benefits of eating a banana

8/13/2019 Benefits of Eating a Banana

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Health Benefits

Creamy, rich, and sweet, bananas are a favorite food for everyone from infants to elders.

Sports enthusiasts appreciate the potassium-power delivered by this high energy fruit.

Cardiovascular Protection from Potassium and Fiber

Bananas are one of our best sources of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining

normal blood pressure and heart function. Since the average banana contains a whopping 467

mg ofpotassiumand only 1 mg of sodium, a banana a day may help to prevent high blood

pressure and protect against atherosclerosis.

The effectiveness of potassium-rich foods such as bananas in lowering blood pressure has

been demonstrated by a number of studies. For example, researchers tracked over 40,000

American male health professionals over four years to determine the effects of diet on blood

pressure. Men who ate diets higher in potassium-rich foods, as well as foods high inmagnesium and cereal fiber, had a substantially reduced risk of stroke.

A study published in theArchives of Internal Medicinealso confirms that eating high fiber

foods, such as bananas, helps prevent heart disease. Almost 10,000 American adults

participated in this study and were followed for 19 years. People eating the most fiber, 21

grams per day, had 12% less coronary heart disease (CHD) and 11% less cardiovascular

disease (CVD) compared to those eating the least, 5 grams daily. Those eating the most

water-soluble dietary fiber fared even better with a 15% reduction in risk of CHD and a 10%

risk reduction in CVD.

In addition to these cardiovascular benefits, the potassium found in bananas may also help topromote bone health. Potassium may counteract the increased urinary calcium loss caused by

the high-salt diets typical of most Americans, thus helping to prevent bones from thinning out

at a fast rate.

Soothing Protection from Ulcers

Bananas have long been recognized for their antacid effects that protect against stomach

ulcers and ulcer damage. In one study, a simple mixture of banana and milk significantly

suppressed acid secretion. In an animal study, researchers found that fresh bananas protected

the animals' stomachs from wounds.

Bananas work their protective magic in two ways: First, substances in bananas help activate

the cells that compose the stomach lining, so they produce a thicker protective mucus barrier

against stomach acids. Second, other compounds in bananas calledprotease inhibitorshelp

eliminate bacteria in the stomach that have been pinpointed as a primary cause of stomach

ulcers.

Improving Elimination

Bananas are a smart move if you suffer from elimination problems. A bout of diarrhea can

quickly deplete your body of important electrolytes. Bananas can replenish your stores of
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potassium, one of the most important electrolytes, which helps regulate heart function as well

as fluid balance.

In addition, bananas contain pectin, a soluble fiber (called a hydrocolloid) that can help

normalize movement through the digestive tract and ease constipation. Bananas also contain

resistant starch, but this amount varies depending on their degree of ripeness. In their lesserripe stages, bananas score as low as 30 on the glycemic index (below 50 would be considered

low). In their riper stages, this number usually rises to a moderate level in the 60's. All of the

above features help place banana in a more favorable digestive light than might otherwise be

expected for a sugary fruit.

Protect Your Eyesight

Your mother may have told you carrots would keep your eyes bright as a child, but as an

adult, it looks like fruit is even more important for keeping your sight. Data reported in a

study published in theArchives of Ophthalmologyindicates that eating 3 or more servings of

fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary

cause of vision loss in older adults, by 36%, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5

servings of fruit daily.

In this study, which involved over over 100,000 women and men, researchers evaluated the

effect of study participants' consumption of fruits; vegetables; the antioxidant vitamins A, C,

and E; and carotenoids on the development of early ARMD or neovascular ARMD, a more

severe form of the illness associated with vision loss. Food intake information was collected

periodically for up to 18 years for women and 12 years for men.

While, surprisingly, intakes of vegetables, antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids were notstrongly related to incidence of either form of ARMD, fruit intake was definitely protective

against the severe form of this vision-destroying disease.

Three servings of fruit may sound like a lot to eat each day, but by simply tossing a banana

into your morning smoothie or slicing it over your cereal, topping off a cup of yogurt or green

salad with a half cup of berries, and snacking on an apple, plum, nectarine or pear, you've

reached this goal.

