Bananas are the best source of potassium. In addition to that, these yellow wonders also contain vitamin C, vitamin B6 and a whole lot of fiber, but they may not be ideal for everyone. Essentially, nothing in excess is good, which is why were are here to discuss what are the benefits of daily consumption of bananas as well as how many are actually way too much for normal consumption.
Great Source of Potassium
Potassium is needed by our bodies to generate electrical charges in order for our cells to function correctly. The heart especially needs it to function since the sinoatrial node sparks to send signals for the cardiac muscle contract, therefore, keeping your heart rate at the right speed. It is also responsible for regulating insulin and maintaining optimal blood pressure.
Ideally, it is recommended that adults consume at least 3,500 to 4,700mg of potassium daily. On average, a single banana contains around 450mg of potassium.
Potassium Helps Regulate Fluid Balance
Because bananas are such an excellent source of potassium, there’s a bunch of health benefits you’d gain from eating a lot of bananas. The high intake of potassium will, for example, help your body to regulate and keep a healthy fluid balance. This is important for your health, but it also helps with maintaining a slim figure. The amount of water the cells in your body can hold will be affected by the concentration of potassium and sodium. Potassium is the primary electrolyte that determines how much water will be held in the cells. Paradoxically, sodium is the one electrolyte that determines how much fluid is held outside the cells. Under normal conditions, the level of water inside and outside the cells should be the same. It needs to be a balance between the two. If the balance is unequal, it can end up with a lot of health conditions such as dehydration, but it also makes you more bloated for example. Stick to a potassium-rich diet to stay healthy.
Regulate Blood Pressure
Most people are unaware of potassium’s role in the regulation of blood pressure. In reality, the delicate balance between sodium and potassium is what contributes to normalizing blood pressure. According to statistics, less than 2% of American adults are able to meet the daily recommended intake of potassium, which explains the increase in hypertensive cases in recent years.
Why potassium in bananas helps to regulate the blood pressure
Potassium is the most crucial electrolyte in your body, for everything to function correctly. It helps with lowering the blood pressure because it’s actually balancing out the levels of salt (sodium) in your body. Going back to what we mentioned before because potassium is regulating the fluid levels in your body it’s also helping with lowering the blood pressure. This is because the more fluid your body contains, the higher will your blood pressure usually be. The job of your kidneys is to filter your blood and suck out any potential extra fluid, that later becomes urine. For this process to be successful, you need the right balance between potassium and sodium. By eating more bananas, you will help your body to create a balance between the two. And therefore be able to lower your blood pressure, and hopefully reach optimal health!
Minimize Risk of Cancer
By consuming wholesome food and avoiding all the refined sugar, preservatives, and other chemicals, we can definitely avoid getting cancer. Bananas, in particular, are a great source of vitamin C which is essential in breaking down free radicals that causes cancer. Colorectal cancer is also avoided due to the high fiber content in bananas.
Faster growing hair and nails – thanks to Vitamin B!
Vitamin B is famous as the number one vitamin for the hair. Bananas contain Vitamin B6 which is a high vitamin to get your hair and nails to grow quicker. However, only vitamin B6 won’t be enough, you need all the types av Vitamin B. Vitamin B contains 8 different types. Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B6, Niacin and Biotin. All of these are important for the growth of your hair and nails. However, eating bananas boosts your storage of Vitamin B6, and that alone has a massive impact on growth.
You get fuelled by carbohydrates
As opposed to what a lot of people might think, glucose is an excellent source of energy. Bananas are very rich in carbohydrates and a great, quick reference to get fuelled up. Carbs are excellent when working out as the sugar gets stored in our body, and that’s what we will use for energy.
This type of sugar is called glucose, and that is something we need to energize our cells. This is vital for our health to work optimally. Glucose gets stored in your liver and muscles, in the form of glucogenic. Glucogenic is the energy reserves the body is using when we need energy. The brain will store glucose as fuel and energy, so we actually need glucose to think correctly! Your mind is using about 100-gram glucose daily.
You get your daily dose of starch
Did you know that starch is really good for you? And that you can find it in other things than bread, rice, and pasta?
The right type of starch comes from fruit and vegetables. And bananas are no exception. Bananas contain something called “resistant starch” which is the suitable type. Some studies are now suggesting that resistant starch can help with weight loss, both through increasing the bodies ability to burn fat – but also through regulating the pace the body is using carbohydrates. Through eating food that contains starch, you’ll more easily get full and satisfied with your meal.
