Food

Bananas: a healthy herb or a horrible poison? Nutritionist answers

How the banana “conquered” the world

The banana is a grass, not a tree. The plant reaches an average of three to four meters in two years and yields up to 500 bananas during that time. Then the trunk is cut off and young shoots grow in its place.

About 85% of all bananas on the world market come from Latin America and the Caribbean.

 

In India, bananas were already known before our era – this product is as old as rice. However, in Europe they appeared only in the XX century – when they launched cargo ships “bananovozy” with shelves, where the right temperature of about 12 degrees is maintained. If it decreased to ten degrees, the ripening process would be disrupted.

 

What are bananas good for?

Bananas are a source of potassium (about 350 milligrams per 100 grams), which is necessary for muscle and heart function. An adult needs two to four grams of this trace element per day. If a child lacks potassium, dystrophy may develop (to prevent this, 16-30 milligrams per kilogram of weight per day).

A banana contains magnesium (42 milligrams per 100 grams), which is responsible for more than 300 chemical reactions in the body, such as stable blood sugar levels and a normal heart rhythm.

Banana contains tryptophan: it is an amino acid that is converted in the body into the joy hormone “serotonin. “Serotonin is responsible not only for mood, but also for sleep, appetite, the way the blood clots,”.

What vitamins are in a banana? Banana is a treasure trove of C (in 100 grams 12% of the daily requirement), which works for the immune system, allows the absorption of iron and is responsible for healthy skin. It is high in vitamin B6, or pyridoxine (20% of the daily requirement of 100 grams), needed for normal nervous system function.

The calories of bananas

The weight of a banana without peel is on average 150 grams. An unripe fruit contains about 120 calories, and an overripe one contains about 180 calories. The carbohydrates in a banana, and therefore its calories, increase dramatically as it ripens: while a green banana has a lot of starch, a yellow one has a lot of sugar.

One banana provides the energy for an hour of strength training or hard physical work. If the fruit is dried, the caloric value of the banana increases fivefold.

 

How they are used medicinally

Bananas are suitable for those with gastritis: they reduce stomach acidity and do not cause heartburn. Hypoallergenic, so they can be used as a supplement for children. “The fruit contains pectin and fiber and therefore improves digestion, but only on one condition – if you eat no more than two bananas a day,” says the nutritionist.

 

How they are used in cooking

Banana muffins, cookies, pudding, finally, banana in chocolate is known to all. “However, the benefits of the banana will be maximum in a smoothie. For example, you can mix its pulp with milk (it is also rich in tryptophan and has a positive effect on the mood), pineapple. A good option for breakfast would be oatmeal or semolina with banana,” recommends the nutritionist.

 

For whom are bananas dangerous?

Green unripe bananas contain a lot of sodium and thus can act as a diuretic. “The ripe ones have a laxative effect, so during intestinal disorders or GI diseases in the acute stage, bananas are likely to be harmful. They can cause bloating or flatulence,”.