Bananas have long been known to be healthy and beneficial, and this has been further supported by current findings published in science and medical journals.
The Public Library of Science recently published a study that investigated the benefits of bananas to trained athletes. The participants were fourteen professional cyclists who were asked to drink either a carbohydrate drink or consume half a banana, every 15 minutes throughout a 3-hour cycling race. It was discovered that the cycling performance were similar for both groups.
The researchers concluded that bananas can serve as a great substitute for sports drinks, especially with the added benefits that come along with it. Bananas also contain a good amount of potassium, which assists in regulating nerve and muscle function and therefore helps athletes deal with muscle cramps.
According to nutrition expert Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, bananas are a better option than sports drinks, since the latter contains artificial sweeteners while the former boasts a "healthy blend of natural sugars with bonus antioxidants".
Bananas have also been found to boost metabolism. The fruit is a good source of resistant starch, which helps suppress appetite naturally due to its capacity to make you feel full longer. Resistant starch, which is found in carbohydrate-rich foods that assists in slimming you down, is also responsible for allowing the liver to burn fat.
Bananas are also good for blood pressure regulation, as confirmed by The American Heart Association. Consuming larger amounts of potassium result to more elimination of sodium from the body. The minerals found in bananas act as a natural diuretic, said the association. Therefore, the kidneys are more capable to release excess sodium and fluid. This allows for lower blood pressure, which also grants the heart with less workload.
Foods rich in potassium such as bananas can cut the risks of stroke by 21%, lowering the risk of heart disease, said the association.
