Top 5 Health Benefits of Bananas

Bananas are one of the healthiest fruit in the world. They are rich in carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins B6, and minerals like potassium and manganese which make them very nutritious.

Here is a list of the amazing health benefits of this sweet and delicious fruit Banana.

1. Keep your digestive system healthy – Bananas are a good source of dietary fiber. It is needed to help food travel smoothly through the digestive tract. It also improves your bowel movements. At the same time, bananas also help ln treating diarrhea as they contain pectin, a water-soluble fiber which acts as a gelling agent and helps absorb fluids in the intestines.
2. Control High Blood Pressure – Bananas are rich in potassium, which is essential for proper functioning of your heart.
   Potassium-rich foods such as bananas actually offset the effect of sodium (salt) in raising your blood pressure. This, along with a healthy diet and lifestyle, lowers your risk of heart attack and stroke.
3. Promote Weight Loss – Bananas are low in fat while high in fiber and vitamins, which keeps you feel fuller for longer time period because fiber content in bananas absorbs water and takes up a lot of space in your stomach. This weight-loss benefits can be even more keenly felt when eating unripe bananas, the higher starch:sugar carb ratio also helps you feel fuller for longer. The starch is resistant starch, which you don’t find in other fruits.
4. Good for Pregnant Women – Bananas are a great food choice for pregnant women because they are rich in folic acid that plays an important role in the production of red blood cells and helps your baby’s neural tube develop into her brain and spinal cord. In addition, bananas have a high iron content that helps prevent anemia, which is perfect since the body needs to keep enough blood for the growing fetus and the mother.  The fruits high fiber content is a great aid to combat constipation. This natural solution is a healthier alternative for chemical laxatives. Pregnant women have to be extra careful of their salt intake because it can easily cause the body to retain water and can elevate blood pressure levels. The potassium in bananas helps the body process salt out quickly, decreasing the chances of negative salt-induced side effects.
5. Keep Bones Strong – Bananas help in keeping your bones strong despite the lack of calcium as they contain very high amounts of fructo-oligosaccharide that is a prebiotic compound that helps probiotic bacteria to produce digestive enzymes and vitamins. These vitamins and digestive enzymes promote the body’s ability to absorb nutrients, especially calcium, which is one of the most important minerals linked to healthy bones.