Delicious and nutritious, bananas are not only a healthy snack but also great for preventing cancer, cardiovascular disease, memory loss, and relieving anxiety. (Shutterstock)
Bananas are rich in potassium ions, dietary fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. They are not only delicious and nutritious, but also a healthy snack. They are also very helpful in preventing cancer, cardiovascular disease, memory loss and relieving anxiety. It should be eaten with caution.
4 Benefits of a Banana a Day
1. Prevent cancer
A report published in the International Journal of Cancer in January 2005, documenting a 13-year study of 61,000 women aged 40 to 76 in Sweden, found that eating at least 4 Women who ate a banana had a 50 percent lower risk of kidney cancer.
Women who ate root vegetables such as carrots and beets also had lower rates of kidney cancer.
A Japanese study (pdf) found that ripe bananas can promote the body’s immune cells to produce tumor necrosis factor (TNF), which fights abnormal cells.
The darker the spots on the banana peel, the better the immune system boost. After people ingested yellow-skinned bananas with dark spots, the increase in white blood cells was 8 times more than that of green-skinned bananas.
A 2021 review of research published in Frontiers in Oncology describes how banana extracts prevent and fight various types of cancer by modulating different cell signaling pathways, phytochemicals in bananas Can be used to develop targeted drugs for cancer therapy against multiple targets.
2. Prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases
Bananas are rich in magnesium, which helps reduce the risk of arteriosclerosis by reducing plasma oxidized LDL, also known as bad cholesterol.
Bananas also contain high amounts of potassium, which controls blood pressure and regulates heart rate. Arrhythmia and elevated blood pressure are the symptoms of potassium deficiency. An appropriate amount of potassium can stabilize the excitability of nerve and muscle cells within the normal range to maintain the normal operation of the heart.
Studies show that eating more potassium-rich foods can protect against heart disease and stroke, especially in women. A report published in the European Heart Journal in 2022, describing a 19.5-year study of 11,267 men and 13,696 women, found that those with the highest potassium intake Those with the lowest intake had a 13 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease. At the same time, the risk of developing or recurring cardiovascular disease was reduced by 11% in women and 7% in men.
Bananas also contain a lot of water-soluble dietary fiber, which is very important for preventing heart disease.
A 2003 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine showed that eating high-fiber foods, such as bananas, can protect against heart disease. In a multi-year follow-up of 9,700 U.S. adults, researchers found that those who ate the most fiber per day (median 20.7 g) reduced the risk of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease by 12% and 11%, respectively.
People who ate the most soluble fiber daily also had a 15 percent lower risk of heart disease and a 24 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease death.
This particular group of participants was also 10 percent less likely to develop cardiovascular disease and 12 percent less likely to die from cardiovascular disease.
3. Prevent memory loss
Bananas are a great source of vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 can regulate homocysteine levels in the blood and improve cognitive performance.
In a study published in March 1996 in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers at Tufts University in Boston looked at 70 men aged 54 to 81 Cognitive tests were administered, and it was found that subjects with higher vitamin B6 levels performed better on two tests of memory.
Studies also show that eating potassium-rich fruits helps students focus better and study more effectively. A school in the UK has helped 200 pupils pass their exams by giving them bananas for breakfast, recess and lunch to boost their brain power.
4. Mood regulation, anxiety and depression relief
Bananas contain tryptophan, which the body can convert into serotonin. Serotonin relaxes the body, relieves anxiety, and induces pleasurable feelings.
Bananas also contain B vitamins, which play an important role in the human nervous system as coenzymes that coordinate chemical reactions in the body.
A 2022 study published in the journal Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical & Experimental documented the effects of high doses of vitamin B6 on 478 participants. This clinical study found that consuming high doses of vitamin B6 reduced anxiety and depression.
Another study published in the Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2017 noted that banana pulp and peel have anti-anxiety, anti-depressant and memory-enhancing properties, possibly due to their antioxidant effects.
2 types of people should eat bananas with caution
people with kidney disease
If patients with acute and chronic nephritis, renal insufficiency and other kidney diseases eat too much potassium-rich food, the metabolic function of potassium will be abnormal.
Symptoms such as hyperkalemia and muscle weakness, drowsiness, and slow heart rate may develop as a result.
For this reason, the National Kidney Foundation recommends that people with kidney disease avoid bananas and eat apples instead.
diabetic
According to the USDA, 100 grams of bananas contain about 15.8 grams of sugar. Bananas are high in sugar, and diabetics should watch their intake.
However, since bananas contain more fiber and resistant starch that the body cannot absorb, their glycemic index is not high, so they will not cause a sharp rise in blood sugar.
Ripe bananas have a glycemic index of 51, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Half-ripe bananas have a glycemic index of just 42, but that’s still higher than apples, which are about 36.
For the English report, see The Epoch Times:Bananas: The Surprising Superfood for Fighting Cancer and Heart Disease。
Editor in charge: Li Fan
