BANANA FACTS
- Fat Metabolism: Bananas contain resistant starch, which ferments in your large intestine, creating by-products (butyrates) that block conversion of some carbohydrates into fuel, forcing your body to rely on fat stores instead.
- Anemia: Bananas might boost iron absorption in two ways. First, they contain vitamin C which helps "prep" the iron in plant sources for absorption. Second, they contain resistant starch which one Cornell study showed increases iron absorption by up 28%.
- Lung Health: Bananas may help kids breathe easier. Children who ate just one banana each day for a year had a lower chance of developing asthmatic symptoms, according to preliminary British research.
- Blood Pressure: Bananas are a good source of potassium which helps regulate blood pressure. One Indian study showed that just two bananas per day may lower blood pressure by 10%, possibly by providing potassium.
- Regularity: Bananas can help restore normal bowel action because they are a good source of fiber. Plus bananas' 75% water content helps prevent dehydration, which can also contribute to constipation.
- Hangovers: Eat bananas to possibly help overindulgence. Scientific evidence suggests hydration, vitamins B6 and C -- all supplied by bananas -- may make hangovers more bearable.
- Bone Strength: Bananas supply prebiotic fiber which boosts the absorption of calcium; potassium helps minimize calcium loss while vitamin C, another banana nutrient, improves bone mineral content.
- Muscle Mass: Bananas protect against muscle loss? Seniors with higher potassium intakes had more lean muscle mass than their potassium-poor peers. The metabolic by-products of potassium help to maintain the body's alkaline balance, counteracting the breakdown of muscle driven by excess acidity.
- Sports Performance: Bananas are an athlete's staple because they supply both instant and lasting energy due to their combination of natural sugar and complex carbohydrates. Bananas' potassium may also help alleviate muscle cramps.
- Anti-viral? The beloved banana may offer a near term solution to sexual transmission of HIV. Laboratory results from the University of Michigan found that a banana lectin (type of protein) called BanLec latches onto HIV molecules, preventing the virus from binding to other cells in the body.
- Childhood Leukemia: Eating bananas and oranges might reduce a child's risk of leukemia, according to research from the University of California, Berkeley. Regular consumption of bananas and oranges during the first two years of life was associated with a reduced risk of childhood leukemia in this preliminary research.
- Stroke: A banana a day might cut your risk of stroke, thanks to potassium, which is linked to lower stroke risk according to preliminary research as published from the University of California-San Diego in the New England Journal of Medicine.
- Colorectal Health: Bananas may cut colorectal cancer risk. A preliminary study published in Nutrition and Cancer found that those who consumed bananas three or more times per week had a lower risk of colorectal cancer compared to those who consumed them less than one time per week.
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