Build Better Bones with Bananas

Build better bones by eating bananas? Yes, enjoying bananas frequently as part of yourhealthy way of eating can help improve your body's ability to absorb calcium via several

mechanisms.

Bananas are an exceptionally rich source of fructooligosaccharide, a compound called a

prebioticbecause it nourishesprobiotic(friendly) bacteria in the colon. These beneficial

bacteria produce vitamins and digestive enzymes that improve our ability to absorb nutrients,

plus compounds that protect us against unfriendly microorganisms. When

fructooligosaccharides are fermented by these friendly bacteria, not only do numbers of

probiotic bacteria increase, but so does the body's ability to absorb calcium. In addition,

gastrointestinal transit time is lessened, decreasing the risk of colon cancer.


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Green bananas contain indigestible (to humans) short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that are a

favorite food of the cells that make up the lining of the intestines. When these cells are well-

nourished and healthy, the body's ability to absorb nutrients such as calcium can increase

dramatically.

Research published inDigestive Diseases and Sciencesunderscores just how much bananascan improve nutrient absorption. In this study, 57 male babies (5-12 months) with persistent

diarrhea of at least 14 days duration were given a week's treatment with a rice-based diet

containing either green banana, apple pectin or the rice diet alone. Treatment with both green

banana and apple pectin resulted in a 50% reduction in stool weights, indicating that the

babies were absorbing significantly more nutrients.

Also, to check how well their intestines were able to absorb nutrients, the babies were given a

drink containing lactulose and mannitol. Lactulose is a compound that should be absorbed,

while mannitol is one that should not be. When the intestines are too permeable, a condition

clinicians call "leaky gut," too little lactulose and too much mannitol are absorbed. After just

one week of being given the green banana-rice diet, the babies' were absorbing much morelactulose and little mannitol, showing that their intestines were now functioning properly.

Some banana cultivars are also rich in provitamin A carotenoids, which have been shown to

protect against chronic disease, including certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, and

diabetes. How to identify which bananas contain the most carotenoids? Check the color of

their edible flesh. Bananas whose flesh is more golden contain the most carotenoids.

Promote Kidney Health through Regular and Moderated Intake

About 190,000 cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed each year. Risk factors include smoking,high blood pressure, obesity, and exposure to toxic chemicals such as asbestos and cadmium.

Dietary factors can be related to kidney disease in a preventive way. Research published in

theInternational Journal of Cancersuggests that regular, moderated consumption of whole

fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, can be protective. The results of this large

population based prospective study (13.4 years) of 61,000 women aged 40-76, show that

women eating more than 75 servings of fruits and vegetables per month (which translates into

2.5 per day) cut their risk of kidney cancer 40%. Among the fruits, bananas were especially

protective. Women eating bananas four to six times a week halved their risk of developing

the disease compared to those who did not eat this fruit.

Salads, eaten at least once a day, were associated with a 40% decreased risk. Among

vegetables, frequent consumption of root vegetables and white cabbage offered the most

protection, providing a 50-65% decrease in risk.

The conclusion drawn by the researchers: routine and moderated consumption of fruits and

vegetables, especially bananas, cabbage and root vegetables, may reduce risk of kidney

cancer. Why these foods? Bananas and many root vegetables contain especially high amounts

of antioxidant phenolic compounds. Cabbage is rich in sulfur compounds necessary for

efficient and effective detoxification of potential carcinogens. This mixture of phytonutrients

may have been particularly helpful in protecting kidney function.


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The benefits of regular and moderated fruit intake need to be contrasted, however, with the

increased risks that stem from very high consumption of fruit juices. In several studies

examining diet and renal (kidney) cancer, very high consumption of fruit juices is associated

with increased cancer risk. Since most fruit juice consumption involves highly processed

fruits and stands in sharp contrast to consumption of whole, natural foods, this finding is not

surprising. The reasons for avoiding high intake of fruit juice are not limited to increased riskof kidney disease, but also to problems involved with excessive sugar intake and excessive

calorie intake from non-whole foods. Moderate amounts of fruit juice - especially juice

containing as much of the whole fruit as possible, for example, pulp or skin - are still

recommended, since these limited amounts in a balanced diet appear to be protective against

kidney cancer.

