Banana Health Benefits, Nutritional Value and Uses

What is Banana?

Bananas are one of the most widely consumed fruits in the world for good reason.There are a number of varieties, including red bananas (which have a yellow-pink skin and flesh) and the small sugar bananas, which are around 3 inches long.The curved yellow fruit packs a big nutritional punch, wrapped in its own convenient packaging.

Health Benefits of Banana

Cancer: Consuming bananas, oranges and orange juice in the first two years of life may reduce the risk of developing childhood leukemia. As a good source of vitamin C, bananas can help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer. High fiber intakes from fruits and vegetables like bananas are associated with a lowered risk of colorectal cancer.

Bananas May Help You Feel More Full:Resistant starch is a type of indigestible carbohydrate found in unripe bananas, which functions sort of like soluble fiber in the body.
As a rule of thumb, you can estimate that the greener the banana is, the higher the amount of resistant starch it contains.On the other hand, ripe (yellow) bananas contain lower amounts of resistant starch and total fiber, but proportionally higher amounts of soluble fiber.
Both pectin and resistant starch have been shown to have appetite-reducing effects and increase the feeling of fullness after meals

Blood pressure: Maintaining a low sodium intake is essential to lowering blood pressure, however increasing potassium intake may be just as important because of its vasodilation effects.

Improve Insulin Sensitivity: Insulin resistance is a major risk factor for many of the world’s most serious diseases, including type 2 diabetes. Unripe bananas are a great source of resistant starch, and may therefore help improve insulin sensitivity.

Treating diarrhea: Bland foods such as apple sauce and bananas are recommended for diarrhea treatment. Electrolytes like potassium are lost in large quantities during bouts of diarrhea and may make those affected feel weak. Bananas can help to promote regularity and replenish potassium stores.

Excellent nutrition for Exercise: Bananas are often referred to as the perfect food for athletes, largely due to their mineral content and easily digested carbs. 
Eating bananas may help reduce exercise-related muscle cramps and soreness, which affect up to 95% of the general population. The reason for the cramps is basically unknown, but a popular theory blames a mixture of dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.That being said, bananas have been shown to provide excellent nutrition before, during and after endurance exercise. 

Uses of Banana

Foot Care: The moisturizing property of banana can be used to get rid of cracked heels. All you need to do is mash the pulp of two ripe bananas and apply this pulp on clean, dry feet. Leave it on for 10 minutes and rinse the feet clean. The banana pulp will penetrate deep into dry, cracked skin to create soft and supple feet.

Banana Peel for Skin: Banana is a very popular natural element when it comes to beauty as it is not just the fruit that you can use but the peel itself is full of anti-oxidants and can be used for a lot of home remedies.

Anti-ageing: Nutrients in banana helps in fighting wrinkles and keeps the skin youthful. For an anti-aging facial mask loaded with vitamins A and E, mash together an avocado and a banana. Leave on skin for 25 minutes and rinse. Skin will be soft and youthful. The vitamins E in avocados combined with the nutrients in bananas fight free radicals and repair damage. 

Nutritional value of Banana

All bananas are extremely nutritious; rich in potassium, riboflavin, niacin and fibre, and the rapid energy boost given by their high sugar levels means that they're a great snack.