Benefits of Bananas

Bananas are among the most widely consumed fruits on the planet. In the United States, people eat more bananas than apples and oranges combined. The curvy yellow fruits are packed with nutrients and are especially high in potassium, fiber, magnesium, and vitamins C and B6.

Eating bananas can help with battling depression, keeping bowel movements regular, improving heartburn, and lowering the risks of kidney cancers, diabetes, osteoporosis, blindness and other conditions.

Benefits of Banana:

Depression and mood

Feeling down or suffering from PMS? Chow down a creamy banana. Bananas can help with depression and reduce PMS symptoms. Bananas have high levels of tryptophan, which converts to serotonin, the neurotransmitter that improves moods. Plus, vitamin B6 can help you sleep well and magnesium helps to relax muscles.

Digestion and weight loss

Bananas are high in fiber, which can help keep you regular. One banana can provide nearly 10 percent of your daily fiber requirement. Vitamin B6 can also help protect against type 2 diabetes and aid in weight loss. In general, bananas are a great weight loss food because they taste sweet and are filling, which helps curb cravings. They also help sustain blood sugar levels during workouts.

Vision

Carrots may get all the glory for being good for your eyes, but bananas do their share as well. Bananas contain a small but significant amount of vitamin A, which is essential for protecting your eyes and maintaining normal vision and improved vision at night. Vitamin A contains compounds that preserve the membranes around your eyes and are an element in the proteins that bring light to your corneas. Like other fruits, bananas can help prevent macular degeneration.

Control Blood Sugar Level

Eat two bananas before a strenuous workout to pack an energy punch and sustain your blood sugar. Research indicates that potassium keeps blood pressure under control and improved consumption of calcium, potassium and magnesium can also help decrease high blood pressure. Bananas are rich in potassium, calcium & magnesium, so it is a healthy option for keeping blood pressure in check.

It gives instant surge of energy

It does this by converting the natural sugars into energy instantly and this is one of the reasons sportsmen consume it during intervals.  Bananas are an excellent breakfast for all as it provides required energy throughout the day. This probably the most popular health benefit of banana.

Relief from Heartburn

Bananas are a natural antacid, providing relief from acid reflux, heartburn and GERD. Bananas are the only raw fruit that can be consumed without distress to relieve stomach ulcers by coating the lining of the stomach against corrosive acids.

Make your mind Sharp

Bananas make you smarter and help with learning by making you more alert. Eat a banana before an exam to benefit from the high levels of potassium.

Build healthy bones

Probiotic bacteria present in bananas is said to have astonishing ability to absorb calcium in the body.  Hence, consuming bananas help in building better bones.

Bananas help withdraw smoking urge

Vitamins B6 and B12 along with magnesium and Potassium in Bananas helps recover from nicotine addiction.

Relieve from constipation and Piles

Pectin found in Bananas, help to alleviate constipation and improves bowel function. Since bananas help regulate bowel movement they help cure piles.

Bananas helps combat stomach ulcers

Certain substances in bananas stimulate the cells which make up the stomach lining, this enables production of a thicker protective mucus barrier against stomach acids.  Also the substance known as protease inhibitors in banana, help getting rid of bacteria in the stomach that produces stomach ulcers, thus protecting against damage of stomach and ulcer.

Anti-ageing

Nutrients in banana helps in fighting wrinkles and keeps the skin youthful. For an anti-aging facial mask loaded with vitamins A and E, mash together an avocado and a banana. Leave on skin for 25 minutes and rinse. Skin will be soft and youthful. The vitamins E in avocados combined with the nutrients in bananas fight free radicals and repair damage. Another simple face mask to fight effect of ageing is to mash 1/4 banana until very creamy and add one teaspoon of rose water. Apply it on face and neck and wash it off after half an hour.

Glowing Skin

Banana contains generous amount of Vitamin C in it that help in maintaining the natural and youthful glow of the skin. Mash half a ripe banana and mix it with 1 tbsp. of sandalwood powder/paste and ½ tsp. of honey. Let it stay on your skin for 20-25 minutes and wash it with lukewarm water. This face mask is beneficial for oily skin as sandalwood helps in cleaning excess sebum and oil from the skin while banana keeps it moisturized.

Pack for Soft Hair

Mix ripe banana with avocado and add coconut milk to the mixture. Apply it on your hair and wait for 15-20 minutes. The pack conditions damaged hair and makes the hair soft. Instead of avocado, you can also make the same mask by adding cocoa. Presence of cocoa helps in bringing out the natural colour of the hair.

Pack for Acne

To treat acne with banana peel, cut a small piece of the peel. Rub the inside of the peel gently over the acne affected area. Rub for about 5 minutes or until the inside of the peel gets brown. Clean the skin around with lukewarm water but let the banana dry out on the affected area to do. Repeat this at least 3 times a day and the acne and pimples will subside within a week.

Cancer

Some evidence suggests that moderate consumption of bananas may be protective against kidney cancer. A 2005 Swedish study found that women who ate more than 75 servings of fruits and vegetables cut their risk of kidney cancer by 40 percent, and that among the fruits bananas were especially effective. Women eating four to six bananas a week halved their risk of developing kidney cancer. Bananas may be helpful in preventing kidney cancer because of their high levels of antioxidant phenolic compounds.