6 Awesome Health Benefits Of Bananas
By Golb on Jun 26, 2007 in Nutrition and Diet
Before we start discussing the health benefits of bananas, here is some nutritional information for a serving of banana (source - these numbers can be slightly different when obtained from a different source):
Serving size = 1 medium sufficiently ripe banana [about 7″ long and 126 grams (0.28 pounds) in weight]
Total Fat = 0 g; Cholesterol = 0 g; Calories = 110
Potassium = 400 mg (10% of daily recommended value)
Dietary Fiber = 4 g (16% of daily recommended value)
Sugar = 14.8 g; Protein = 1 g (2% of daily recommended value)
Vitamin C = 16% of daily recommended value
Vitamin B6 = 20% of daily recommended value
With this nutritional information in the background let’s work through the incredible health benefits of this commonplace fruit. I will try and list only substantiated facts with references wherever possible. I am particularly concerned about this because there have been some unsubstantiated claims (rumors) about extraordinary banana benefits floating around the internet (here is an example).
- Bananas are good for your heart and nerves: Bananas contain a high dose of potassium - an essential ingredient to keep your heart and nervous system in good shape. Potassium is essential for proper muscle contraction and hence plays an important role in muscle-influenced activities including: the normal rhythmic pumping of the heart, digestion, muscular movements, etc., Some studies have also linked low potassium intake to high blood pressure and increased risk of stroke. Most Americans don’t get enough potassium in their diet (recommended dose is about 4 g per day) - blame it on our fast food culture. Including a banana (or two) in your diet everyday would take you a step closer towards getting your daily recommended dose of potassium (references: American Heart Association, University of Maryland Medical Center, Colorado State University).
- Bananas are good for your kidneys and bones: Benefits to the kidneys and the bones are again due to the high potassium content of bananas. A normal intake of potassium suppresses calcium excretion in the urine and minimizes the risk of kidney stones. Also, for the same reason (suppressing of calcium excretion), it minimizes the loss of calcium from the body and thereby reduces the risk of osteoporosis (references: University of Maryland Medical Center, University of Kansas Medical Center).
- Bananas can act as mood enhancers or mild sedatives: Bananas contain tryptophan (although it’s not one of the major sources, a medium still contains about 10.6 mg of tryptophan). Tryptophan is one of the 20 amino acids which are building blocks of proteins (btw, an incredible number of articles on the internet call tryptophan as a “mood-enhancing protein” and that is technically not correct). Tryptophan helps the body to produce serotonin - which has a calming effect on the brain (creates a stable mood) and acts as a mild sedative. It should be noted that the only way our our body gets it’s dose of tryptophan is through our diet - it does not produce tryptophan naturally; bananas is one of the easiest ways to get it (references: Nutritiondata.com, Chemistry Daily, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, NIH MedLinePlus).
- Bananas are good for your blood: Bananas are one of the highest sources of naturally available vitamin B6: Vitamin B6 plays an important role in converting tryptophan to serotonin (read #3 above), and also helps the body to make hemoglobin - a crucial ingredient of your blood. Vitamin B6 is also essential for antibody production and to maintain a healthy immune response. It also helps to convert carbohydrates to glucose and thereby maintains proper blood sugar levels. A medium banana can take care of 1/5th of your daily recommended intake of vitamin B6 and is one of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to increase your dietary intake of the vitamin (references: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements).
- Bananas are good for kids: Let me quote this from NIH’s Medical Encyclopedia -
Bananas are part of the BRAT diet, a diet many physicians and nurses recommend for children recovering from gastrointestinal problems, particularly diarrhea. BRAT stands for the different components that make up the diet: Bananas, Rice cereal, Applesauce, Toast. These are binding foods that make the stools harder.
- Bananas are good source of dietary fiber: A single serving (one medium-sized banana) contains 16% of the daily recommended dietary fiber intake for a normal adult - that’s substantial for a single serving of any food. Fiber improves laxation (smooth bowel movements). Fiber-rich diets have also been linked to lower risk of coronary heart disease and of type 2 diabetes. Also, view this information in light of the following facts (references: Health.gov, NIH PubMed - abstract is sufficient):
Current recommendations suggest that adults consume 20-35 grams of dietary fiber per day. Children over age 2 should consume an amount equal to or greater than their age plus 5 grams per day. Yet the average American eats only 14-15 grams of dietary fiber a day. source: Harvard School of Public Health
Availability is the best part: Bananas are very affordable at about 35~40 cents per pound (on an average - in the US) and are generally available in almost all grocery stores; you don’t need to cook them or wash them (unless you want to eat the outer skin) and that makes them ideal as quick lunch substitutes. Consider bananas as an awesome and affordable dietary supplement.
