10 LIFE-CHANGING BENEFITS OF BANANAS. THE LAST ONE WILL BLOW YOU AWAY!
By: Sheheryar Amin
Tags: Strength, Wellness, Health, Nutrition, Health Foods

Believe me. I’m not monkeying around. Bananas are not only delicious; they have tons of benefits for our bodies. They are good for more than making a thousand different kinds of desserts.

Most people love bananas. They are sweet, nourishing, and can be eaten easily without a hassle. But what many people still don’t know is that bananas are your one-stop-shop for a lot of ailments and becoming healthier. Whether you’re looking to lose weight, reduce bloating, increase muscle strength, or fighting cancer, bananas are your allies through and through.

DROPPING SOME KNOWLEDGE

Although we all think of it as a fruit, according to Wikipedia, botanically, they are berries that are produced by large herbaceous flowering plants. For a long time, they were associated with babies, slapstick comedies (think Mr. Bean and Charlie Chaplan) and monkeys. But as time went on, they were found to be super foods. They contain not only fiber, potassium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C, but also antioxidants and phytonutrients.

According to healthline, a medium banana contains the following nutritions :

· 89 Calories

· 75% water

· 1.1 grams protein

· 22.8 grams carbs

· 12.2 grams sugar

· 2.6 grams fiber

· 0.3 grams fat and more.

So without any more monkey business, I give to you, the non-comedic benefits of eating bananas.

BURN BODY FAT

Bananas contain a fat reducing B vitamin called Choline. A medium banana might contain around 12mg of this B vitamin. It directly affects the fat storing genes in our bodies. Choline is necessary for our liver function, brain development, nerve function, muscle movement and ensuring a good rate of metabolism.

HEALTHY EYES

Bananas have also been found to contain both vitamin A and vitamin C. these vitamins are excellent antioxidants as well as good for our eyes and our skins. Their antioxidant properties help protect our cells and repair any damage that has been inflicted. Bananas also contain vitamin E and lutein both of which positively affect our eyes and helps prevent degeneration.

PREVENTION OF DISEASES

Bananas have been known to help protect us from chronic diseases like certain types of cancer, heart diseases, and diabetes. How do they do that? Well they contain three different types of carotenoids (namely provitamin A carotenoids, beta-carotene, and alpha-carotene). According to an article from Food and Nutrition Bulletin, foods that contain carotenoids help our bodies by protecting them against various diseases.

INSTANT ENERGY

Have you seen people working out? If you have, or if you work out yourself, you will have definitely noticed that most people grab a banana right before they start their exercise, or right after. They may even have a banana in the middle (who are we to judge?). They all, even the ones that eat bananas during their workouts, have a good reason to do so. Bananas are instant energy packets. They deliver instant and maximum level of energy so you can run, swim, row, lift weights, or do anything else with a full charge. If you eat a banana right after your workout, you will easily refill your batteries and won’t feel any exhaustion or fatigue. Try having a banana or two after your HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout. See how you feel.

STRONGER BONES

According to a study by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, bananas contain fructooligosaccharides. I dare you to say it three times fast. Anyway, they help our body’s ability to absorb calcium and ferment it. So, even though they don’t have a lot of calcium themselves, bananas help promote calcium absorption and digestion because they contain fructooligosaccharides. Oops! I said it again.

REGULAR BOWL MOVEMENT

Bananas are high in fiber. We all know that fiber helps normalize bowl movements. Not only bowl movements, they are also highly effective against diarrhea. They contain prebiotics that help the microbes in our guts. Apart from this, they are also beneficial for our digestive systems. It’s all because of, here it comes again, fructooligosaccharides and prebiotics.

REDUCE BLOATING

Many of us suffer from a bloated stomach. No matter what we do, we can’t seem to get rid of it. A bloated stomach is the result of gas and water retention in our bellies. Bananas help us as they contain lots of potassium, which helps our body reduce the fluid retention. According to a study, women who eat bananas twice a day, before meals reduced their belly-bloat by 50% in just 60 days. Wooohooo!

PROTECT TOOTH DECAY

Believe me or not! Bananas are the best way for you to fight bad breath, tooth decay, and a whole lot of tooth and gum diseases. Just take a banana and peel it from the bottom to the top. Break off a piece of it and mash it until it becomes like a paste. Now take the paste on your finger and apply thoroughly to your teeth. The front, the back and everywhere in between. Once you have applied the paste, take your toothbrush and clean your teeth in a circular motion. You can do it with your finger as well, but using a toothbrush will ensure that the paste gets into every nook and cranny. Leave the paste for 2–3 minutes and then use your toothbrush to clean it off. You can even use your toothpaste to make sure that there’s no banana in your teeth. After a few days, you will start seeing the results.

Can you believe how many benefits there are of using bananas? And it’s not like I’m trying to pull your leg. It’s all legit. So, next time you are feeling hungry, or want to lose weight, or get your energy back, just pick up a banana. The best part is that you can use bananas in all sorts of recipes if you are bored of the old-school peel and eat routine. So, give it a try and let me know how it went.