Eat Me: 10 health benefits of bananas

Bananas are highly nutritious and very delicious. 

Dan Koeppel, author of Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World, in his book traces the banana back to the Garden of Eden, where he believes it was the banana, not the apple, that was the “forbidden fruit” that Eve offered Adam.

Today, bananas are grown in at least 107 countries and are ranked fourth among the world’s food crops in monetary value.

Here are some ways bananas can be beneficial to your health.

Weight Loss and Obesity

Bananas are useful for weight loss as one banana only has approximately 90 calories. It contains a lot of fiber as well and is easy to digest. Furthermore, it does not contain any fats.

Therefore, an overweight person does not have to eat too many if their diet contains some bananas, because they are also very filling.

Stronger Bones

Bananas are one of the best fruits for guaranteeing strong, healthy bones throughout your life.

Arthritis and Gout

Various compounds in bananas are anti-inflammatory in nature, meaning that they can reduce swelling, inflammation, and irritation from various conditions like arthritis and gout.

These conditions are very common as people age, or if they have poor or unhealthy diets.

Constipation

Bananas contain significant amounts of dietary fiber and therefore help in smooth bowel movements.

Bananas are said to push out stubborn stools and relieve a person from constipation.

Ulcers

For years, bananas have been used as an antacid food to soothe upset stomachs.

They also contain protease inhibitors, which eliminate the harmful bacteria that have been linked to the development of stomach ulcers.

Kidney Disorders

Bananas have been linked to reducing the danger towards the kidneys from a number of different conditions.

Potassium helps to regulate the fluid balance in the body, and that can help ease the strain on the kidneys, and also encouraging urination.

Eye Health

Bananas, like many other fruits, are packed with antioxidant compounds and carotenoids, as well as a proper mix of minerals that can seriously boost the health of your eyes.

Macular degeneration, cataracts, night blindness, and glaucoma have all been shown to decrease with normal intake of bananas and other similar fruits.

Cardiovascular Protection

Bananas are rich sources of potassium, so they reduce blood pressure since bananas are vasodilators.

By relaxing the tension of arteries and veins, the blood can flow more smoothly through the body and oxygenate the various organs of the body to increase their function.

Menstrual problems

Cooked banana flowers help in providing relief from painful and excessive bleeding during the menstrual cycle as well as other menstrual disorders.

Anemia

Bananas contain high iron content and therefore aid in treating anemia because iron is an essential part of red blood cells, which is why anemia occurs; low blood cell count occur due to lack of iron.

Banana also has a significant content of copper, which is an important element in the creation of red blood cells.