Got sugar concerns?: People worry a lot about the carbohydrates (especially the sugar part) in bananas. To that end, here are a few quotes from a couple reliable sources:
A banana has a glycemic index of 52 and 24 grams of available carbohydrate. This gives a glycemic load of 12. In comparison, an apple having a glycemic index of 38 and 15 grams of available carbohydrate has a glycemic load of 6 … Although an apple may be a little better choice for a snack, eating a banana isn’t all that bad either because foods with glycemic loads in the low teens and below are the ones that should be selected as part of a balanced diet. (source: USDA.gov)
Despite being erroneously called “fattening” and too high in sugar, a small banana only contains about 100 calories, which is not much more than a medium apple. Nor should it raise your blood glucose level too high. (source: American Diabetes Association)
Like always, stuff should be done in moderation and it should be noted that all the above health benefits are “general observations” - and there must be, for sure, exceptions to general observations. If you have specific health conditions related to any nutritional constituents of bananas, make sure you consult your doctor before you go bananas on bananas.
If you have additional information (or even folklore 
) about bananas, feel free to share it with us through your comments.
Very nice article!
Regular consumption of bananas/oranges and orange juice in children from ages 0-2 has also been associated with a reduction in the risk of childhood leukemia diagnosed between the ages of 2 and 14 years. There’s also evidence that higher consumption of bananas and apple juice from concentrate may protect against wheezing in children.
http://www.highlighthealth.com/food-and-nutrition/benefits-of-bananas/
I applaud you on your source referencing - so many sites don’t do it and it really is necessary.
Walter
Walter | Jun 26, 2007 | Reply
Very thorough and informative!
I always keep bananas on hand for easy snacking or recipes. It’s amazing how much you can do with bananas: breads, desserts, shakes, ice cream, snacks…
I like to use them as one of my natural sweeteners, as I do not eat cooked or processed foods.
Great research!
-Caroline
http://www.rawlifestyle.wordpress.com
Caroline Jeannot | Jul 2, 2007 | Reply
“I loathe bananas!”
Dr Zira, “Escape From the Planet of the Apes”
Angie Hartford | Jul 10, 2007 | Reply
Oh man I love bananas! Nice to see some really good reasons to keep going back for this wonderful fruit.
We have a huge variety of bananas in India. Unlike in the west, we prefer to eat them when they are ripe and sweet.
Thanks for the info!
Nikhil Nayak | Jul 19, 2007 | Reply
On the B.R.A.T. diet, how much of each food are you to eat each day?
dayle reynolds | Oct 26, 2007 | Reply
today is my first time of visiting this site and i have really enjoyed reading the benefits of bananas. i like bananas and i take in a lot at a time, i want to know if it can afect me negatively when i eat too much of it. i also want to know if it really enhance sexual ability
osei yaw addo | Jan 11, 2008 | Reply
Huh? Bananas sure get a lot of good press, but are they really as good as everyone thinks?
Bananas raise are high enough in sugar and starch to contribute to high glucose levels, especially since they are often consumed without other fats and proteins, which could at least slow the absorption of glucose. Not good. Therefore they also raise insulin levels, also not healthy or conducive to weight control, regardless of the low calrloic content (high chronic insulin levels & constant carbohydrate intake drives fat storage and prevents burnign body fat for energy).
I know bananas get a lot of attention for the potassium content, but there isn’t a nutrient in bananas, even potassium, that can’t be eaily obtained from unprocessed non-starchy and low sugar produce items, such as avocados, leafy green veggies, etc. There is simply just too much sugar and starch in bananas compared to the micronutrients to considered a regular part of a healthy diet that keeps blood glucose at normal, even levels.
Additionally, the vast majority of commercial bananas have traveled a very, very long way to market, making them an oil-guzzling crop. So bananas additionally are a very unsustainable fruit crop compared to local, seasonal produce. And there is a history of nasty economic and political influence in the international banana trade, hence the term “banana republic”.
It’s time for people to get over their love affair with bananas.
Anna | Jan 11, 2008 | Reply
This is for “Anna.” Use some common sense, that banter you posted would better suit someone who eats ONLY bananas. Bananas as part of an OVERALL healthy diet are extremely beneficial. All fruits are sources for high levels of NATURAL sugar, which is why you’re suppose to eat other things too (vegetables, perhaps).
It’s time for people to think less like Anna there and more like the advanced life form we claim to be.
CommonSense | Jan 17, 2008 | Reply
This response is for Anna. I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes 2.5 years ago. As a rule, bananas do help in maintaining glucose levels and maintains a healthy body. How do I know??? I eat them among other foods with moderation. Infact, you can possibly live on banana’s.
