Are Bananas Good for You?

One of the sweet fruits found around the world, bananas, can be dated back to approximately 4,000 years ago. With medical advancements, we have come to believe that bananas are loaded with healthy nutrients, are good sources of vitamins and minerals and improve cardiovascular health, brain and kidneys. People consume bananas for various purposes and hence, bananas are eaten and prepared in different ways. But the main question here is, "Are bananas good for you?" To find out the answer, go through each of the reasons and make the judgment for yourself.

Bananas for Hair

Bananas can help bring your hair's natural shine. Let's see how a banana hair mask can strengthen and give volume to your hair. Hint: Save the banana peels from this mask recipe to use it to make a skin care peel.

• Peel 2 bananas and puree them in the blender. Pour in a bowl and make sure there are no lumps in the puree.
• Mix 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the bowl. Combine all the ingredients completely, till it becomes smooth and creamy.
• In the end, pour 2 or more drops of essential oil. This will make your hair smell less of mayonnaise.
• Apply as much banana mask on your hair to cover thoroughly. Save rest of the mix in an air-tight container. Refrigerate it and re-use it later in the week.
• Leave the mask on for about 30 minutes and wash your hair with lukewarm water.
• The banana mask helps moisturize and strengthen your hair and bring the beautiful shine back.

Bananas for Skin

While talking of bananas, even their skin can be very helpful. You may not be aware but banana peels have lutein, which is an antioxidant and has tons of potassium. Perfect to get rid of warts, psoriasis, acne and poison ivy, you might just want to make bananas a regular on your grocery list. Below, we have recipes for a banana peel and facial cream as well. Take a look.

Banana Peel

• For psoriasis, take a banana peel and rub its insides over the affected area. Even though the area will become red in the beginning, but don't worry, you will see the difference in your skin in just a few days.
• To heal acne, rub the insides of the banana peel right over the acne. Even when the acne is on the face or body, follow the home remedy during the night (so you don't smell like banana the entire day).
• To heal warts, rub the insides of the banana peel on the wart(s) each night for at least a week. You can also tape the banana peel over the area overnight, for a quick improvement in a week or two. Using banana peels for plantar wart treatment has proven positive results.
• To take the bite out of poison ivy, rub the insides of the banana peel on the area. The itching will stop and as for the inflammation, it will reduce considerably. You can reapply the peel as required.

Banana Facial Cream

• To make the cream, in a bowl, mash ¼ of a banana.
• In a different bowl, whisk 1 egg white till it turns frothy.
• In the egg white bowl, mix in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and whisk again.
• Add the mashed banana to the second bowl and combine properly.
• Spread a thin layer of the banana face cream over face and neck. Let it dry for about 30 minutes.
• Rinse with warm water and pat dry with a clean towel.
• You can save the leftover cream in an air-tight container and keep in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Bananas for Teeth

Nowadays, parents are so concerned about what foods are good for their children's health and well-being, that every little thing counts. Especially, when we're talking about their dental care. Instead of providing kids with fried and sugary snacks/treats, parents are looking for healthier alternatives. Can bananas be the answer for a healthy food choice, which takes care of teeth as well? Perhaps, you may or may not be aware of this, but bananas along with apples, oranges and berries are natural nutrition provided by fruits.

This high nutrition fruit provides kids with quick energy, whenever they're on the go. Even though bananas are intensely sweet, they don't contain too much sugar which can cause tooth decay. Bananas don't stick to the teeth while eating and are easy to brush away from teeth. So, whenever kids need a sugary treat, instead of candies or cookies, why not give them something even the dentists agree with, bananas.

Bananas for Health

Bananas contain 3 natural sugars, sucrose, fructose, and glucose. Combine this with fiber and you have a perfect, healthy snack for an instant boost of energy. Research proves that consuming 2 bananas can energize you for a rigorous 90-minute exercise. But there are many other health benefits and we will go through some of them below.

• Bananas contain tryptophan, which is a type of protein. Our body converts tryptophan into serotonin, which helps a person relax, improve overall mood and feel happy. This is why bananas help cure depression.
• As bananas are high in iron, it helps stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood. In case of anemia, bananas are a good source of iron.
• High in potassium, low in salt makes bananas a perfect candidate to beat blood pressure. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also confirmed the claim of bananas being able to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
• Besides, studies have also proved banana benefits in fighting hangovers, constipation, heartburn, mosquito bites, morning sickness, stress, ulcers, temperature control and PMS.

Bananas for Losing Weight

As we read about the health benefits of bananas, there simply won't be a doubt whether bananas are good for our health or not. However, when it comes to losing weight, can we rely on bananas as well or will that be taking a risk? Bananas are known to reduce water retention, which could be the noticeable reason of weight loss. But we should also factor in the calories, nutritional benefits and health benefits as well. How many calories in a banana? After comparing banana with other fruits, we found that bananas actually have higher amounts of calories present, along with carbohydrates. An average sized banana can give you around 100 calories, 27 g of carbohydrates, and 3 g of fiber. This equals to a 24 g of net carbohydrates, a little on the higher side for any weight loss program, which requires a low carb diet.

So, are bananas fattening? The answer is, yes, if consumed in excess. But don't be disappointed into incorporating bananas in your weight loss program. With its high carb contents and sweetness, bananas make great substitutes for fattening desserts. You can try a frozen banana with low calorie chocolate syrup drizzled on it. Not only does this make you avoid unhealthy desserts, but in some way help you lose weight. Even though, bananas on its own will not help you lose weight, but ate in moderation can certainly be an added advantage to your goals.

Still deciding, if in fact bananas are good for you or not? As each individual is different, only your doctor, as he / she will know your medical background, will be the right person to comment on any benefits of bananas for you. Make sure to ask your doctor any and all queries you may have regarding the fruit and get all doubts cleared out.