Health Benefits of Banana (Kela)

About Banana/Kela

Banana or kela is the most edible fruit in India which can be found in every season of the year. It is very energetic and safe to eat fruit which can be eaten anytime. There is no fear of infection or headache to wash it. It is produced by plants of Musa genus. It is variable size fruit with soft flesh and rich in the starch wrapped with the colored coverings like yellow, green, red or brown.

Banana is a parthenocarpic fruit means a seedless fruit which is liked by the people of all ages. It is very delicious, cheap and one of the great staple fruit of India. It is the most eaten fruit by the people because of its variety of health and nutritional benefits. Adding the banana in your daily diet helps to maintain your body organs functioning very well. Keep a bunch of bananas on your desk at work and replenish your stock each week. It works as good snacks in between the diets.

Banana

Benefits of Banana/Kela

Banana is a fruit generally loved by all (kids, men women or old). It is very cheap and delicious fruit found in almost every season in abundant amount in the India. It is a wholesome fruit having lots of nutritional health benefits which are mentioned below:

Benefits of Banana for Heart

Normalizes Heart Functioning

• Adding a banana to daily breakfast helps in normal heart functioning because of its richness in the potassium electrolyte and high fibre content.

Regularizes Heart Beat

• Potassium gets absorbed directly into the bloodstream from the intestinal walls which maintain the fluid balance and electricity flow to make heart beat regular.

Maintains Blood Pressure

• It is a good source of electrolytes like potassium and magnesium which helps to maintain the normal blood pressure and heart functioning.

Rich Source of Potassium

• A banana a day helps in preventing the high blood pressure and protects atherosclerosis as it provides 467 mg potassium and 1 mg sodium.

Reduces Risk of Stroke

• It lessens the risk of stroke in a person because of the presence of good amount of electrolytes like potassium and magnesium.

Reduces Bad Cholesterol

• Its water soluble fibre known as pectin, psyllium, guar gum and beta-glucan helps in reducing the cholesterol levels means the LDL Cholesterol (also known as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) and regularizes heart functioning.

Benefits of Banana for Eyes

Maintains Eye Health

• It helps to maintain the normal eye functioning because of the presence of vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin, which is very necessary for eye health and normal vision.

Rich Source of Vitamin A

• Vitamin A includes beta-carotene and alpha-carotene which prevents the eye membranes.
• Women and men require 700 micrograms and 900 micrograms Vitamin A respectively. A full size banana has approximately 10 micrograms of the vitamin A.

Reduces Risk of Night Blindness

• Daily intake of banana lessens the chance of night blindness.

Reduces Puffiness of Eyes

• As being the rich source of potassium, it helps in reducing the puffiness of eyes immediately. Apply mashed banana on the eyes for 15 min.

Benefits of Banana for Digestive System

Prevents from Stomach Ulcer

• It has an antacid effect on the stomach and prevents the stomach from ulcers.

Reduces Risk of Bowel Cancer

• It has a protease inhibitor compound which prevents stomach from unfriendly bacteria causing a lot of disturbances in the stomach or gastrointestinal tracts as well as lessens the risk of colon or bowel cancer.

Prevents from Stomach Acid

• It helps in stimulating the cell proliferation and thickens the mucosa of stomach which works as a barrier adjacent to the stomach acids.

Prevents from Dehydration during Diarrhea

• It helps in restoring the loss of potassium during diarrhea (as it dehydrates the body and lessens the electrolytes).

Relieves Constipation and Promotes Healthy Digestion

• It helps in relieving constipation and promotes healthy digestion because of its richness in the soluble fiber pectin known as hydro-colloid.

Stimulates Growth of Intestinal Friendly Bacteria

• It helps in stimulating the growth the intestinal friendly bacteria as well as produce digestive enzymes (increase nutrients absorption) because of its richness in fructooligosaccharides (acts as a prebiotic).

Improves Nutrients Absorption

• Banana is a rich source of short chain fatty acids which are required by the intestinal tract’s cells lining to stay healthy as well as improve nutrients absorption.

Reduces Heart Burn

• Eating banana reduces the heart burn because of its natural antacid availability.

Cures Pile

• It helps in curing the piles by normalizing the regular bowel function.

Benefits of Banana for Preventing Early Ageing

Rich Source of Antioxidants

• It is a rich source of antioxidants like carotenoids which works as a protective agent against the chronic disease conditions. It is also a rich source of antioxidant phenolic compounds.

Improves Mood

• Banana has a property of soothing effect and mood improvement as it has tryptophan compound which gets converted to the serotonin and improve mood.

Reduces Depression

• Banana helps to combat with depression (tryptophan converted to serotonin which is a good neurotransmitter and makes brain happy), cures hangovers and morning sickness as well as lessens the risk of diabetes, blindness, osteoporosis and etc.

Boosts Brain Power

• Eating bananas increases the brain power as the availability of potassium in it helps increasing the mental alertness as well as boosts the brain power.

Prevents Ageing

• It prevents ageing because of the presence of health promoting flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants like zea-xanthin, lutein, ß and α-carotenes which acts against the oxygen-derived free radicals.