Along with moderate intake of variety of foods and plenty of exercise, will provide the body with the nutrients it needs. So, with this mind, EAT, EAT, EAT banana’s!!!
happy | Jan 23, 2008 | Reply
It may be time for people to get over their love affair with bananas, but it ain’t gonna happen. My favorite breakfast for the last sixty years or so has been sliced bananas and peanut butter on toast — great tasting and great energy to start the day. Yes, bananas are here to stay.
oldbiker1 | Feb 19, 2008 | Reply
I enjoyed reading all good stuff about bananas, I love it because its the only fruit can be eaten just after buying, no need washing if in case of hunger… Was worried about the sugar level, now I feel no need to, because everything is well explained on this site, thanks to all good ppl around for help..
maashu | Mar 23, 2008 | Reply
Good info, I “like” bananas but I can’t handle eating them more than a few times a week unless its with other foods such as cereal, and like the oldbiker, I too like them with peanut butter on bread or toast.
Only this past year did I find another great use for them, they make for a good wine. Which is what actually brought me to this site, searching for a sugar content conversion on them.
Dean | Apr 14, 2008 | Reply
i eat average six bananas a day ether in a protien shake or just as they are is that too many , good or bad?
dawg | May 12, 2008 | Reply
I too have got a problem with constipation but the only thing that renormalizes my bowel movement is a banana. We have a family history of diabetes and bananas have always done the trick!I am sorry Anna! the love affair with the fruit goes on!
Flint Madziya | May 20, 2008 | Reply
Does it also include sex power for men. Does it increase energy???
Shaikh | Jun 23, 2008 | Reply
Please give references so we can validate your view.
Thanks
Me | Jun 24, 2008 | Reply
In defense of Anna
Just because she’s showing the other side of the banana issue shouldn’t make her the scapegoat for all banana lovers.
Thanks for bringing up the negative side of bananas for a more balanced and in-depth look at this fruit! I would like to see some references to support your claims though…
Sarah
Sarah | Jul 18, 2008 | Reply
Anna doesn’t know how to find “real” information. Fruit has minimal fructose (a banana only 5 grams, an apple 7) as compared to processed foods and other crap like soda that has upwards of 70 grams!
No one should fear eating a banana! That is ridiculous, just get rid of grains and refined sugars! Quit listening to propaganda, anna.
rick | Aug 6, 2008 | Reply
some good stuff about banana.
I have started eating banana alot. I eat like 2 on average but sometimes 3 or 4. I was wondering if its too much. Can someone please tell me with some references so i know forsure.
Thanks..
Shani | Aug 7, 2008 | Reply
I like what i just read about this awesome fruit banana. I have been taking 6 banana’s as a breakfast(empty stomatch) since past six years.
My people say too much of banana is bad, but i m yet to find any bad things which has happen in my body.
I also read that banana help to develop sexual harmones. is it for real??
vikki-nepal | Aug 16, 2008 | Reply
I consume, on average, 14 bananas a day, having done so for the last 25 years. The only concern I have ever heard from a doctor was that I had a abnormally high T-wave on my EKG. (As far I know, a high T-wave indicates that the heart is able to take a rest between beats.) Don’t think there is such a thing as too many bananas. Am I wrong?
George | Aug 17, 2008 | Reply
Very helpful! The Philippines is one of the biggest producers of bananas which makes this nutritional source just in our backyard. But still many are not aware the power of banana.
jun yancha | Sep 12, 2008 | Reply
I am a type 2 diabetic living in Florida. I just harvested my first bunch of bananas and when they ripen I intend to see how they affect my glucose. Will post later
Pat | Sep 24, 2008 | Reply
I normally have a bit of insomnia that wakes me from about 3-4am in the early morning. However, I have found if I eat a banana right before I go to bed I do not wake up anymore.
Malia | Oct 15, 2008 | Reply
I eat a small banana per day. They’re tasty, low in fat/cal, filling, cheap to buy, travel well, good for my heart, bowels, and moods, and a natural snack at that. I’d choose a banana over an apple any day:)
Nan | Nov 3, 2008 | Reply
Bananas improve skin complexion too!!
I started consuming bananas about two weeks ago, found that they really help to improve my skin complexion. Read an article claiming “Banana skin” can helps skin itchiness. Having this problem (fungus) on my arms, so try using “Banana skin” to rub on the affected skin and leave it for another 1-2 minutes then rinse. After afew days, found they really help, and some other scars that left previously have been lighten. Now I use them to rub on my face before I cleanse. It works too! My face complexion looks more moisten and clearer.
BANANAS not only good as diet supplement, also a good source for skin complexion!
