Benefits Of Banana Fruits: Why Banana Is Important For Your Health
Health Benefits Of Banana
Bananas are an immediate source of energy as they contain primarily sugars such as fructose, sucrose and glucose and some amount of fibre. Available throughout the year, bananas are the most popular fruit in America.
The iron present in bananas helps increase the haemoglobin levels in the body. The tryptophan contained in it is an amino acid that can be converted to serotonin and is believed to improve one’s mood. The high amount of fibre present in it helps restore normal bowel function in the event of constipation or diarrhoea. Diarrhoea usually depletes the body of its required electrolytes, especially the potassium contained in it. Bananas replenish the body with the depleted potassium and the soluble fibre – pectin that it contains helps normalize movement through the digestive tract. Recent research has proven that adults consuming three servings of bananas a day are at a lesser risk of suffering from age related macular degeneration which is one of the major causes of reduced vision in older people. Bananas are a rich source of a compound that nourishes the friendly or probiotic bacteria in the stomach. This compound encourages the bacteria to grow in functionality and number and helps in the increased absorption of calcium into the body. Green bananas in particular contain SCFA’s or short chain fatty acids that act as nutrition for the cells that help in the formation of the mucosa of the stomach. As long as they are healthy, these cells absorb calcium efficiently. The high potassium content in bananas coupled with a negligible amount of sodium aid in protecting the body from high blood pressure and experts suggest that the fruit helps people give up smoking. The Vitamins B6, B12 as well as potassium and magnesium are substances that help the body recover from the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Bananas reduce irritability and acidity in the stomach and the protease inhibitors that they contain kill off the bacteria in the stomach that are responsible for stomach ulcers. The itching and swelling caused by mosquitoes can be reduced considerably by rubbing the inside of a banana peel over the afflicted area. Green tipped bananas can be cooked raw or ripened and the brown speckled ones can be used to bake muffins, baking bread and cookies. They should be stored at room temperature over the counter and once they have reached the ripeness you prefer, they can be stored in the refrigerator and used as and when necessary. If you want them to ripen faster, put it into a brown paper bag along with an apple or a tomato and leave it overnight.
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