Bananas are an quick and easy go-to snack or addition…I love a banana sliced up and added to a bowl of cereal!
Bananas fall onto the Power Foods list for many many reasons:
- Most commonly known for being high in Potassium –
- essential for good heart health
- helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels
- Potassium also helps you be more mentally alert
- A great source of fiber (about 3grams per medium banana)
- helps aid and regulate digestion
- A calcium rich fruit
- Low in sodium
- Low Fat
- Bananas do contain a type of fat called sterols though, which helps keep blood cholesterol levels controlled by blocking the absorption of dietary cholesterol
- High in vitamin B-6
- helps in the production of white blood cells
- strengthens the nervous system
- studies have shown it to help in protecting against Type 2 Diabetes
- helps reduce swelling
- Aids in weight loss
- They are high in antioxidants
- Bananas are high in pectin
- Pectin helps with digestion and gently removes toxins and heavy metals from the body
- Contains high levels of trytophan which converts to serotonin (the happy good feeling chemical in our brain)
- Are high in magnesium
- Higher in sugar with approx 14-15 grams of sugar per medium banana, but the sugars are of low glycemic value.
- Contain fructooligosaccharides which act as a natural prebiotic
- helps maintain good bacteria in our lower intestines
- supports overall digestive health
- Are a natural antacid
- They help restore electrolytes to the body
So to sum it up they are a yummy treat that helps keep your gut healthy, your sugars in check, and give you energy!
Here’s my Grandmother’s Banana Bread Recipe for you to try too : Throwback Thursday Recipe Post – Grandma’s Banana Bread