Suephrinla Lim | Nov 6, 2008 | Reply
Anna needs to calm down. She talks like she’s got a retarded kid who smokes banana peels as a chaser to sniffing glue. I eat two a day and they just make me feel better after i have one. I’m a runner and i work out with weights. I have to eat 5-6 times a day and a banana is a quick way to get something in ma belly to keep my energy up. If i keel over and die tomorrow it won’t be because of the banana, unless i choke on one and can’t breathe. Then i’ll blame Anna because she didn’t warn everybody about the importance of chewing your banana before swallowing. Thanks for nothing Anna!
Jason | Dec 16, 2008 | Reply
hi i am 44 years old, and had a breast cancer,and just had my operation 3 weeks ago, now i love eating banana 1pc. every morning. is it good for my health? since i’m on medication for my monthly chemotherapy?
i really apprciate i found this site and read all the good things about banana.
josefina park | Dec 17, 2008 | Reply
Anna claims,
“the vast majority of commercial bananas have traveled a very, very long way to market, making them an oil-guzzling crop.”
You clearly have not really studied logistics or energy consumption in food production. The idea that ocean transported foods consume vast amounts of oil is just plain silly; ocean shipping is the most energy efficient means of delivering a product, the oil consumed is vastly less than that used by trucks.
Anna continues:
“So bananas additionally are a very unsustainable fruit crop compared to local, seasonal produce.”
Again, another ridiculous claim without any substantiation whatsoever. This crazy idea that locally grown food is more economically and environmentally sound has absolutely no basis in fact whatsoever. These wild claims are never accompanied by studies that show total relative costs involved.
I know it’s a big, big myth amongst the eco-crowd and the goofy “peak oil” doom and gloom theorists, but it remains nothing more than that: a myth. All such talk is always purely theoretical with no rigorous examination. Locally grown has its own heavy costs in land-use, frequently makes use of cruel and exploitative “migratory” labor (which consumes more fuel than a cargo ship full of bananas), produces social dislocation, on and on and on.
If the land is very close to an urban center, it can probably be more economically used for other purposes. If it’s far from an urban center, requiring trucks to get the product to market, it can consume more energy than a cargo ship.
Anna continues:
“And there is a history of nasty economic and political influence in the international banana trade, hence the term “banana republic”.”
Oh jeezus. One might as well not eat potatoes because the ancient Incas practiced human sacrifice. Or boycott universities because many professors are left-wing and left-wing ideologues have been the most blood thirsty mass-murderers of the last century.
This is just silly.
Richard | Dec 18, 2008 | Reply
Bananas are one of my favorite fruits because they’re so easy to eat and so easy to take on the go! I love mine with peanut butter….mmmm. Also, I get low blood sugar at work towards the end of the day and bananas help a lot. Good article!
Marjie | Jan 7, 2009 | Reply
I Love Bananas To Eat And For Sex Also !
I dont have a husband anymore and a banana takes the place of a husband!
Janet | Jan 20, 2009 | Reply
This type of diet is no longer recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for children with diarrhea. It is too low in nutrients. Please remove this recommendation.
Wendy, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Bananas are good for kids: Let me quote this from NIH’s Medical Encyclopedia -
“Bananas are part of the BRAT diet, a diet many physicians and nurses recommend for children recovering from gastrointestinal problems, particularly diarrhea. BRAT stands for the different components that make up the diet: Bananas, Rice cereal, Applesauce, Toast. These are binding foods that make the stools harder.”
wendy mosiman | Jan 30, 2009 | Reply
My favorite way to eat bananas is with organic raw almond butter….mmmmmmmmmm so good, and healthy! I also use them in my post workout shakes.
Tish | Feb 6, 2009 | Reply
Hi,
Great article!
Now, I understood why I was made to eat bananas everyday without fail since my childhood.
Apart from the health benefits, I have also heard that bananas are good when used on face. It seems they have anti-aging properties and are used in facial masks.
You can add that aspect to the article too.
InfoCreators | Feb 7, 2009 | Reply
I am on different medications that cause diarhea every morning. I started eating a banana right before going to bed and my bowel situation is now totally controlled. I don’t know what is in a banana that stabalizes the bowel but it has made my mornings much easier and as a result, I’m much happier.
carolynne | Feb 11, 2009 | Reply
Banana peels can be used on minor burns to help heal and prevent blistering. You peel the banana and apply the inside of the skin to the affected area.The result, no redness or anything.
Alex | Mar 25, 2009 | Reply
I eat a million bananas, if i could be an orangatan i would live on orangatan island and be the bomb on animal planet
p-ce
Laura F | Apr 21, 2009 | Reply
janet theres something wrong with u, u fucking wierdo
Chris | Apr 21, 2009 | Reply
Sure Anna hates bananas.Good she does not experience constipation,or else she would rely heavily on this fruit
Ed | May 3, 2009 | Reply
This is for ANNA one of the first few comments.
