Why are bananas useful?

It is difficult to find an independent food product among fruits and vegetables. Usually they are an addition to the first, second courses, juices and desserts. The benefits and harms of bananas as one of such rare specimens are due to its rich composition and high calorie content. Indeed, 1-2 pieces of this exotic fruit completely satisfy hunger and do not require combination with other products.

Banana: is it a fruit or berry

From a botanical point of view, a banana is a berry that has a dense skin and small seeds inside. The fruits are harvested from a perennial herb, which reaches a height of 5-6 meters and looks like a full-fledged tree. From a culinary point of view, a banana is a fruit that can be eaten fresh, dried, dried and boiled.

This is not a mystery, but the result of centuries of breeding work. The nutritious yellow fruit has been cultivated in the tropics since BC. Today, there are several dozen varieties bred by breeders, and there are almost no wild species left. It is wild bananas that most of all look like berries, as they have full-fledged large seeds inside. Cultivated varieties have almost no seeds, and their skin is much thinner.

Banana composition

Fruit is always recommended to be included in the diet of patients with cardiovascular diseases. It's all about the high content of potassium and magnesium - macronutrients that support the work of the heart muscle and vascular tone. Two fruits a day fully cover the daily requirement for potassium and ¾ the need for magnesium. A regular banana diet helps in the prevention and treatment of CVD.

In addition to these elements, the fruit contains:

• phosphorus;
• sodium;
• iron;
• calcium;
• fluorine;
• zinc;
• selenium;
• manganese.

The fruit is 80% water. The remaining 20% ​​are micro and macro elements, vitamins, starch, polysaccharides. It contains a lot of dietary fiber, organic and fatty acids. There is ash.

How many calories are in a banana

Banana is considered one of the most nutritious plant foods. The calorie content of a banana without a peel per 100 g is 95-96 kcal. Of these, the bulk is carbohydrates and proteins. It contains the least amount of fat.

One average specimen weighs about 70-75 g, which means that its calorie content is 68-72 kcal. The calorie content of dried bananas is 380-390 kcal, so their consumption is controlled.

What vitamins are contained in banana

In terms of the content of vitamins, banana has a high concentration of carotene and choline (vitamin A and B4, respectively). Other biologically active components of the composition:

• vitamin C;
• vitamins B1, B2, B6, B9, B5;
• alpha-tocopherol (E);
• vitamin K;
• niacin;
• vitamin PP.

Such a variety of vitamin composition makes the fruit useful for maintaining the functioning of all internal systems - from immunity to reproductive organs.

Banana health benefits

The consistency of the pulp and the minimum content of irritating organic acids make the fruit useful for diseases of the digestive system. It does not irritate the gastric mucosa, has a mild laxative and enveloping effect. Therefore, fasting bananas are allowed.

The content of micro- and macroelements, as well as vitamins allows it to be included in the diet of patients who are weakened by long-term illnesses or operations, all who suffer from vitamin deficiency or poor digestibility of food.

Useful properties of fruits:

• maintain the level of hemoglobin by normalizing the absorption of iron and the formation of erythrocytes;
• strengthen immunity by enhancing the immune response to the action of pathogens and viruses;
• strengthen the nervous system (B vitamins);
• maintain youthful skin, hair and nails (vitamins, antioxidants, micro- and macroelements);
• normalize blood pressure, strengthen the heart;
• stimulate the production of the hormone of happiness;
• restore strength, improve memory and concentration;
• improve intestinal peristalsis, eliminate constipation, relieve hemorrhoids;
• improve the adaptive abilities of the body.

Vitamin K and calcium have a positive effect on the condition of bone tissue and prevent bone fragility.

The benefits of bananas for breakfast are to stimulate digestion and eliminate hunger for a long time. Dietary fiber and starch take a long time to digest, but at the same time they do not give a feeling of heaviness in the stomach.

The benefits of bananas for men

For good physical and emotional health, an adult man can eat 3-4 ripe fruits a day. This is the prevention of hypertension, heart disease, atherosclerosis. Fruit, when consumed daily, enhances brain activity and increases performance and physical endurance.

The fruits are useful for potency, especially for men after 45-50 years. The components of the composition stimulate spermatogenesis and improve sperm quality. The probability of successful fertilization of the egg increases significantly.

Why bananas are good for women

For women's health, the fruit is useful primarily as a rich source of beauty vitamins and antioxidants. Eating them regularly improves skin condition, prevents hair loss and brittle nails. Anemia, which often affects women, is also corrected by a banana diet. With pronounced premenstrual syndrome, the fruit helps to relieve spasms of smooth muscles. Thanks to this, the woman does not need to take painkillers.

