic recovery. (10)
Learn about other ways of getting rid of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) naturally.
Bananas Can Help Lower Blood Pressure
Bananas contain a high amount of potassium and can prove beneficial in helping to lower blood pressure.
A large banana contains about 490 mg potassium which is 14% of your recommended daily intake. Research into the effect of potassium on hypertension (high blood pressure) found that getting enough dietary potassium can help reduce diastolic and systolic blood pressure. This can also have a significant impact on cardiovascular health and also reduce your risk of stroke and heart attack. (11)
One random cross-over study found that a meal containing the equivalent of 2½ bananas can lower blood pressure after the meal. Consuming bananas can have an overall effect of improving artery health. (12)
Other studies have found that regularly including more bananas in your diet can help to lower diastolic blood pressure. (13)
Some studies also say that minerals in bananas like potassium and magnesium have a general cardio-protective effect. (14, 15)
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