Article content
Bananas are probably among the most underrated fruits. Their typical yellow peel is easily overlooked, especially when some new exotically looking fruit is nearby that is currently believed to be the latest cure-all.
However, the fact remains that bananas are extremely tasty and also capable of providing our body with all the necessary nutrients to thrive in health and strength.
They contain plenty of vitamins, fiber, and natural forms of sugars such as sucrose and fructose. But that’s only part of the reasons you should regularly eat bananas.
What you should know about bananas
When you buy bananas, they are usually still green or somewhere between green and yellow. As they sit at home, they gradually ripen.
Over time brown spots will begin to form on them and steadily grow. Eventually you throw away the browned bananas you didn’t manage to eat. People dislike the brown color of bananas and consider them rotten.
That makes sense, because most other fruit, when it browns, is already rotten and inedible.
However, with bananas it is the case that the more brown spots they have, the more of the so-called TNF factor they contain. This is a substance that has proven very effective in the fight against cancer.
Specifically, this substance enables communication between the cells of our immune system and directs them to the places in the body that are inflamed or infected.
Research has shown that the TNF factor found in ripe bananas prevents the growth of cancer cells and limits their spread in the body by inducing apoptosis (programmed cell death).
This, together with a high level of nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, strengthens the immune system and increases the number of white blood cells.
So, when you next see a brown banana, don’t just walk past it without a second thought! Instead, put it in your shopping basket, eat it at home, and give your body a little health booster and extra energy.
Other health benefits of bananas worth noting
Aside from the importance of brown spots for their significant immune-boosting effects, bananas have several other notable health benefits.
Here are a few of the most important ones:
1) Heartburn
Bananas are a natural antacid and offer relief from heartburn. Eating just one banana will immediately soothe the lining of the esophagus.
2) Blood pressure
Bananas lower blood pressure and protect against heart attack and stroke. They contain little sodium but a lot of potassium, which makes them an ideal food for the heart.
3) Energy
Eating one or two bananas before exercise will give you enough energy for 1 hour of working out, or even more. The low glycemic index, vitamins and minerals all support endurance, and potassium reduces the occurrence of cramps.
4) Anemia
Bananas can help people with anemia because they contain a lot of iron. This stimulates the production of hemoglobin and red blood cells.
5) Stomach ulcers
When you have stomach ulcers, many foods are off-limits. However, you can eat bananas without worrying whether they will cause you pain. This is because their soft, smooth, and mushy texture coats the stomach lining and thereby protects it from aggressive stomach acid.
6) Depression
This fruit can overcome symptoms of depression because it contains a high amount of tryptophan, which our body converts into serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter responsible for making people feel relaxed, happy, and in a good mood.
7) Constipation
If you have constipation, eat bananas. They are high in fiber, which will stimulate the movement of food through the intestines and thus relieve constipation. It also helps with diarrhea because it thickens the contents in the intestines. However, sometimes this effect can outweigh the fiber and worsen constipation in some people. So try first to see how it works for you.
8) Nerves and premenstrual syndrome
If during your period you feel moody or stressed, eat a banana. It helps regulate blood sugar and is rich in B vitamins, which naturally calm the nervous system and relax people. The result is an overall better mood.
9) Body temperature control
If you eat a banana on a hot day, it will cool you down by lowering your body temperature. It works the same way with a fever.