Description

Bananas are elliptically shaped fruits "prepackaged" by Nature, featuring a firm, creamy flesh

gift-wrapped inside a thick inedible peel. The banana plant grows 10 to 26 feet in height andbelongs to the family Musaceae. Banana fruits grow in clusters of 50 to 150, with individual

fruits grouped in bunches, known as "hands," of 10 to 25 bananas.

Bananas abound in hundreds of edible varieties that fall under two distinct species: the sweet

banana (Musa sapienta,Musa nana) and the plantain banana (Musa paradisiacal). Sweet

bananas vary in size and color.

While we are accustomed to thinking of sweet bananas as having yellow skins, they can also

feature red, pink, purple and black tones when ripe. Their flavor and texture range with some

varieties being sweet while others have starchier characteristics. In the United States, the

most familiar varieties are Big Michael, Martinique and Cavendish. Plantain bananas areusually cooked and considered more like a vegetable due to their starchier qualities; they

have a higher beta-carotene concentration than most sweet bananas.

History

Bananas are thought to have originated in Malaysia around 4,000 years ago. From there, they

spread throughout the Philippines and India, where in 327 B.C. Alexander the Great's army

recorded them being grown.

Bananas were introduced to Africa by Arabian traders and discovered there in 1482 A.D. byPortuguese explorers who took them to the Americas, the place where the majority of

bananas are now produced.

Bananas were not brought to the United States for sale in markets until the latter part of the

19th century and were initially only enjoyed by people in the seacoast towns where the

banana schooners docked; because of the fruit's fragility, they were unable to be transported

far.

Since the development of refrigeration and rapid transport in the 20th century, bananas have

become widely available. Today, bananas grow in most tropical and subtropical regions with

the main commercial producers including Costa Rica, Mexico, Ecuador and Brazil.


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How to Select and Store

Since bananas are picked off the tree while they're still green, it's not unusual to see them this

color in the store. Base your choice of bananas depending upon when you want to consume

them. Bananas with more green coloration will take longer to ripen than those more yellow in

hue and/or with brown spots.

Bananas should be firm, but not too hard, bright in appearance, and free from bruises or other

injuries. Their stems and tips should be intact. The size of the banana does not affect its

quality, so simply choose the size that best meets your needs.

While bananas look resilient, they're actually very fragile and care should be taken in their

storage. They should be left to ripen at room temperature and should not be subjected to

overly hot or cold temperatures. Unripe bananas should not be placed in the refrigerator as

this will interrupt the ripening process to such an extent that it will not be able to resume even

if the bananas are returned to room temperature.

If you need to hasten the ripening process, you can place bananas in a paper bag or wrap

them in newspaper, adding an apple to accelerate the process. Ripe bananas that will not be

consumed for a few days can be placed in the refrigerator. While their peel may darken, the

flesh will not be affected. For maximum flavor when consuming refrigerated bananas,

remove them from the refrigerator and allow them to come back to room temperature.

For the most antioxidants, eat fully ripened fruit:

Research conducted at the University of Innsbruck in Austria suggests that as fruits fully

ripen, almost to the point of spoilage, their antioxidant levels actually increase.

Key to the process is the change in color that occurs as fruits ripen, a similar process to that

seen in the fall when leaves turn from green to red to yellow to browna color change

caused by the breakdown and disappearance of chlorophyll, which gives leaves and fruits

their green color.

Until now, no one really knew what happened to chlorophyll during this process, but lead

researcher, Bernard Krutler, and his team, working together with botanists over the past

several years, has identified the first decomposition products in leaves: colorless, polar NCCs

(nonfluorescing chlorophyll catabolytes), that contain four pyrrole rings - like chlorophyll

and heme.