In addition, the fruit improves mood, calms the nerves, balances emotions. For activity and tone you can eat 1-2 fruits per day. In addition to being consumed internally, banana pulp is used to make nourishing, soothing and cleansing masks for the face and hair.

Can bananas be used for breastfeeding and pregnancy

Bananas are good for pregnant women and nursing mothers. They maintain a high level of vitamins and minerals in the body, rarely cause allergies, and improve digestion. During pregnancy, which proceeds with tissue edema, the fruit is especially valuable, as it has a mild diuretic and decongestant effect. In addition to removing excess fluid, bananas help to cleanse the body of salts.

If a woman suffers from toxicosis, 2 bananas a day will help cope with bouts of nausea and normalize the stomach. In addition, the fruit contributes to the maintenance of pregnancy by stimulating the production of special hormones.

When breastfeeding, bananas also have no contraindications. A child rarely has diathesis from this fruit or tummy problems. On the contrary, the stool becomes regular. Bananas have a minimum list of contraindications for pregnant and lactating women:

• thrombophlebitis and varicose veins;
• diabetes;
• individual intolerance;
• high levels of stomach acidity.

Otherwise, ripe fruits have a positive effect on the health and well-being of mothers and children.

Bananas for children

The fruit is useful for children of all ages in the absence of individual intolerance and allergies. It is a natural source of energy and vitamins for physical and mental development. For long walks in the fresh air, a banana is considered the best snack, as it is well absorbed by the child's digestive system, gives a lot of energy for games and satisfies hunger. If you combine the fruit with fermented milk products, you can make up for the lack of calcium in the body, get rid of anemia, and strengthen the immune system. Ripe yellow fruits are shown to children.

From how many months can bananas be given to a child

As a complementary food, banana puree is offered to children from 6-7 months. The first fruit they taste is an apple. First, the baby is offered 1 tsp. mashed potatoes, then 1 tbsp. l. By the end of the first year of life, the baby eats 1 banana without pre-puréing.

In addition to its useful vitamin and mineral composition, banana is valued for other reasons. It helps the child to develop chewing skills, massages the gums, relieves teething conditions.

Are bananas good for weight loss?

Despite the high calorie content and sweetness of the fruit, it is useful for losing weight. Banana contains a special type of starch that takes a long time to digest, which means it keeps you feeling full for several hours.

While on a diet, you need to consume a banana to saturate the diet with vitamins and minerals. In conditions of a meager set of permitted products, this is very important. In terms of weight loss, the fruit is valued for its ability to improve digestive function and make stools regular. This is important for metabolic problems and constipation.

You can eat bananas in the evening while losing weight, so that the excruciating feeling of hunger does not interfere with restful sleep. But it is better to eat fresh ripe fruit in the morning, both independently and in combination with cottage cheese or kefir. This is a healthy full breakfast for a losing weight person.

Features of the use of bananas for various diseases

In general, the fetus does not have many contraindications, but in the presence of certain chronic diseases, it should be eaten either in limited quantities or subjected to heat treatment.

With diabetes mellitus

Banana is not included in the group of contraindicated foods, but it must be used with caution. The riper the fruit, the more sugar it contains, and this indicator needs to be monitored for every diabetic. Banana can be eaten when blood glucose levels drop sharply. It will help relieve tremors, irritability and nervousness.

Diabetics should not combine bananas with other foods, especially desserts. It is better to eat fresh, baked or dried fruit than a serving of ice cream with it.

With gastritis and stomach ulcers

With such diseases, bananas are not only useful, but indicated for consumption for medicinal purposes. The composition of the fruit contains special mucus that envelops the walls of the stomach, prevents their irritation and normalizes the local microflora.

With low or high acidity, bananas are recommended to be consumed only 40 minutes before a full meal. In this case, there is no increased gas formation and heaviness in the stomach.

With an ulcer, bananas contribute to the destruction of the Helicobacter bacteria, which provokes the appearance of erosion.Therefore, they consume the fruit evenly 3-4 times throughout the day.

With pancreatitis

With this disease, diet is very important. The slightest deviation from the rules of the diet leads to an aggravation. With chronic pancreatitis, it is allowed to consume 1 banana per day, pureed or in combination with kefir, yogurt or yogurt. Boiled banana and baked banana are very useful, the digestion of which requires less strength, energy and enzymes.

