If there ever was a multi-use fruit, it’s bananas

Why Should You Consume Banana?

Banana is a rich source of potassium, carbohydrate, vitamins, fibre, minerals, and energy. It is often termed as a rich snack that is consumed by people of all age groups.

Banana is one of the commonly available foods in the market. Although it has a reputation for being a non-diet-friendly fruit, it can serve as a great workout snack. This fruit is the storehouse of essential vitamins, minerals and insoluble resistance starch that help in lowering the glycaemic index, improve the process of digestion, and initiate the fat-burning process. Yes, you heard it right!

Nutritional Breakdown of a Banana

Macro Nutrition 1 Medium size (120 grams)

Calories:105

Carbs:24 grams

Fibre:3.5 grams

Protein:2 grams

Fat:0.5 grams

Micro Nutrition 1 Medium size (120 grams)

Potassium:09% of the RDI

Vitamin B6:33% of the RDI

Vitamin C:11% of the RDI

Magnesium:08% of the RDI

Copper:10% of the RDI

Manganese:14% of the RDI

Potato:06% of the RDI

*RDI stands for recommended daily intake

How can eating bananas aid weight loss?

The way you consume bananas contributes to weight management. Bananas are loaded with carbohydrates but banana contains the good carbohydrates in the form of resistant starch, the kind that supports both weight loss and weight maintenance.

Banana is packed with fiber that keeps you full for longer and is low in calories. A medium-sized banana can contain up to 3.1 grams of fibre, which can help you feel fuller for a longer amount of time. This feeling of fullness will help you avoid consuming extra calories or binge eating on a whim.

Why you should be Eating More Fibre for a longer life

• Banana has a low glycemic index compared to other fruits

• Keeps the body full and satiated for long

• Gives sustained energy for longer periods

• Improves metabolism

• Aids in fat circulation

• Prevents water retention

Additionally, eating high amounts of fibre will keep your gut healthy and happy, and also lower your cholesterol levels. In fact, unripe bananas – the ones that are still green – contain resistant starch, which has been linked to weight loss and reduced blood sugar levels, as per a Healthline report.

Here is a guide for keeping gut health happy

What are the health benefits of eating a banana?

• Bananas are an excellent source of potassium that aids electrolyte balance.

• Bananas contain a good amount of tryptophan, which can be converted into relaxing neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin essentially controls your mood and sleep.

• Ripe bananas have a mild laxative property and very useful to aid constipation

• Consumption of bananas reduces the excretion of calcium, thereby ensuring healthy bones.

• Bananas are healthy carbs that can make a person feel active and induce more energy.

• Bananas can fight off depression due to the presence of tryptophan.

What’s the best time of day to eat bananas?

This energy fruit is one of the favourite foods of all age groups. Eating it early in the morning, especially with some other fruit/oatmeal can work wonders for people who are thinking of undertaking weight-loss session. You will understand its benefits once you start consuming it daily.

You can consume it raw or make a variety of dishes and desserts which are mouth-melting. Check out our quick healthy recipes, Banana nice cream is my favourite.

Besides, considering its health benefits, not only the fruit but its peel can also render you with good skin health. For this, you need to rub the inner part of the peel every night and leave it. Upon waking up, you can see a natural glow on your skin along with the elimination of pimples.

Related: The best foods for glowing skin

Which one’s better: green bananas or ripe bananas?

As bananas ripen, their sugar content increases, which in turn raises the score of their glycemic index (GI).

GI index is a measure of how quickly a food causes your blood sugar level to rise.

Green bananas have a low score. Still, even a ripe banana has a low GI score in comparison to other fruits. Green bananas aren’t necessarily better for weight loss than ripe bananas, but what you should have depended on your goals.

The ripe yellow variety will give you a quick energy boost, perfect for fueling a workout. On the other hand, the high resistant starch content in green bananas will satisfy your hunger for longer—and therefore might make a better option for a less active part of your day.

Can you eat too many bananas?

There is no limit on the number of bananas you can eat unless you have an impaired kidney function which could affect your body’s ability to excrete potassium.

But when it comes to weight loss and health, moderation and variety are key.

Though fruit is a nutritionally dense, low-calorie food that’s unlikely to cause weight gain, you also don’t want to overdo it. It’s advised limiting your fruit intake to two to three servings per day, prioritizing them at breakfast time and as snacks between meals, and going hard on the veggies during lunch and dinner.

Thus, consuming banana daily is a great way to kick-start your fat-burning process and get the desired body shape.

Who can Eat Bananas

• People with diabetes should avoid the fruit, however, banana bark can be consumed

• Depending on when, how and in what quantity you have, banana is useful for weight gain or weight loss

• Banana is a good option pre or post-workout

• A lot of sportsperson use banana as pre, post or even during the games as it gives instant energy, contains sugar and potassium which quickly replenishes water loss

Bottomline

As compared to other fruits, banana contains slightly more calories and carbohydrates. Some ground rules while having bananas are:

• Do not consume do many bananas together or in one day

• The perfect time to have a banana is pre or post-workout as a snack. It helps boosts stamina and also in recovery

• Use bananas to tame bloating.

• Potassium in bananas helps reduce water retention which aids in losing weight

Also read: Foods That Prevent Cravings and Hunger Pangs

By Priyanshi Bhatnagar