Your body receives enough fiber
Bananas contain a lot of fiber. Fiber is essential for your gut flora to work correctly. If you are constipated, for example, it’s very vital to boost up with a lot of fibers and drink enough water.
You will ripe a lot of rewards of eating a diet rich in fibers, as it also keeps you full longer. Your intestines have to work harder to break down food with fiber so you will feel full for a longer time. This will, in turn, make it easier for you to maintain a healthy weight. So bananas keep you full longer, creates a better gut flora and keeps you slim! Go bananas!
You will have more energy when exercising
A lot of athletes will testify that bananas are the handiest snack when exercising. It is easy to bring with you, and it will help make sure you get a meal after the workout. Bananas contain the type of fast carbs you need after doing sports because they get absorbed in your body very quickly. This helps with recovering your muscles, regenerating the muscle tissue and will give you more energy in the long run.
You’ll reduce your PMS
If you are suffering from PMS monthly, you might benefit from eating more bananas in your daily diet. The reason being is because bananas are so rich in vitamin B6 and potassium. They will both prevent bloating. But also, a lack of potassium can actually increase muscle cramping. When your suffering from menstrual cramps, it is crucial to make sure you get enough potassium in your diet.
You’ll benefit from better mental health
We need serotonin, it is what makes us feel happiness and well-being. This is the reason a lot of antidepressants are designed to increase serotonin levels in the brain. Bananas, it turns out, contains serotonin! So what could be more useful than snacking on some bananas? However, the process is that as simple as it sounds. The serotonin can’t reach your brain to produce the serotonin because it doesn’t go through the blood-brain barrier. However, because bananas contain vitamin B6, it will still be able to provide serotonin as vitamin B6 is what helps the body to create its own serotonin. So all in all, bananas even help!
You will boost your magnesium levels
Magnesium is a widespread thing to be deficient in. If you are suffering from magnesium deficiency, you’ll have symptoms like slow digestion, leg cramping, and interrupted sleep. By eating bananas daily, you will make sure your magnesium levels get boosted up, and you could actually get rid of these symptoms.
You will sleep better
To be able to relax properly and get a good nights sleep, you will need an essential amino acid called Tryptophan. It is a precursor to serotonin and melatonin, and you need both for a healthy nights sleep. While melatonin regulates our circadian rhythm (the sleep pattern), serotonin controls your mood. You need a balance between the two to have the correct amount of hormones, which will enable you to sleep well.
Improve Cardiac Health
Cardiovascular disease has been linked to an increase in sodium in our bodies. By increasing the amount of potassium we intake, while minimizing on the sodium we are able to improve our heart health as we know it. People who take at least 4,000mg of potassium in a day have a 49% lower risk of suffering from heart disease compared to those who consume less than 1,000mg.
Improve Digestion
For people with chronic digestive issues, doctors recommend the BRAT diet which is actually an acronym for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast. Bananas are quite easy to digest and are quick in replacing electrolytes that may have been lost during diarrheal episodes. They also promote regularity due to the fiber content they possess.
Through this, we can come to the conclusion that consuming bananas daily are essentially good for your health, but as mentioned it isn’t suitable for everyone. Here is why:
Individuals Taking Beta Blockers
Beta blockers are for people with existing heart disease. Eating bananas should be under moderation since too much potassium can create more electrical impulses that their hearts cannot handle.
Individuals with Kidney Problems
People who have kidney problems should not consume a lot of bananas, due to the dysfunction of the kidneys, it will not be able to remove the excess potassium which will cause the individual to suffer from hyperkalemia.
Individuals with Severe Migraines
Some people have experienced migraines that have been triggered by bananas. If you are one of those people, consuming half a banana would be enough as our daily intake.
Banana Allergies
Individuals with hypersensitivity to bananas will experience itching, swelling, wheezing, and hives. This could even result in fatal anaphylactic shock which is why if you do have banana allergies, you must avoid bananas entirely.
The recommended daily amount of potassium is different between individuals. Ideally, you would need to eat about 7 to 8 bananas a day to fulfill the right amount. Unless you already have an existing cardiovascular disease, it is safe to eat more. It would probably take 400 bananas a day to get a healthy person to reach critical potassium levels.
When computing your daily intake, you have to keep in mind that there are other sources of potassium that you may already be consuming. Food like sweet potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, watermelon, beets, beans, butternut squash, edamame, salmon, swiss chard, and yogurt have higher amounts of potassium and would be great to add to your diet.