Induces Sleep

• It induces sleep and provides relief from the insomnia (loss of sleep) if banana is eaten sometimes before the sleep during night as it enhances the production of sleep hormone called melatonin.

Benefits of Banana for Bones

Improves Calcium Absorption

• It improves the ability of the body to absorb more calcium through the several mechanisms.

Build Strong Bones

• By increasing calcium absorption in the body it helps in preventing the macular degeneration and build up strong bones.

Boosts Energy Level

• It is known as an ideal food which can be eaten instantly after any strenuous workout because of the availability of simple sugars which give energy swiftly as well as regularize the level of blood sugar.

Prevents Muscle Cramps

• Eating banana prevents muscle cramps during strenuous workouts and leg cramps during night.

Promotes Bone Health

• It is a high potassium fruit which helps to promote bone health.

Benefits of Banana for Skin

Prevents from Free Radicals and Ageing

• Banana is a good source of vitamin C which produces the collagen (a skin protein) and also works as a strong antioxidant which prevents the body from the attack of free radicals and then ageing. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) also helps in promoting healthy skin.

Relieves Itching and Swelling

• Rubbing the banana peels reduces the itching or swelling of mosquito bites.

Maintains Skin Elasticity

• Eating banana daily nourishes, hydrates, removes wrinkles from the skin as well as maintains the skin elasticity.

Relieves Cracked Heel

• It helps removing the cracks of the heels by applying the mashed pulp in heels and wash with water after 10 min.

Treats Acne and Pimples

• It can treat the acne and pimples. Rub the peel of banana on affected areas and wash with water.

Relieves Skin Irritation

• It helps in relieving itching and irritation caused on the skin due to the bug bite or hives if banana peel is rubbed on the affected site.

Removes Wart

• It helps in removing a wart (a lump on the skin) if small piece of banana peel is placed on the wart for sometime on regular basis.

Treat Skin Psoriasis

• Banana peel is a best home remedy and used to treat skin psoriasis to get moisturized, fresh and healthy look.

Benefits of Banana Diet for Weight Loss

Improves Body Metabolism and Maintains Weight

• Banana is loaded with the natural dietary fibers and carbohydrate which helps in energizing the body and regularizing regular bowel system by enhancing the metabolism thus maintains weight.

Banana Diet Reduces Weight

• Banana Diet: Eating two bananas in the morning and take a glass of milk (at normal temperature, neither hot nor cold) just after half an hour. Repeat the same in the lunch and dinner as well. Do not eat other things for whole day, if feeling more hungry then it can be changed to the lunch only and take two plain and simple onion stuffed roti with a small bowl of salad. And repeat the morning schedule as like in the dinner. Banana diet is very effective for the weight watchers and really shows its positive effects at once. It can be taken alternatively in week or month by ignoring the normal daily routine according to the need and requirement of the person however does not follow this strategy continuously (more than one day).

Benefits of Banana during Pregnancy

Maintains Blood Pressure during Pregnancy

• Bananas are considered as the safe and excellent food for all age group people and can be eaten anytime. It is good source of potassium which keeps blood pressure to the normal level during pregnancy.

Maintains Nervous System Functioning

• It keeps healthy the functioning of nervous system and kidneys if taken regularly.

Improves Red Blood Cells Formation

• Vitamin B6 found in it enhances red blood cells formation and neurotransmitters (serotonin) which keeps mood happy.

Boosts Immune Power

• It is a good antioxidant which makes immunity system powerful thus prevents from various diseases, free radicals and cancer.

Prevents from Constipation and Depression

• It is loaded with the dietary fibers which keeps a pregnant woman away from the constipation and depression.

Benefits of Banana for Women and Men

Relieves Menstrual Pain

• Eating banana reduces the menstrual pains as it is rich in vitamin B6 which helps in blood glucose levels regulation.

Enhances Male Libido

• Banana enhances the male libido and sex hormone production because of being the good source of potassium, magnesium, B vitamins, chelating minerals as well as the bromelain enzyme. It is considered as the symbol of fertility In Hinduism.

Improves Hemoglobin Count

• As it is a good source of iron helps in enhancing blood hemoglobin count thus ease anemia.

Reduces Hunger Pangs

• It is a fat burning food as it reduces the hunger pangs.

Benefits of Banana for Kids

Good Supplement Food

• It works as a good supplement food for the underweight children.

Rich Source of Minerals

• The minerals available in it like copper (required in production of red blood cells), magnesium (essential to strengthen bone), and manganese (works as a co-factor for antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase) works great.

Easy and Safe to Consume

• It is a high calorie, energetic and solid fruit which can be consumed anytime throughout a day.

Increases Weight

• Eating banana with a glass of milk helps in increasing weight among kids as the combination full of natural sugars and milk protein.

Benefits of Banana for Hair

Makes Hair Silky and Smooth

• It helps to get silky and smooth hair (also prevent the breakage of hair) because of being good source of natural oils, potassium, vitamins and carbohydrates.

Makes Hair Soft

• Its richness of potassium, carbohydrates, vitamins and natural oils help in making the hair soft by offering natural elasticity to it.