The use of bananas in traditional medicine

The health benefits and harms of bananas are also appreciated by traditional medicine. The fruit is actively used as an internal and external treatment. So, for leg ulcers with diabetes, gruel from unripe fruits is used. The composition is applied to cracks and ulcers at night. Traditional medicine recommends drinking juice for dysentery and gastric bleeding.

Other diseases for which bananas are a cure:

• gluten allergy;
• stomatitis;
• urolithiasis, nephritis;
• hypertension;
• atherosclerosis;
• constipation in children;
• bronchitis.

Cough banana

It is a good anti-inflammatory, analgesic and expectorant agent for children and adults. The rubbed pulp of the fruit softens the irritated mucous membrane of the throat, envelops and eliminates a dry, tearful cough.

For bronchitis with a strong cough, the following fruit recipe is useful:

• mash 1 banana with a fork;
• boil 200 ml of water, add banana, stir;
• add 1 tbsp to the warm infusion. l. honey.

Children are given 1 dessert spoon 30 minutes before meals 4 times a day for 1 week. Adults can take 1 tbsp. l. 3-4 times a day. The effect is observed on the second day of treatment.

Banana face and hair masks

Banana in any cosmetic mask acts as a softening and nourishing component. The fruit is suitable for dry, sensitive and flabby skin, helps relieve inflammation, cleanse and rejuvenate the epidermis. Here are several options for combining the fruit with other ingredients for application to the skin of the face, banana and:

• cream;
• oat flour, cosmetic oil (peach, coconut);
• kefir, black bread crumb;
• aloe juice.

The fruit is always chopped with a fork or blender into a homogeneous gruel and other ingredients are added. The mask can be done 2-3 times a week. The riper the fruit, the healthier it is for the skin.

Banana is effective for restoring damaged and weakened hair, improves the condition of split ends, and evens out the structure. Traditionally, masks use the pulp of a fruit with egg yolk and olive oil. This mask additionally soothes the scalp and cleanses well.

To heal light dry curls, combine lemon juice with the pulp of a ripe fruit and natural yogurt. The mask is applied for 1 hour. For dry ends, prepare gruel from ripe fruit with any cosmetic or vegetable oil. Apply only to split ends for 1-1.5 hours.

The benefits of dried and sun-dried bananas

Dried and sun-dried fruits are an energetic natural product. It is a source of energy for the whole day, so it is suitable as a component of breakfast or as a quick and healthy snack between meals. These fruits are especially rich in potassium, which is important for cores and owners of dry skin prone to irritation.

You can combine dried or dried fruit with oatmeal for a nutritious breakfast for kids and adults alike.

Dried fruit is useful for digestive problems, as it contains many fibrous structures that improve intestinal motility. With a hungry stomach ulcer, this is a great snack.

Which bananas are healthier: green or yellow

It is clear that ripe fruits are tastier, but which ones are healthier? The vitamin composition of both is about the same. But the mineral is slightly different. So, in green fruits there is more potassium and sodium, and in mature fruits there is more magnesium and zinc. Therefore, green bananas are recommended for edema, fluid retention in the body, to remove salts and improve the functioning of the excretory system in case of urolithiasis.

Ripe fruit is valuable for cardiovascular diseases, gastritis, ulcers. Ripe fruit is also suitable for a quick rise in blood sugar. In folk medicine, for the treatment of ulcers, only a mature fruit is used, rich in enveloping mucus, which relieves inflammation and irritation of the mucous membrane.

Benefits and uses of banana peel

The chemical composition of a banana peel is almost identical to its pulp. It contains a similar range of minerals and vitamins. That is why the benefits of banana peel for humans are no less than the fruit itself. Use it for:

• cleansing and nourishing the skin of the face, it is enough to wipe the face with the inside of the peel 2 times a week;
• decoction of the peel can be added to juices and smoothies to increase their fortification;
• rubbing the enamel of the teeth with a peel, you can whiten it, strengthen the gums and prevent the development of caries.

Banana peel for bruising is also effective. You need to apply a piece to the skin for 15-20 minutes. The compress will relieve swelling and help tissue regeneration. Similarly, they fight warts. Only put the compress overnight until the build-up disappears.

Can banana peels be eaten? It is desirable because it contains difficult-to-digest plant fibers that can irritate the stomach. In boiled form, it is also not used as a food product. Only a decoction is useful, which, after boiling, is insisted for 10 minutes.