After examining apples and pears, the scientists discovered that NCCs replace the chlorophyll

not only in the leaves of fruit trees, but in their very ripe fruits, especially in the peel and

flesh immediately below it.

"When chlorophyll is released from its protein complexes in the decomposition process, it

has a phototoxic effect: when irradiated with light, it absorbs energy and can transfer it to

other substances. For example, it can transform oxygen into a highly reactive, destructive

form," report the researchers. However, NCCs have just the opposite effect. Extremely

powerful antioxidants, they play an important protective role for the plant, and when


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consumed as part of the human diet, NCCs deliver the same potent antioxidant protection

within our bodies.Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2007 Nov 19;46(45):8699-8702.

Bananas can also be frozen and will keep for about 2 months. Either puree them before

freezing or simply remove the peel and wrap the bananas in plastic wrap. To prevent

discoloration, add some lemon juice before freezing.

How to Enjoy

In addition to being eaten raw, bananas are a wonderful addition to a variety of recipes from

salads to baked goods.

A few quick serving ideas:

A peanut butter and banana sandwich drizzled with honey is an all-time favoritecomfort food for children and adults alike.

Add chopped bananas, walnuts and maple syrup to oatmeal or porridge. Try ourTropical Breakfast Risottoin the Recipe File.

Individual Concerns

Bananas and Latex Allergy

Likeavocadosand chestnuts, bananas and plantain contain substances called chitinasesthat

are associated with the latex-fruit allergy syndrome. There is strong evidence of the cross-

reaction between latex and these foods. If you have a latex allergy, you may very likely be

allergic to these foods as well. Processing the fruit with ethylene gas increases theseenzymes; organic produce not treated with gas will have fewer allergy-causing compounds.

In addition, cooking the food may deactivate the enzymes.

Nutritional Profile

Bananas are a very good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of vitamin C, potassium,

dietary fiber, and manganese.

For an in-depth nutritional profile click here:Banana.

In-Depth Nutritional Profile

In addition to the nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, an in-depth nutritional profile for

Bananasis also available. This profile includes information on a full array of nutrients,

including carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty

acids, amino acids and more.

Introduction to Food Rating System Chart

In order to better help you identify foods that feature a high concentration of nutrients for thecalories they contain, we created a Food Rating System. This system allows us to highlight
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the foods that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows the

nutrients for which this food is either an excellent, very good, or good source (below the chart

you will find a table that explains these qualifications). If a nutrient is not listed in the chart, it

does not necessarily mean that the food doesn't contain it. It simply means that the nutrient is

not provided in a sufficient amount or concentration to meet our rating criteria. (To view this

food's in-depth nutritional profile that includes values for dozens of nutrients - not just theones rated as excellent, very good, or good - please use the link below the chart.) To read this

chart accurately, you'll need to glance up in the top left corner where you will find the name

of the food and the serving size we used to calculate the food's nutrient composition. This

serving size will tell you how much of the food you need to eat to obtain the amount of

nutrients found in the chart. Now, returning to the chart itself, you can look next to the

nutrient name in order to find the nutrient amount it offers, the percent Daily Value (DV%)

that this amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this food and nutrient,

and the rating we established in our rating system. For most of our nutrient ratings, we

adopted the government standards for food labeling that are found in the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration's "Reference Values for Nutrition Labeling."Read more background

information and details of our rating system.

Banana

1.00 each

118.00 grams

105.02 calories

Nutrient Amount

DV

(%)

Nutrient

Density

World's Healthiest

Foods Rating

vitamin B6 0.43 mg 21.5 3.7 very good

vitamin C 10.27 mg 17.1 2.9 good

manganese 0.32 mg 16.0 2.7 good

fiber 3.07 g 12.3 2.1 good

potassium 422.44 mg 12.1 2.1 good

World's Healthiest

Foods Rating Rule

excellentDV>=75% OR

Density>=7.6 AND DV>=10%

very goodDV>=50% OR

Density>=3.4 AND DV>=5%

goodDV>=25% OR

Density>=1.5 AND DV>=2.5%

In-Depth Nutritional Profile forBananas

References

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