Prevents Hair Loss

• Regular consumption of banana helps in preventing hair split ends, hair fall and breakage.

Controls Dandruff

• It enhances the regular growth of the hair by controlling dandruff and other hair problems.

Improves Hair Condition

• Using banana mask to the hair helps in improving dull hair condition and provides natural shine.

Other Health Benefits of Banana

Protects from Chronic Diseases

• It is a rich source of provitamin A carotenoids which protects the body against chronic diseases including cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers, diabetes and etc.

Promotes Kidney Health

• A regular intake of banana helps in promoting the kidney health, preventing kidney diseases as well as lessens the risk of kidney cancer.

Rich Source of Vitamin B-6

• It reduces swelling, protects from type II diabetes, strengthens the nervous system, helps in weight loss and increases white blood cells production because of the high levels of vitamin B-6.

Rich Source of B-Group Vitamins

• It speedily recovers the body from the withdrawal effects of quitting smoking because of the presence of high levels of B-vitamins (B6 and B12), magnesium and potassium which helps in reducing nicotine.

Packed with Nutrients and Minerals

• It is packed with the nutrients and minerals which can be given to a person suffering from extreme fever and weakness.

Prevents Urinary Calcium Loss

• It prevents the urinary calcium loss because of the increased urine potassium ion levels.

Gives Instant Shine

• It gives instant and quick shine if banana peel (inside) is rubbed to the leather shoes or handbag and wipe with dry cloth.

Nutritional Benefits of Banana per 100 g

(Source: USDA Nutrient Database)

An average size of banana has approximately 120 grams of weight.

Energy: 90 calorie

Sugar: 12.23 g

Dietary fiber: 2.6 g

Carbohydrates: 22.84 g

Fat: 0.33 g

Protein: 1.09 g

Vitamins

Thiamine or vitamin B1: 0.031 mg

Riboflavin or vitamin B2: 0.073 mg

Niacin or vitamin B3: 0.665 mg

Pantothenic acid or vitamin B5: 0.334 mg

Vitamin B6: 0.4 mg

Vitamin C: 8.7 mg

Pyridoxine: 0.367 mg

Vitamin E: 0.10 mg

Vitamin K: 0.5 µg

Vitamin A: 64 IU

Iron: 0.26 mg

Folates or vitamin B9: 20 μg

Choline: 9.8 mg

Electrolytes

Potassium: 358 mg

Sodium: 1 mg

Minerals

Magnesium: 27 mg

Manganese: 0.27 mg

Phosphorus: 22 mg

Zinc: 0.15 mg

Fluoride: 2.2 µg

Calcium: 5 mg

Copper: 0.078 mg

Selenium: 1.0 µg

Phyto Nutrients

Alpha carotene: 25 µg

Beta carotene: 26 µg

Lutein-zeaxanthin: 22 µg

How to Select and Store

Banana is available in the market all through the year however it is available at cheap price during the starting of winter season. Always select bright yellowish green banana, intact skin, bunch of banana, fresh and heavy banana. Avoid buying bananas with bruised skin, cut, wrinkled, black skin and too soft as they may infected and cause various health disorders. Fresh banana can be stored at room temperature for 3-4 days if placed at cool and dry place.

How to Enjoy

It can be enjoyed in many ways such as well ripe banana, banana pulp with milk, milksake, smoothie, sliced, mixed fruit salad, fruit cream and etc. Unripe banana can be enjoyed as a cooked vegetable and chips. Well ripe banana can be added to the malpua, sweet pakaude, halwa and etc recipes.

Precautions, Side Effects and Disadvantages of Banana

• Eating a lot of bananas can lead a person towards early end. It is very true that potassium (which is found in the banana in plenty amount) is very important for our body organs well functioning but it is also true that taking potassium more than the requirement of our body need may lead our body towards damage of heart as well as cardiac arrest. Increased potassium level in the bloodstream causes hyperkalemia which may lead to the cardiac arrest.
• Daily requirement of the potassium in the human body is 4800mgs whereas a banana gives us about 400mgs of potassium (necessary for well functioning of cells, organs, tissues, conduct electricity, skeletal and smooth muscle contraction, normal digestion and etc). Another condition is hypokalemia (low potassium level in the blood) may lead to severe illness and discomfort.
• Consuming more bananas a day can cause headaches because of the availability of blood vessels dilating and blood flow elevating (in brain) amino acids in the banana named tyramine and phenyethyamine.
• Tryptophan one of the amino acids found in banana cause sleepiness while change to the seratonin. Magnesium available in bananas causes muscles relaxation effect and then sleepiness.
• As banana is the rich source of vitamin B6, overdose of the vitamin B6 cause toxic effect on the nerves which lead the damage of nerves as well as numb extremities.

How Many Bananas to Eat Per Day

Banana is the everyone’s favorite fruit, however it should be eaten in moderation. An average number of banana which can be eaten daily are two or three which are sufficient to offer the daily nutritional requirement of the potassium and other required vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. While eating more bananas a day it should be taken care that increased potassium level in the bloodstream leads to a rapid and elevated rate of the heart.