Banana Benefits

If you love eating bananas, you will be happy to know that banana benefits your health in innumerable ways. These yellow skinned fruits are high in essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals and dietary fibers and help you stay away from several health ailments. Before knowing more about the benefits of bananas, let us take a look at some nutrition facts about banana.

Banana Nutritional Value

Bananas are high in minerals and vitamins, which include potassium, magnesium, calcium, niacin, thiamin, etc. The banana calories are not too high and not too low, and most of the calories present in banana are contributed by the carbohydrates present in banana. Now, let us take a look at the important banana nutrition facts.

Banana Nutrition Facts - 1 Medium-sized Banana

Vitamins
Vitamin C	10.3 mg	Vitamin K	0.6 mcg
Riboflavin	0.1 mg	Niacin	0.8 mg
Vitamin B6	0.4 mg	Folate	23.6 mcg
Vitamin A	#75.5 IU	Pantothenic Acid	0.4 mg
Minerals
Calcium	5.9 mg	Iron	0.3 mg
Magnesium	31.9 mg	Zinc	0.2 mg
Sodium	1.2 mg	Phosphorus	26.0 mg
Potassium	422 mg	Selenium	1.2 mcg
Fats
Total Fat Content	0.4 g	Monounsaturated Fat	0.0 g
Polyunsaturated	0.1 g	Cholesterol	0.0 mg
Other Macro Nutrients
Protein	1.3 g	Carbohydrate	27.0 g

Note: # = International Unit

Banana Health Benefits

Given below is a list of various bananas health benefits.

Treats Constipation
Bananas are high in fiber and pectin and both these nutrients help in healthy bowel movement. The pectin content of banana helps to absorb the water in the digested food and thereby eases constipation. Moreover, bananas are also helpful for patients suffering from diarrhea, since they help to restore the lost electrolytes. Thus bananas are best natural remedies to treat constipation and other bowel problems.

Gives Energy
Bananas are among some of the high energy foods that keep you fresh and fit all the day. These are packed with loads of essential nutrients and thus are wonderful source of natural energy. Eating a banana can keep you energized for longer time as compared to instant energy obtained by drinking an energy drink.

Keeps Heart Healthy
Bananas are very high in potassium and low in sodium, this perfect ratio of potassium and sodium makes them heart-healthy foods. Potassium is a useful mineral that helps to balance the electrolyte level as well as helps in regulation of blood pressure. Thus, eating banana benefits patients who have high blood pressure problem.

Treats Anemia
Anemia is deficiency of red blood cells that help to carry oxygen in the blood to various cells and tissues of the body. Deficiency of iron causes reduced production of hemoglobin and other important nutrients required for producing red blood cells. Thus, bananas being high in iron are some of the best foods to treat anemia.

Some More Banana Benefits

• Eating banana benefits your brain by increasing your thinking ability and brainpower.
• Bananas are best natural remedy for curing hangovers. Simply prepare a mixture of banana, yogurt and honey and have it to soothe the stomach after a hangover.
• Bananas help to neutralize the acidic level in the stomach and hence, are best home remedies for treating ulcers and heartburn. They coat the intestine with a protective coating and act as natural antacid.
• Researches have proved that eating banana benefits a person to quit smoking. Potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6 and B12, present in banana are useful substances that help in recovering from the withdrawal symptoms of nicotine.
• Bananas are high in B-complex vitamins, which help to improve the functioning of the nervous system.
• Eating banana reduces the risk of stroke by 40%.
• Eating cooked flowers of bananas helps to alleviate the menstrual cramps and also controls excessive bleeding.
• Rubbing the banana peels over the skin, helps in reducing the itching and swelling caused due to mosquito bites.
• Tryptophan is an amino acid present in banana and helps to treat psychological problems like stress and depression.
• The high amount of electrolytes present in banana helps in preventing dehydration.

It is clear from the above discussion that having a banana a day surely keeps the doctor away. So, now when you are aware of the banana benefits, have this yummy fruit for breakfast, or snack, and stay healthy.