FUCK YOU.
FUCK YOU
FUCK YOU
FUCK YOU
BANANAS KICK ASS. THEY WILL NOT MAKE YOU FAT.
they contain NATURAL SUGAR. not processed sugar that doesn’t agree with the human body as well. Natural sugar found in fruits have actually been shown to help people’s insulin levels and control diabetes and other blood sugar problems.
I hope you go to hell for saying banana’s aren’t good.
FUCK YOU
Alex Masak | May 21, 2009 | Reply
I have been an avid fan of the banana for the past six years during my high school career in track and cross-country. Bananas are the perfect food for those that are physically active and for those that might not be. Because of bananas high amount of potassium, they are key is muscle recovery and getting over muscle soreness, not to mention their portability to and from track meets! Anytime I get done with a hard practice I always eat a couple bananas and drink lots of water and stretch before I go to bed, and guess what….NO SORENESS in the legs! This allows me to recovery quicker and start getting in the miles again. And in respose to Anna, and how she claims bananas can mess with your weight? I think she out to check out this website:http://www.ehow.com/about_4571229_bodybuilding-bananas.html . The author of this article is Kevin Rail, a certified personal trainer and wellness coach in Utah, and from his reviews he is honest and tells it like it is!
Mason | May 23, 2009 | Reply
To Alex Masak,
Thank you for your kind comments. The same to you with brass knobs on, you little squirt of piss. My comment was intended to give a further more balanced insight into health properties of bananas. You may continue to do with them what you will, pulling them back out of your ass, I presume.
Anna | Jun 2, 2009 | Reply
You Jason get the award for funniest post! LOL good job!
MermaidJudi | Jun 2, 2009 | Reply
To Anna,
How could I have an ass, if I am a squirt of piss?
You say:
“There is simply just too much sugar and starch in bananas compared to the micronutrients to considered a regular part of a healthy diet that keeps blood glucose at normal, even levels.”
Although this is true for diabetics, diabetics only account for about 8 percent of people in America. Basically meaning the other 92% of the people in the U.S. can safely eat bananas without having to worry about altering their blood glucose level to a dangerous state.
And considering that the main cause of diabetes, especially in America, is obesity, then bananas would have been safe for them to eat at some point in their life. Think of it this way, rather than snacking on candy everyday, which would contribute to obesity and raise the risk of diabetes, what if they had eaten a banana instead? Rather than taking in all that unnatural, processed, sugary candy, and about 500 empty calories, they could have eaten a banana and gotten a healthy, nutritional snack with natural sugar and only 130 calories.
You say:
“Therefore they also raise insulin levels, also not healthy or conducive to weight control, regardless of the low calrloic content (high chronic insulin levels & constant carbohydrate intake drives fat storage and prevents burnign body fat for energy).”
What you are referring to is one’s metabolism. A high sugar intake can alter one’s metabolism in a negative way. But eating one, two, or even three bananas in a day isn’t nearly enough sugar (15-45g at most) to alter a healthy person’s insulin levels enough to slow their metabolism drastically. A can of soda has more sugar than 3 bananas. You said: “(high chronic insulin levels & constant carbohydrate intake drives fat storage and prevents burnign body fat for energy).” What, do you think people just sit at home and eat 70 bananas a day?
And keep in mind that bananas are extremely easy to digest, due to it’s fiber content. The nutrients in bananas pass through the gastrointestinal passages very easily and quickly. This actually speeds up metabolism and helps digest other food as well.
And, needless to say, if one exercises… then bananas can be used as a pre-workout boost of energy, and eaten as a post-work out snack for all the nutrients lost. Plus if one is into weightlifting, bananas help muscles not feel sore afterwards, which is pretty sweet(no pun intended)!
Alex Masak | Jun 6, 2009 | Reply
I’ve begun making smoothies in the morning with 2 bananas, 10 strawberries, 1/2 cup of 2% milk, and two small containers of fat free strawberry banana yogurt. I drink half in the morning and the other half at night after I exercise.
I did a search on the health benefits of bananas to see if my new regime, although delicious, was doing me much good healh wise. I found this page very informative, but also very hilarious. Anna seems to have bashed bananas on the wrong page!
Stephanie H. | Jun 16, 2009 | Reply
Go alex! haha it’s funny how everyone comments back on poor anna. But makes me happy that people like fruits. I love raw fruits and it’s great when people recognize that fruits are not bad for us at all.
dianaNR9 | Jul 27, 2009 | Reply
I didn’t know you could get that emotional over bananas. Anna, if you ate more of them, you might calm down some. We loved them when we were apes.
