10 Properties of Bananas Which You Probably Didn’t Know About

Bananas are the food that makes yummy meet healthy. The vitamins and helpful compounds within them are always guarding our body.

Bright Side has prepared a list of 10 useful properties of this tropical fruit, and almost all of them depend on the ripeness of a banana. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat some and choose others instead — it’s just that the correct grade of ripeness can have a better effect on your health.

Prevention of oncological diseases

Bananas contain a specific protein (tumor necrosis factor) that helps prevent oncological conditions. Ripe fruits have much more of it in them, so it’s recommended to eat bananas with spotted or darkened skin.

Fighting cramps

Mineral deficiency is a common cause of ankle muscle spasms. By consuming products as rich in potassium and magnesium as bananas, you can prevent muscle cramps. That’s why many athletes include them in their diet.

Prevention of kidney diseases

Food containing sufficient potassium helps prevent kidney stones from appearing. According to one study, regular consumption of bananas can also decrease the chance of malignancies in the kidneys by 40%.

Source: foodandlife, NCBI

A robust heart

A potassium-rich diet is recommended to those who have high blood pressure and are prone to cardiovascular diseases. Daily consumption of 1.3 grams of this element decreases the risk of cardiac events by 26%. To supply that amount to your body, you should eat 2 to 3 bananas a day, depending on their weight.

Source: NCBI

Clear vessels

Cholesterol is the main cause of vascular obstruction, which leads to atherosclerosis. Bananas contain phytosterols that help reduce the levels of cholesterol in your blood and maintain your vascular system’s health.

Source: NCBI, NCBI

A healthy stomach

Bananas are recommended to people with gastric ulcers and those who’re in the risk group. They contain a special enzyme that increases the secretion of mucus that protects the abdominal walls.

Source: NCBI

A source of energy

The abundance of vitamins and minerals make bananas a great source of energy. Simple carbs are quick to digest and can replenish your energy resource almost immediately if need be.

A good mood

Bananas contain dopamine — the "happiness hormone" — along with partial vitamin B complex that positively affects the nervous system. These features allow bananas to be included on the list of foods to eat if you’re suddenly feeling down.

Source: NCBI

Help with diabetes

These tropical fruits have a certain type of resistant starch within them that helps improve the condition of a person with diabetes mellitus type 2. It should be noted, though, that green bananas contain more of this substance. A green banana of average size has 12.5 grams of starch in it, while a ripe one will only contain about 5 g.

Source: NCBI

A slim figure

Resistant starch prevents fat from storing in your body and increases spending of energy, which results in rapid and visible improvements during intensive weight loss training. The recommended daily dose of this substance is 10 grams. And, of course, you should also stay active and control your food habits.

Source: NCBI