If you’re considering adding a banana to your diet, here are some reasons why it’s worth making the switch. Bananas contain high-quality nutrients, including potassium, low sodium, soluble fiber, and an energy boost. But how can you make them part of your daily routine? Let’s take a closer look at each one. You’ll discover how it works for your body and why you should include it in your daily routine!
High potassium content
Bananas are an excellent source of potassium but aren’t the only fruits that are high in the mineral. Other potassium-rich fruits include apricots, cantaloupes, and orange juice. Yogurt is also a high-potassium food, and you can make a fruit smoothie by combining bananas, yogurt, and your favorite fruits. A banana-filled smoothie contains nearly a third of the daily recommended allowance of potassium.
Avocados are also a great source of potassium. A half-cup serving is equivalent to 66 grams of potassium. It is a great addition to a fruit salad, a tomatoey spaghetti, or a fish dinner. The high potassium content of avocados will help keep you healthy and satisfy your taste buds. You can also add banana slices to smoothies and yogurt. For more potassium, try adding an avocado to your smoothie!
Low sodium content
You can incorporate the low sodium content of bananas into your daily routine without sacrificing their taste. Bananas are naturally low in sodium and only slightly differ in amount depending on size. A small 6-inch banana has less than 1 milligram of sodium while an extra-long nine-inch banana contains about five milligrams of sodium. But it is important to note that the sodium content of bananas does not increase blood pressure.
Although many foods contain a small amount of sodium, most of them come from processed foods. A jam sandwich contains about 30% less salt than a vegemite sandwich, and the majority of its sodium comes from the bread. Avoiding the use of table salt is a good way to reduce sodium in your diet without sacrificing taste. If you must eat table salt, make sure to request lower levels when dining out.
Soluble fiber
Incorporate Soluble fiber from bananas in your daily routine to lower your cholesterol levels. It is the kind of fiber that turns into a gel-like consistency in the digestive tract. This type of fiber lowers cholesterol levels because it binds with bile acids in the small intestine, which are then excreted from the body. Bile acids are necessary to break down fats. Using bananas as a source of soluble fiber will help you reach your daily goal of 6-8 grams of soluble fiber.
Insoluble fiber is found in the skin and seeds of many fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It supports gut health by preventing constipation. Dietary fiber is found in bananas, apples, oat bran, and potatoes. Intake of soluble fiber from these foods may reduce your risk of heart disease, obesity, and weight gain. And if you add more fruits and vegetables to your diet, you’ll be helping your body get more soluble fiber than ever.
Energy boost
Eating bananas can provide a quick energy boost when you need it most. These tasty fruits contain three different types of sugar: glucose, fructose, and sucrose. Fructose is the fastest absorbed, providing an instant boost of energy. While sucrose is absorbed slowly, it keeps blood sugar stable, sparing you from a sugar crash. The longer-lasting supply of energy is beneficial for endurance.
A banana’s protein contains 12 milligrams of tyrosine, an amino acid that the brain uses to produce serotonin, one of the body’s main “happy hormones”. Maintaining healthy levels of serotonin in the body is essential for preventing depression and other mood disorders. Furthermore, bananas contain antioxidants that boost the release of dopamine, another mood-enhancing hormone. Bananas help you feel more energetic and prevent fatigue, which helps you focus and stay alert.
Skin and hair benefits
The benefits of bananas are numerous, not just for your skin. Bananas are an excellent source of fiber and vitamins. In addition to being a great source of energy, they can also help prevent dandruff and make your hair soft and manageable. Bananas can even help to fight off the aging process, thanks to their high concentration of vitamins A and B.
Bananas are also loaded with antioxidants, which protect against free radicals that are present in lotions and sunlight. These compounds help to prevent premature aging and maintain a healthy glow. They also prevent acne breakouts by hydrating your skin and reducing inflammation. They can also help heal blemishes. Bananas are a great way to add a banana-infused cleanser to your daily routine.
Allergy relief
There are many benefits of a banana as a remedy for allergy symptoms. A banana allergy can be life-threatening because it can cause severe reactions in people who are allergic to latex or pollen. Over-the-counter antihistamines can alleviate mild symptoms of a banana allergy. More severe reactions can cause breathing difficulties, hives, or even blood pressure fluctuations. In severe cases, a person could develop anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction that requires emergency medical treatment.
People with severe allergies to bananas should contact a doctor right away and request a referral to an NHS allergy clinic. Allergen-specific allergy tests can identify the exact protein responsible for an allergic reaction. The results will help your doctor determine if an adrenaline auto-injector is needed and whether you need to stop eating bananas. In most cases, a banana allergy will pass with time and can be safely removed from a daily diet.
