Bananas have always been a popular healthy snack option, packed with loads of nutrients and vitamins. Some research suggests that bananas affect the human body when you eat them every day. Although, it’s best to remind yourself not to go overboard, as there is always a limit to everything before they begin to become harmful to your health, even bananas. Ideally, it would help if you only stuck to eating one to three bananas a day.
Listed below are several effects of eating bananas regularly:
Improves Vision
The vitamin A that bananas contain is to thank for improving your vision. As stated by the National Institute of Health, three things happen after ingesting vitamin A: maintaining normal vision, protecting your eyes, and even enhancing your night vision.
Improves Gut Health
Various health problems throughout the body can be due to an unhealthy gut, so you must prioritize working on your microbiome. An excellent method of improving your gut health is by eating bananas. A study review in 2017 by Nutrition Bulletin found that bananas carry resistant starch that boosts the production of short-chain fatty acids necessary for gut health.
Faster to Fall Asleep
Bananas contain an amino acid that causes you to feel sleepy, called tryptophan, which is why consuming a banana before ending your day can get you ready for bed. Aside from tryptophan, bananas also contain potassium and magnesium, which work as muscle relaxants to ease you into sleep.
Potential Weight Loss
Eating bananas every day can help the number on your scale start to go down. Weight loss occurs due to the fiber-rich nature and protein of bananas, which will have you feeling full for a longer time and gradually less likely to get a snack.
Increases Energy Levels
Bananas are the perfect snack to jumpstart your day. They especially make an excellent pre-or post-workout snack. Regularly eating a banana will save you from feeling tired throughout your day and enhance your athletic performance. For example, in 20212, a PLOS One study found a direct association between consuming a banana and increased energy levels in male athletes who compete in long-distance cycling races. Meaning, keeping a banana inside your bag to snack on later will give you that much-needed boost.
Memory Enhancement
According to the BCC, eating bananas can even improve your memory. Since it’s rich in B vitamins, bananas can boost memory function and protect the brain. In addition, studies have found that students who consume bananas have better performance on their exams and learn more efficiently.
Improves Skin Condition
We’re always looking for different ways of improving the health of our skins, and apparently, bananas are a great help. The vitamins and minerals that bananas contain, manganese, in particular, work to increase collagen levels and subsequently repair your damaged skin. So everything from dry skin to wrinkles to acne can start clearing as soon as you’re done eating your banana.
Lessens the Feelings of Depression
Eating a banana during the morning may be the cause of your happy mood. Once consumed, the tryptophan that bananas contain converts straight into serotonin inside the body. So, what makes you feel less depressed could be serotonin, which enhances your mood and makes you feel better.
Increases Potassium Intake, which in turn, Promotes Heart Health
Potassium’s primary function in the human body is to regulate muscle movement, and the heart is the most significant type of muscle in the body. Taking a nutrient supplement like Balance of Nature may helpyou fill out your nutrient intake on top of the potassium that bananas give you. Since most people don’t typically consume enough potassium in their everyday diet, consuming a banana each day can be imperative in regulating your blood pressure and other heart health factors. Plus, a Healthline study showed that a potassium-rich diet that involves plenty of bananas could lower heart disease risk by 27 percent.
Lowers the Risk of Anemia
As attested by the Cleveland Clinic, anemia affects approximately 30% of the entire population— or 2 billion people worldwide. The symptoms can vary from headaches, fast heartbeat, dizziness, among others. The iron that bananas contain works to increase iron levels and, as a result, counteract the anemia. Among the other iron-rich foods that work to combat iron deficiencies are salmon and black beans.
Lowers the Risk of Kidney Cancer
Kidney cancer is a life-threatening disease that you should avoid. One way to lower the risk of being diagnosed is by consuming bananas because they contain high levels of antioxidant phenolic compounds. Based on a Swedish study, women who consumed four to six bananas every week had diminished their chance of developing kidney cancer in half.
To conclude, bananas are some of the most popular food in the world. They’re rich in essential nutrients but eating more than the recommended serving is more likely to do harm than good. Consuming too much of any single food may result in nutrient deficiencies and weight gain. So, make sure to eat bananas as a part of a balanced diet, which provides your body with the nutrients it needs.