“To eat is a necessity, but to eat healthy is an art.”
To become that artist we need to fill our grocery bucket very smartly. Whatever you eat, should be healthy and highly nutritious from vegetables to fruits, grains to snacks. There is no doubt that most vegetables and fruits are healthy for us, but choosing from the best helps improve our lifestyle.
All vegetables are good but Greens are gold! Eating green vegetables is good for several vitamins and contains good amounts of iron, magnesium, potassium and calcium. Similarly, all fruits are important but some fruits possess some special properties.
Bananas are one special fruit and are also known as magical fruit. Bananas are incredibly healthy, delicious and inexpensive fruit that anyone can get it easily. Bananas contain many essential nutrients that may benefit weight loss, healthy digestion and good heart health.
Benefits of bananas:
Nutrient-rich fruit: Bananas are highly nutritive fruit and contain a good amount of fibre, potassium and several antioxidants. One regular-size banana contains:
- Calories: 110 gm
- Fat: 0 gm
- Protein: 1 gm
- Carbohydrate: 28 gm
- Sugar (natural): 15 gm
- Fibre: 3 gm
- Potassium: 450 gm
It may help to regulate the digestive system: Dietary fibre is good for the digestive system. One regular-size banana gives 3 gm of fibres. The fibre found in bananas is prebiotic, which means it escapes digestion and goes directly to the large intestines, where it becomes food for many beneficial bacteria in your gut.
It may help to improve heart health: Bananas are good sources of potassium and magnesium. One regular-size banana gives 450 gm of potassium. A potassium-rich diet can help lower your blood pressure. Potassium is important for good heart health, especially blood pressure control.
Bananas are also rich in magnesium. A magnesium deficiency leads to many heart diseases, elevated blood pressure and high levels of fat in the blood.
It may be a good snack option: Bananas are relatively low in calories and filled with many nutrients. The soluble fibre in bananas helps you feel full for longer periods. These combined, low calories and soluble fibre could be the best snack for anyone.
It may help post-exercise recovery: Bananas are the perfect post-workout food for any athlete. This is mainly because of fast digestive carbohydrates, and a good amount of potassium and magnesium, both act as electrolytes.
Our body loses electrolytes through sweat during high-intensity exercises. Refuelling our body with magnesium and potassium helps reduce muscle cramps and soreness.
Ample amount of antioxidants: Bananas are full of antioxidants such as flavonoids and amines. Any fruit with high antioxidants is good for heart health and prevents degenerative diseases.
May help in weight loss: There is no direct connection between bananas and weight loss. But bananas are rich in soluble fibre and even one regular-size banana helps keep the stomach full for a longer time. Consuming one banana could be the best choice in place of any processed or oily food at times.
Easy to add: Bananas are the best convenient food around the world. Anyone can afford it as it is inexpensive and also available across the world. They are incredibly easy to eat and transport.
Bananas are easy-to-eat fruit with many nutritional benefits. They help in exercise recovery, help to improve heart health and digestive system, help in weight management, a fruit with a good amount of antioxidants and minerals like potassium and magnesium.
All these qualities make Bananas a magical fruit.