Have You Discovered Some of the Health Benefits of Bananas?

Those leading a busy lifestyle are learning about the health benefits of bananas.
Many athletes, hard workers, and those concerned about managing their weight and general health know that bananas are packed with an abundance of nutrients that is essential for a healthy diet. Not only do bananas taste great, banana nutrition is vital in building the immune system.

Health Benefits of Bananas for Athletes

Bananas are a good source of nutrients like potassium, magnesium, and vitamins. During long exercises your body loses vitamins and minerals and a banana replaces these nutrients as well as giving you the energy you need to maintain good health.

Potassium is an essential electrolyte that helps regulate blood chemistry (particularly Ph) and improves carbohydrate metabolism by helping the muscles act efficiently. Without potassium your muscles stop firing correctly. Potassium helps keep blood pressure down and aids muscle contractions, aids healthy electrical activity in the heart and rapid transmission of nerve impulses throughout the body. Thus potassium helps in preventing muscle cramps.

Potassium also aids in making your bones strong because it is a mineral your body needs in order to absorb calcium.If you do not have enough potassium, calcium gets lonely and leaves the body. Even if you are drinking plenty of milk and eating a lot of dairy products, without enough potassium, you might not be getting all the calcium you need.

Bananas also contain plenty of carbohydrates that gives the body a quick energy boost and a sustained release of energy over time, helping to provide endurance and concentration.Potassium aids in converting blood sugar (glucose, the body's foremost fuel), into glycogen, a form of energy that can be stored in the muscles and liver and released as needed.

The banana's magnesium plays a role in energy transport and is involved in the synthesis of protein, which helps you recover from fatigue.

Bananas are also rich in vitamin B6, which helps metabolize more than 60 proteins and assists in red blood cell production that transports oxygen to muscles.

Health Benefits of Bananas in weight management

The dietary fiber in bananas is especially useful for weight management. Fiber-containing foods tend to produce a feeling of fullness in the stomach, reducing hunger and helping you control the quantity of food you eat. Because of their great taste, they can also serve as a substitute for sweets and satisfy sugar cravings.

A single medium banana has 16 percent of the daily reference value of dietary fiber. Like other fruits and vegetables, bananas contain no fat, sodium or cholesterol. Low-fat diets rich in foods containing fiber, such as fruits, have been associated with a number of beneficial effects, including helping both diarrhea and constipation, and decreasing the risk of coronary heart disease.

Getting plenty of fiber in your diet is important for good health. Fiber has important benefits including reducing cholesterol, improving blood sugar control, and lowering risk of some cancers.

Health benefits of Bananas in General Health

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the United States. The FDA has acknowledged, "Diets containing foods that are good sources of potassium and low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke."

Bananas are loaded with vitamin B6 - a medium banana provides 20 percent of the RDA. Vitamin B6 plays a vital role in many different aspects of the immune system, including the quality and quantity of antibodies and the number of infection-fighting white blood cells.

Adequate vitamin B6 plays an important role in regulating mental processes and mood and assists in the calming of the central nervous system.

Bananas also contain ideal natural tranquilizer called tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

Bananas are a natural antacid and will get rid of a nasty case of heartburn in most cases. They are very good remedy for people suffering from stomach and bowel problems as well as for the liver function.

As you have learned, there are many health benefits of bananas. Our bodies need good nutrition like vitamins, minerals, water, and certian foods like bananas to keep our bodies functioning properly. Banana nutrition plays a vital part in strengthening the immune system and helping us enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

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