as you can imagine, given we are a banana bread company, we are big on bananas. bananas in our bread, on top of our bread, plain at any time of day, with nut butter, in smoothies… i mean the list goes on and on. but besides their naturally, sweet and delicious taste, bananas tout a variety of benefits that many don’t even know about! so to shed like on our rockstar ingredient, we made y’all a list. we could go on an on, but restrained ourselves and made a top 8:
-
heart health: the potassium in bananas lowers risk of heart disease, and with the magnesium, b6, vitamin c, and dietary fibers in conjunction help the circulatory system keep a regular heartbeat as well as deliver enough oxygen to the cells, contributing to optimal heart functioning.
-
kidney health- the potassium also naturally lowers blood pressure and more generally, helps your body maintain internal balance (or homeostasis). the fiber in bananas also works to regular blood sugar levels.
-
depression and mood- bananas contain tryptophan, which gets converted into serotonin, better known as the “happy hormone.” the b6 in bananas too regulates blood glucose levels to further reduce stress, regulate mood, and even decrease pain associated with pms.
-
improved digestion: bananas are high in soluble fiber that help improve digestion and detox your body as well as and fos (fructooligosaccharides), a prebiotic that feeds good bacteria that living in your digestive tract, resistant starch and pectin.
-
energy: the sugar and fiber in bananas provides a quick and sustainable energy boost and the potassium works to increase alertness and brain power as well.
-
disease prevention: catechins and dopamine in bananas are strong antioxidants with disease prevention power in addition to the vitamin c present. the pectins and pectic-oligosaccharides in bananas too have been proven to reduce the risk of cancer, specifically colon cancer.
-
combating anemia- bananas also contain a fair amount of iron, which stimulates production of hemoglobin in the blood to help alleviate symptoms of anemia.
-
skin problems: most surprisingly, are the benefits of banana skin peels for various skin conditions! yes you heard me- rubbing the peel of a banana on affected areas can cure acne, psoriasis and other skin conditions including warts.
now do you get why we’re obsessed?? nutritious and delicious, ‘nuff said.
