5 Amazing Health Benefits of Bananas
Knowledge is power – and understanding what you are eating and the nutritional benefits of what goes in your mouth, is so important! Bananas are one of my absolute favorite post workout snacks for so many reasons. They are easy to grab and toss in a gym bag, packed with healthy vitamins and minerals, and are great to replenish glycogen stores after a tough sweat session.
Bananas are available year round, continue to ripen after they are picked, and are a very affordable fruit. Below are the top 5 amazing health benefits of bananas:
1. Vitamin and Mineral Overload
Bananas are packed with potassium, magnesium, vitamin A and vitamin C just to name a few. Add bananas into your daily diet for a healthy snack that can help get you your daily recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals. People with a potassium rich diet are also at a lower risk for heart disease, stroke and kidney stones.
2. Naturally Free of Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium
This amazing fruit is naturally free of fat, cholesterol and sodium, making it a great choice for anyone with high blood pressure or heart disease. So many of the foods we eat today are packed with sodium, which can lead to bloating and high blood pressure. Bananas are a great alternative to other high sodium snacks and still taste amazing.
3. Bananas Boost Your Mood
Bananas contain tryptophan, an amino acid that studies have shown to boost mood by increasing serotonin levels in the brain. So basically bananas are good for you…and make you feel good! Definitely a double win.
4. Fabulous Fiber
Bananas are a great way to add fiber into your diet as well. Bananas contain on average 3g of fiber, and 1/3 of that is soluble fiber which is associated with decrease risk of heart disease. Keep your digestion system running strong by eating bananas and other fiber rich foods.
5. Perfect for Athletic Performance
Some studies have shown that eating a banana during high endurance events has the same benefit as a processed sports drink. Bananas are also valued by athletes due to their high potassium content that helps prevent muscle cramps. Also, because bananas are a healthy carb rich food they are great for replenishing glycogen stores after a tough workout.
In addition to eating bananas raw they are delicious in recipes, smoothies, on top of yogurt and topped with peanut butter. Leave me a comment below with your favorite way to eat a banana!