Banana – you know, that fruit whose skin you peel back to reveal its fantastic sweetness. You may have either eaten it plain, or paired it with some groundnuts for added enjoyment. Whatever way you choose to enjoy them, their many health benefits will simply make you go BANANAS!
1. They Burn That Belly Fat
Bananas have 12 mg of choline – a fat-blasting B vitamin that acts directly on the genes that cause fat storage in the abdomen. You can also find choline in lean meats, and seafood like crayfish, and prawns.
2. They Make You Feel Happier
Ever occurred to you that bananas have the curvy shape of a smile? And they sure make you even happier because they contain Vitamin B9, aka folate – a nutrient that may fight depression. Folate helps serotonin, the feel-good chemical enter the brain faster.
3. They Help You Handle Stress Better
Bananas also have tryptophan – which is important in the production of serotonin, which helps to alleviate mood issues such like fatigue, irritability, and agitation. Bananas also contain norepinephrine, which regulates our “fight or flight response” which helps to regulate stress. Obviously, they really help to promote positive moods, and to prevent depression!
4. They Help You Sleep Better
This is also because of the trytptophan which is a primary agent for the production of melatonin. Melatonin promotes relaxation and helps to regulate sleep. If you can, peel one before hitting the sack!
5. They Help You Develop Lean Muscles
Bananas are a good source of magnesium, and can help with muscle contraction and relaxation. An added bonus is that magnesium intake helps boost lipolysis, a process by which your body releases fat from its stores.
6. Help With Digestion
Do you constantly feel not right after eating? Bananas can help your poor digestion because they are an excellent source of pre-biotics, non-digestible carbohydrates that act as food for good stomach bacteria (probiotics) and improve digestion—because they contain fructooligosaccharides (yes, I know, it’s such a hard word to pronounce!), these are a cluster of fructose molecules that lead to better gastrointestinal health (relating to the stomach and intestines).
7. They Help With Bowel Movement
I am sure you have heard this before. Perhaps, you haven’t seen Mr Loo in a while and someone asks “Have you eaten some bananas?” Yes, it works. The high fiber in bananas can help normalize bowel movement. Their insoluble fiber help you push out waste better by making stools easier to pass. Bananas are a absolute “must-eat” for anyone with diarrhea because they contain probiotics that are essentially ‘food’ for the healthy microbes (probiotics) that live in our stomachs.
8. They Give You More Energy
Our daily activities can be such a drag that drains us of much needed energy. Don’t worry, Super Banana is here to save the day because they are rich in glucose which is the most easily digestible sugar!
9. They Will Help You Fight Diseases
They’re are rich in provitamin A, carotenoids, beta-carotene and alpha-carotene. And according to an article in the Food and Nutrition Bulletin, foods containing high levels of carotenoids have been shown to protect against chronic disease, including certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
10. They Help With Your Vision
Bananas contain vitamins A and C, both of which are antioxidants, and provide healthy nutrients for the eye and skin. They also have beta carotene – an antioxidant that can help to protect cells and repair damage at the cellular level. Also, bananas contain other nutrients like Vitamin E and lutein – both of which make for better eyes.
Besides, the riper the better – because it contains more nutrients. I am sure that by now you are all bananas. I told you, didn’t I?
