Bananas get a bad rep when it comes to health, but they’re surprisingly good for you. Whether you’re making banana milk or using frozen bananas to make creamy, plant-based ice cream, you’re also reaping some incredible health benefits.
BANANA NUTRITION
Before we get into the studies on bananas’ health benefits, let’s look at the nutritional information for one medium banana:
- only 105 calories
- 1 gram of protein
- 3 grams of dietary fiber (12 percent of your daily requirement)
- 14 grams of sugar
- 17 percent of your daily vitamin C
- 22 percent of your daily vitamin B6
- 12 percent of your daily potassium
- 16 percent of your daily manganese
Bananas, like most fruits, are high in sugar, but their fiber content helps your body process that sugar without the blood sugar spike you’d get from something like candy or a doughnut.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF BANANAS
Let’s dive into the health benefits of bananas!
1. Reduced Risk of Kidney Cancer
A 2005 study looked at the diets of 61,000 Swedish women aged 40 to 76 over 13 years. The study found that women who ate the most fruits and vegetables overall had a lower risk of developing renal cell carcinoma. They also found that bananas appeared to be the fruit with the most powerful anti-cancer effect.
2. Improved Digestion
While many people believe that bananas cause constipation, it’s just not true. They’re a good source of dietary fiber and resistant starch, both of which help with digestion and help relieve constipation.
Bananas can also help relieve bloating and stomach pain, and they are a good source of prebiotics, which feeds beneficial gut bacteria.
3. Lower Stroke Risk
There is extensive research showing that dietary potassium helps reduce your risk of stroke, and people are eating less dietary potassium than they used to. Since bananas are an affordable potassium-rich food, they’re a great way to eat your way to a lower risk of stroke.
4. Better Workouts
A small 2012 study looked at a group of 14 trained cyclists to see how bananas or a sports drink impacted their energy during and recovery from two separate 75 km (46 mile) rides. The researchers found that bananas worked as well as sports drinks when it comes to fueling your workouts and recovery.
5. Blood Sugar Regulation
The qualities that make bananas good for digestion—dietary fiber and resistant starch—also make them a good choice for keeping your blood sugar in check. In fact, a 2014 study found that eating a banana a day for just four weeks “significantly lowered fasting blood glucose.”
If you’re looking to use bananas to help control your blood sugar, opt for one that’s slightly underripe. Underripe bananas are higher in resistant starch, which turns into sugar as the fruit ripens. That’s why overripe bananas are great for naturally sweetening banana bread.
6. Lower Blood Pressure
Potassium-rich foods, like bananas, help keep blood pressure in check. The American Heart Association specifically lists bananas as one of the foods to eat to lower your blood pressure.
They explain that potassium helps your body get rid of sodium, which helps normalize blood pressure. “Potassium also helps to ease tension in your blood vessel walls,” they explain, “which helps further lower blood pressure.”
HOW TO EAT MORE BANANAS
Sure, you can peel and eat them or slice them into your cereal, but there are other delicious ways to enjoy bananas! Here are a few of them.
Smoothie Bowl
A Peanut Butter and Banana Green Smoothie Bowl is a fiber- and vitamin-rich way to start your day. Just toss a few ingredients into the blender, pour into a bowl, and add a few toppings.
Banana Milk
Homemade banana milk is lovely for sipping or over cereal. You can also use it as a milk substitute in baking. I wouldn’t recommend adding banana milk to coffee, though, because it will separate.
Overnight Oats
My Peanut Butter and Banana Overnight Oats are a snap to make in the evening, and the next morning you have a banana-packed bowl of goodness ready to grab and go.
Savory Bananas
You don’t have to go sweet to eat a banana. Try this Black-Eyed Peas and Tomatoes with Bananas recipe for supper. Just use olive oil or vegan butter in place of the dairy butter that the recipe calls for. If you’re feeling adventurous, this Banana Guacamole looks like it’s begging to top your next taco. Or, make your own oven-baked Banana Chips for potassium-rich, on-the-go snacking.
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