Indoor banana peels are a source of beneficial minerals for growth and development. To prepare a valuable fertilizer, the skin of the fruit is poured with warm water and insisted for 2-3 days in room conditions. Later, the infusion is diluted with water 1: 1 and the plants are watered. When transplanting indoor flowers, you can put a piece of banana skin on the bottom of the pot. It is a valuable source of potassium for lush and long-lasting flowering.
What can be made from bananas

Here is a list of delicious and healthy banana dishes prepared around the world:

• mashed potatoes;
• cheesecakes, donuts, cookies, pie;
• smoothies, juice;
• fried bananas with jalapeno peppers;
• liquor;
• baked bananas with cream cheese;
• jam with orange.

In addition, healthy fruit is added to various desserts, sauces, creams, they are baked in sour cream, boiled, caramelized.

The benefits of banana with milk and kefir

Kefir and bananas are two foods from the diet of a losing weight person that contribute to rapid weight loss and normalization of digestion. To lose a few pounds in 4 days, follow these rules:

• eat 3 bananas a day;
• drink 3 glasses of low-fat kefir;
• bring the volume of liquid to 2 liters using herbal tea.

Such a monotonous diet allows you to cleanse the intestines, remove excess fluid and reduce the volume of the abdomen. Calorie restriction stimulates fat burning.

Bananas with milk, on the other hand, are good for weight gain. It is a source of protein and carbohydrates. Usually, to build muscle mass, cocktails are made from grated fruits and milk. In a glass of such a drink there are about 150-160 kcal.

Why is banana with cottage cheese useful?

This is a useful hypoallergenic food set for children and adults. Combining cottage cheese with banana, you get desserts rich in calcium and proteins. The fatter the cottage cheese, the more high-calorie the dish is. This is important for weight gain in babies and athletes.

In case of problems with the musculoskeletal system, poor posture, scoliosis, such a set of products is indicated for use at 100-200 g per day, depending on age. Supplement treatment with vitamin D and sunbathing.

Can I eat bananas at night

It is both possible and impossible. If a person is on a banana-kefir diet, then it is possible, and if he uses a different method of losing weight, then any excess calorie will interfere with active weight loss. For a healthy person who does not have serious weight problems, bananas before bed are even indicated. The fruit contains substances that stimulate the production of the hormone of sleep and happiness. 1 ripe fruit in the evening helps relieve gastritis pain.

With diabetes and obesity, it is undesirable to eat fruit in the afternoon. By the evening, it can cause a jump in blood sugar and additionally increase the calorie content of the daily diet.

How many bananas can you eat per day

A healthy person with no overweight problems can eat 2 to 4 healthy fruits per day. This covers 50-60% of the need for potassium, magnesium, B vitamins. In case of bloating, flatulence, weak digestive function, it is enough to eat 1 banana to replenish the lack of nutrients and not burden the stomach.

Bananas are high in calories and contain a lot of dietary fiber, which takes a long time to digest. This is another reason to adhere to the recommendations of experts. The question of how much is there is closely related to the question of how to do it correctly. The fruit is eaten 40 minutes before meals or 1 hour after. They are boldly substituted for lunch or afternoon tea.

How to choose and store bananas

Everything is simple here. A delicious banana has a smooth yellow skin with no signs of damage, mold or rot. Small brown spots are also a sign of ripeness, but there should not be many of them. Overripe bananas have brown skin and darkened flesh. In consistency, it is soft, loose, like porridge.

If a green unripe fruit is bought in a store, it is stored in room conditions for ripening. If the banana needs to be stored longer, the optimum storage temperature is + 15 ° C. The fruit can be placed in a plastic bag. There is also an alternative here - these are frozen bananas. Such a blank is used in order to always have an ingredient for fillings in pies at hand in the future. Smoothies, mashed potatoes, ice cream are prepared from frozen fruit. You can freeze the whole fruit, with or without skin, pieces, slices, and even puree.

The harm of bananas and contraindications

Despite its rich composition and beneficial properties, the fruit can harm human health and well-being. This happens in the presence of diseases such as:

• varicose veins, thrombophlebitis;
• obesity;
• irritable bowel syndrome;
• coronary heart disease.

This is due to the ability of the components of a healthy fruit to thicken the blood and remove fluid from the body. The fruit can be harmful when overeating. In this case, the development of flatulence and diarrhea is likely.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of bananas are individual for each person. But this is one of the few tropical fruits that is appreciated all over the world and is included in the diet of children under one year old. We must not forget about the positive effect of the fetus on the main human organ - the heart. A healthy banana should be included in the daily diet to prevent many diseases and maintain the tone of the whole body.