Banana contains several essential nutrients, and have benefits for digestion, heart health and weight loss.
Aside from being very nutritious, they are also a highly convenient snack food.
Moderates blood sugar levels
Bananas are rich in a fibre called pectin, which gives the flesh its structural form.
Unripe bananas contain resistant starch, which acts like soluble fibre and escapes digestion.
Both pectin and resistant starch may moderate blood sugar levels after meals and reduce appetite by slowing stomach emptying.
Contains powerful antioxidants
Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of dietary antioxidants and bananas are no exception.
They contain several types of potent antioxidants, including dopamine and catechins
These antioxidants have been linked to many health benefits, such as a reduced risk of heart disease and degenerative diseases.
Improves kidney health
Potassium is essential for blood pressure control and healthy kidney function.
As a good dietary source of potassium, bananas may be especially beneficial for maintaining healthy kidneys.
One study in women showed that over 13 years, those who ate bananas two– three times per week were 33 per cent less likely to develop kidney disease.
Weight loss
Bananas contain relatively few calories. An average banana contains just over 100 calories, yet it is also very nutritious and filling.
They are also rich in fibre. Eating more fibre from fruit and vegetables has repeatedly been linked with lower body weight and weight loss.
Furthermore, unripe bananas are packed with resistant starch, so they tend to be very filling and may reduce your appetite
Source: GhanaWeb
