Bananas have many and very different health benefits. Eating bananas provides the organism with essential nutrients for the functioning of mechanisms as basics as digestion or regulation of blood pressure. In the following article, we are going to explain which the banana nutrition facts are and what benefits it has for our body, as long as it is consumed regularly -which is easy, due to the delicious taste of bananas.
Banana nutrition facts
The banana is a very popular fruit among little ones and adults: it has a soft texture that makes them easy to ingest when we have no teeth or when we have lost most of them. Its sweet flavor and its pleasant texture make it one of the most consumed fruits around the world. Also, its conservation can be prolonged in the time, and its consumption is very simple since we do not need any type of utensil to peel it.
Besides all the advantages related to the way of consumption, the banana nutrition facts are many. Bananas have high carbs content, and in consequence, they provide the body with direct energy. So, how many calories in a banana? It only contains 105 calories for every hundred grams. Although it has a high sugar content, its level in fats is very low, so they are ideal to obtain clean energy with no fats for the organism. Its high fiber content also helps mobilize the digestive tract and promote intestinal transit.
It has essential vitamins for the body
Regarding micronutrients, bananas have vitamins A, C, B9 and E. Vitamin B9, also known as folic acid, is essential for the formation of proteins and cell regeneration, especially in the creation of red blood cells.
They are also rich in potassium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, and iron, so it provides the body with most of the minerals it needs, so it works well. In addition to all this, the banana contains small amounts of tryptophan, a substance that acts in the body in the same way as serotonin.
7 benefits of bananas
Due to the rich nutritional value of bananas, health professionals recommend the consumption of a banana a day to assure the intake of external vitamins that the body cannot generate on its own. Some of the benefits of eating bananas are immediate energy, the ability to reduce hunger, and protection against muscle cramps and anemia. The 7 main benefits of bananas are discussed in detail below.
1. Provides healthy energy
This tropical fruit is the one that has more carbohydrates for every hundred grams; we specifically find 23 grams of carbs in every hundred grams of banana. The positive thing about these sugars is that they are all from a vegetal origin, so they have not been processed or modified.
2. Prevents muscle cramps
Another benefit of bananas is that it has a high content of potassium, a mineral that our body needs to regulate hydration, both intracellular and intercellular. Because of this water regulating function, the consumption of bananas prevents the muscles from dehydration and the appearance of painful muscle cramps.
3. Protects people from anemia
Due to the vitamin B9 (folic acid) in bananas, as well as the iron it provides the body, bananas are the ideal fruits for people with anemia or disorders related to hemoglobin, such as thalassemia.
4. Contributes to a good mood
Eating bananas gives the body a small amount of tryptophan, a substance that, once metabolized by the organism, becomes serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that provides wellbeing sensations, so the intake of bananas could contribute to the prevention of depression.
5. Regulates intestinal transit
Due to the high fiber content in bananas (2.6 grams of fiber for every 100 grams of fruit), it is a first choice food to favor the intestinal transit and prevent constipation. Also, it is perfect for people who are on a diet because of its satiating capacity.
6. Helps reduce stress
Bananas are rich in vitamin B, a substance that helps the relaxation of the central nervous system activity. So, having a banana when the levels of anxiety or stress are high is recommended.
7. Prevents heartburn
The last but not least banana benefit is that the consumption of bananas performs the function of antacid. Its unctuous texture and nutritional properties help in the prevention of stomach ulcers and gastritis, as well as reducing heartburn and regulating intestinal transit.
- Original article in viviendolasalud.com: Los 7 beneficios del plátano y sus propiedades nutricionales