I didn’t know looking up nutritional information about bananas could be so amusing.
Stella Spectacular | Aug 6, 2009 | Reply
Bananas can be made into ice cream! Peel bananas, chop into pieces and then freeze in a ziplock bag overnight. The next day, throw a handful of frozen banana slices into a food processor (no need to add anything but bananas.) The result? A creamy frozen treat. If you don’t believe me, try it for yourself. Toss some crushed almonds on top and you have a healthy carb/protein/(good) fat snack.
Katie | Aug 7, 2009 | Reply
…good news is that I just love bananas. the best ever tasted by me are ‘nenthran pazham’ particularly the ones organically cultivated in kerala, India….banana chips are a fabulous snack and imagine eating hot banana fritters in a rainy afternoon..mmm….heavenly!!
rems | Aug 13, 2009 | Reply
Thank you for your support. I love bananas and will until the day I die.
If you like them too then you and I are cool =).
If not then I can’t say I would like to talk to you.
Alex Masak | Aug 19, 2009 | Reply
Hi all,
My son who is 6 years old has lots of warts on his fingers and a few on his hands. A friend of mine suggested that he eat a banana every day and tape the inside of the banana skin to the warts each night before bed. I have been doing this nightly for the past 5 days and she said I will need to do it for 3 weeks.
Has anybody else done this - and did it work.
I’d really love to hear back. Thanks
Joanne | Aug 28, 2009 | Reply
If you don’t have any underlying health concerns, it will not negatively affect you. In fact, food we really enjoy (if not addicted to them), are the ones YOUR body is naturally asking for and thrive on. So keep enjoying the good stuff.
PG | Aug 30, 2009 | Reply
Everyone loves bananas. As a banana grower, I googled this a bit and actually found that Asians are not fans of bananas and think them too heavy. I grown creamy and sweet extra heavy ones, some weeks I eat 5kg of banana. I love coconut too also a heavy superfood too. I weigh 95kg and have a heavy Polynesians body. Maybe I should cut the coco and nanas…..but god I love eating them.
Frank | Sep 10, 2009 | Reply
Sirs,
Good day. Reading your recommendations on the eating of bananas have taken care of some of my concerns. My question though:
I eat two (2) ripe bananas on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays before mid-day. I also down them with a jelly coconut water and eat the meat of the coconut.
Is this an healthy practice? If yes, what are the benefits?
If no, what are the dangers?
Kindly include my e-mail address in your reply.
Thanks & best regards
Lister
Lister | Sep 22, 2009 | Reply
My 12 yr old son has an ileostomy (similar to a colostomy) — I have him eat a banana before playing sports and this helps the output in his bag dramatically! He takes 6 tablets of imodium everyday…but would need more if it weren’t for bananas.
SO…if you can cut down on ANY medicine because of bananas…I say EAT EAT EAT BANANAS!!
Denise | Sep 30, 2009 | Reply
They are certainly a great food for everyone, especially those who are unwell and invalids.
Commercialy in NZ 3 types are normally available. I prefer a certain level of ripeness and 1 type in particular.
Just starting on a coconut, banana, silverbeet and parsley curry soup, eating it with rice. Man is it good.
Many nationalities eat most of their plantain banana cooked. In those countries the range of tropical fruits is such that a nana, is kinda ordinary, and used more as a staple, like sweet potato (another amazing superfood) rice, grains and pasta.
A deep purple sweet potato has just be bred from heirloom variety of maori potato, here in NZ, and will soon be available. Supposedly very high in antioxidants much like blueberries, and grapes.
When buying raw eating nana I look for a deep yellow color, compared to the other hands.
Frank | Sep 30, 2009 | Reply
PS Chinese rather than asians, consume small quantities of banana.
Originating from Malaysia going east across the pacific to the americas.
I used to buy meals served on nana leaf. Vietnamese and Thai like the flower raw or steamed.
Westerners need to start cooking nanas too, a new dimension from rice, spuds or pasta.
They actual go well with an astonishing variety of other foods, but not so much with meats(white), like apricots, pineapple, apple and Kiwifruit.
Dessert time is for rambutan, durian, pawpaw, and mango.
Frank | Sep 30, 2009 | Reply
Lister - your email add isn’t included in your post. Here’s the quick answer to your question anyway - I think that you’re getting *some* decent nutrients from your bananas and coconuts, but frankly two bananas and a coconut in one go is a bit too much sugar in one go, even though it’s natural sugar. you’d be better off spreading your fruit consumption throughout the day.
