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The following sections explain some of the possible health benefits of bananas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The\u00a0nutrition\u00a0information comes from the United States Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA)\u00a0FoodData Central database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daily requirements are from the\u00a02015\u20132020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans<\/em>. These are for adults, but they are approximate, as the values vary according to a person\u2019s age and sex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\u00a0American Heart Association\u00a0(AHA) encourage people to lower their intake of salt, or sodium, and increase their consumption of foods that contain\u00a0potassium. Potassium can help manage blood pressure and reduce strain on the cardiovascular system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A medium banana provides almost 9% of a person\u2019s daily potassium needs, according to the nutritional information from the above sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A 2007\u00a0study<\/a>\u00a0suggested that eating bananas might help prevent wheezing in children with\u00a0asthma. One reason for this could be the\u00a0antioxidant\u00a0and potassium content of bananas. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Laboratory investigations<\/a> have suggested that lectin, a protein that occurs in bananas, may help prevent leukemia<\/a> cells from growing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lectin acts as an antioxidant. Antioxidants help the body remove molecules known as free radicals. If too many free radicals build up, cell damage can occur, potentially leading to cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2004,\u00a0researchers\u00a0noted that children who consumed bananas, orange juice, or both appeared to have a lower risk of developing leukemia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The study authors suggested that this could be due to the\u00a0vitamin\u00a0C content, as this, too, has antioxidant properties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bananas contain fiber, potassium,\u00a0folate, and antioxidants, such as vitamin C. All of these support heart health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A 2017\u00a0review\u00a0found that people who follow a high fiber diet have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those on a low fiber diet. Those who consumed more fiber also had lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or \u201cbad\u201d\u00a0cholesterol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The American Diabetes Association<\/a> recommend eating bananas and other fruit as they contain fiber. They note<\/a> that eating fiber can help lower blood sugar levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The author of a 2018\u00a0review<\/a>\u00a0concluded that eating a high fiber diet could reduce the risk of\u00a0type 2 diabetes\u00a0and may lower blood sugar in those who already have the disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bananas contain water and fiber, both of which promote regularity and encourage digestive health. One medium banana provides approximately 10% of a person\u2019s fiber needs for a day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bananas are also part of an approach known as the\u00a0BRAT diet<\/a>, which some doctors recommend for treating\u00a0diarrhea. BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Diarrhea can lead to a loss of water and electrolytes, such as potassium. Bananas can replace these nutrients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n High fiber foods can trigger bloating, gas, and stomach cramps in people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to a 2012 study<\/a>. However, bananas may improve symptoms, the authors concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Crohn\u2019s and Colitis Foundation of America<\/a> recommend banana as a snack food in their diet plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bananas\u00a0contain\u00a0tryptophan, an amino acid that may help preserve memory, boost a person\u2019s ability to learn and remember things, and regulate mood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bananas are rich in the mineral potassium. Potassium\u00a0helps maintain\u00a0fluid levels in the body and regulates the movement of nutrients and waste products in and out of cells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Potassium also helps muscles to contract and nerve cells to respond. It keeps the heart beating regularly and can reduce the effect of sodium on blood pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Potassium may reduce the risk of\u00a0kidney stones\u00a0forming as people age. In turn, healthy kidneys make sure that the right amount of potassium stays in the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One medium sized banana contains 422 milligrams<\/a> (mg) of potassium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is best to try to get potassium from dietary sources, such as bananas. Otherwise, potassium supplements are available to purchase\u00a0online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The table below shows the amount of each nutrient in a medium sized banana<\/a>. It also shows how much an adult needs of each nutrient, according to the 2015\u20132020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans<\/em><\/a>. Requirements vary according to the individual\u2019s sex and age.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBlood pressure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Asthma<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Cancer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Heart health<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Diabetes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Digestive health<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Preserving memory and boosting mood<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Potassium<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Nutrition<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n