Health Benefits of Bananas

Bananas, as with most fruits, are incredibly nutritious and can contribute to a healthy, balanced diet, whether you are trying to lose weight or not.  Here are some of the health benefits that bananas can bring to your diet.

High potassium

Bananas contain a variety of vitamins and minerals; however, they are especially rich in potassium.  Potassium is an essential mineral in the body and is required for body systems, including the cardiovascular, nervous, digestive, renal and neuromuscular systems, to function correctly.

Potassium is also important in maintaining the fluid balance in the body.  A large banana contains about 600mg of potassium.

Low in Fat

Bananas contain very little fat, about 0.5g per medium fruit, meaning they are suitable as part of a low fat or calorie controlled diet.

Low GI

Although bananas are relatively high in carbohydrate or sugar, the effect that they have on blood sugar levels is relatively good.  Whilst some high carbohydrate foods are high GI, causing a sharp peak in blood sugar levels followed by a quick drop, bananas are low GI and result in a more moderate increase in blood sugar levels that stays constant for longer.

Low GI foods are beneficial for controlling hunger, as blood sugar levels are maintained for a longer period.  This makes a banana a great quick snack food that will keep you fuller for longer and help you to avoid snacking on high calorie foods or overeating throughout the day, which is a key factor in any weight loss diet.

Low GI diets are also thought to decrease the risk of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

Other benefits

Research has suggested that bananas have a role in cancer prevention, although the mechanism is unclear as yet, studies have shown reduced incidence of renal cancer as well as childhood leukaemia with high banana intake.

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