People are being HORRIBLE to Anna! I don’t agree with her but see her point, even if it is very overstated. People harp on slightly too militantly about the benefits of fruit even though some are pretty sugary. To be fair, these are natural sugars which genuinely are much better for you than processed sugars (especially when eaten as part of a solid piece of fruit, not fruit juice), but it depends how you’re integrating fruit into your diet. If you’re replacing processed-sugar-filled foods with fresh fruit, that’s a great move. If you’re adding something like apple juice on top of your already unhealthy high-calorie diet, thinking that it’ll benefit you nutritionally and therefore cancel out some of the bad stuff (yes, plenty of people DO think like this), that’s just flat out wrong - the miniscule nutritional benefits won’t outweigh the negative impact of extra calories from fructose.
Bananas aren’t as bad as things like apple juice though - they are meduim-to-high GI, but so long as you don’t ram 5 in your face at once, every day, you’ll be fine. (Unless you’re Janet, in which case I’m not so sure…) And even if you do you’ll be better off than people who ram sweets and chocolate into their faces every day. Bananas are healthier than most of the stuff most people eat. And less calorie dense.
As for ecological issues - Anna, you might have a point, but mass production drastically lowers prodcution and transport costs per item to the point that I’d be willing to bet that bananas shipped by the millions are actually a better ecological choice than carefully prepared organic fruit from a small local niche farm. I’d like to see the figures if they exist. Non-intensive organic farming, despite its lovely friendly media image, is pretty damn inefficient and therefore wasteful in terms of resources.
You’re probably right about the politics though. That’s the main thing to be said for the organic movement - it’s generally politically sensible. But it’s pretty fuzzy-headed about ecological issues and makes large baseless claims a little too frequently. Which is a shame, because this gives immoral multinational corporations intellectual ammo to fight back with. Good intentions don’t count for much when you can’t get your facts straight.
Aaaaaand back to the point after my mega rant
I personally love bananas. Eat about 2 a day on average. Potassium, bit of tryptophan, fibre… mmm-mm. Best to eat them one at a time when your body actually needs some fast-ish fuel. Like first thing in the morning with cereal/oats/toast, or when you’ve just done a workout. They are the one fruit I’d absolutely hate to go without.
Oh and try adding them (pureed) when cooking a curry sauce! Seriously! The sweetness really complements all the rich spicy flavours. Had a curry in a restaurant that had bananas in - best curry ever.
JimmyJJ | Oct 1, 2009 | Reply
re banana sugar: the sugar content rises sharply at full ripening. That is, if you prefer to eat them not so ripe, the sugar content will be much less than fully ripe. Fruit sugars are fine. Go ape!
Sometimes I eat 7 or 8 bananas at once, but these are very small ones. If Listers coconut is a canned coco drink I’d be more worried about preservatives and added sugar than fresh bananas and coconut.
Frank | Oct 1, 2009 | Reply
I´ve been living in Costa Rica (one of the original ‘banana republics’) for the last 30 years. And yes, bananas are still important here, but no, people aren’t victimized anymore as some might imagine by transnational corporations. Many bananas in Costa Rica today are produced here by farmers’ cooperatives and then sold to international export companies.
I don’t think that the banana is called a superfood for nothing. A frozen banana makes an excellent addition to any smoothie or alone with some vanilla, a super milkshake. Simple, economical, delicious, you can’t really go wrong or ask for much more from such a humble fruit. And of course, here there are many more varieties, sizes, shapes and even colors, including near and distant relatives. Bananas are to Latin America what potatoes are to North America or Europe.
Most of the comments I’ve read here are well intentioned and many are documented, which shows that people care about what they have to say. And even if we don’t always agree, that’s good!
Michael | Oct 2, 2009 | Reply
This is for Anna! Say, did you know that bananas are better than dildos? That’s right Anna, dildos home girl. They often are better than cucumbers, since you can crush them in your pussy in case it got stuck, unlike a cucumber, if it gets stuck, then youre scrwed! umm.. literally screwed!
Also, try it in the ass, or even orally. Although, for some reason my pussy has some yellow puss on it lately, perhaps, its from my frequent visits to banana republic then. Hmm.. I love you Anna.. Let’s have a dildo party this coming weekend? Yay! Banana fest!
Anna2 | Oct 3, 2009 | Reply
uuugghh Caesars ugly mob.
Persons like above should be ashamed of themselves. Mobbing and bullying makes you look so sad. I feel so sorry for you with your display of poor character. You think your funny? I hope your IP address gets reported please.
Frank | Oct 3, 2009 | Reply
This thread started out nice and ripe, and then, sadly, it has ended up slipping on its own peel.
Jim Spriggs | Oct 12, 2009 | Reply
please anna read more about bananas before you show your innocesce to people.i love bananas and i dont think your comment will make me avoid it.
sarakwa
sarah kwach | Oct 19, 2009 | Reply
Anna loves bananas in her cunt!
noone | Oct 21, 2009 | Reply
Thanks for that insomnia advice Malia, i suffer from the same issue, i love bananas a lot (i even have some right here on my desk at work. I should try it before bed and see if it helps.
Teddy | Oct 23, 2009 | Reply
Hell yeah to everyone who likes bananas
Alex Masak | Nov 3, 2009 | Reply
bananas make you grow excess body hair over your whole body including your forehead ‘thats the reason monkeys are so hairy. 5000yrs ago there was a disease that killed of nearly all bananas thru out the world. Thats the reason we started to evolve from apes shredding our body hair. swanguy xo
swanguy | Nov 8, 2009 | Reply
((//}}
swanguy | Nov 8, 2009 | Reply
All I can say is I LOVE BANANAS!! I have a couple every day and I feel great!
David | Nov 11, 2009 | Reply
i wanna have with u sex hw old r u darling reply me
gyan | Dec 24, 2009 | Reply
i was allergic to bananas for many years and then one day a few weeks ago i purchased a bag from a fruit shop, took it home for my kids and had an unusual crave to eat one. to my amazement i spontaneously ate one and had NO negative reaction. i have been eating at least three a day eversince and am really enjoying them. This is a real miracle. This experience has led me to research the benefits and to this extent have found this page and the range of comments really useful.
Carol | Jan 6, 2010 | Reply
Best. Breakfast. Ever. I eat it every day. Glad to see I’m not the only one.
Emlah | Jan 7, 2010 | Reply
Jesus Christ…
talk about mass misinformation and inability to research simple topics.
ANNA IS RIGHT… but even she is mildly stating how bad bananas can be these days.
Dont get me wrong… i occasionally eat bananas and love their low G-index and fiber/pre-biotic content not to mention aminos. But I also have a drink or two with friends once a month… the key is to at least know the negative health consequences so that you CAN practice moderation.
Lets start with this…. modern bananas are usually 1 YEAR OLD having been stored in ethyline gas chambers to chemically stunt them from ripening… not to mention the pesticides/herbicides/poisons/chemicals that they spray on these plants like water are INSANE in their quantity and ability to cause cancer and dozens of other long term diseases in a huge % of the American population. The common thinking is these basically unregulated 3rd world countries can use massive quantities of poisons, some banned for other uses for a long time now, because people peel off the skin… and because they are selling to rich Americans/Europeans who they often resent or at the very least care/think little about.
Profit and feeding their families are far more important than the health of spoiled ignorant Americans.
Newsflash… these chemicals absorb into the plant/fruit and are detectable at frightening levels in all of your storebought bananas. I dont even want to go into the insane residue just from having to touch them… Also look into the legal limits of pesticide content and you will see our FDA is widely considered unethical and in the hands of companies who are far more greedy and unethical/uncaring. Even government funded studies conclude that these pesticide levels are 10-1000 times what are safe for human/animal health yet the FDA remains silent. If you want sources use google, i simply dont have time to drag them out. (UTFSE = use the fucking search engine, become a self-informed member of society and protect yourself/family).
Bananas are actually very controversial right now… how has nobody mentioned these things?
HELL…. look them up on fucking wikipedia for the internet-impaired. It is a well known fact that due to degeneration and lack of ANY genetic diversity your common banana will NOT be commercially viable in as little as 10 years and most definitely by 20. LOL, even wiki shows pictures of banana bundles on the vine soaking in pesticide impregnated bags.
Also on a side note Bananas are going to be a thing of the past unless they figure out how to make frankenstein new varieties, which they havent been able to as of yet. Unethical and shortsighted exploitation of the plant, just like the earth, has already put an expiration date on the species itself.
potassium?? serotonin?? microscopic quantities that the banana industry pushes to get idiots like half of you into believing you’re being healthy.
And that ramble is literally not even the half of what ANY of you can dig up by doing a little research on bananas.
Dolts. Wake up.
and yes thats my real email in case any industry plant wants to pay me to shutup
DO SOME RESEARCH AND ENOUGH OF THIS MISIFNORMATION! every single thing I just said is common knowledge and absolute fact.
Velocet | Jan 8, 2010 | Reply
does banana have any health benefit in relation to prosttate cancer?
seth larbi | Jan 31, 2010 | Reply
You are an idiot. The benefits of daily consumption of bananas have been documented and still is being documented. The sugars contained are all natural. Doctors will tell you it is a very good heart fruit.
Uga Simpson | Feb 4, 2010 | Reply