Something about bananas makes people laugh. We talk about "going bananas" and "slipping on banana peels." You would think that these yellow-skinned beauties were made for the comedy club.
But here's something that you'll want to take seriously. Studies have shown that the fruit beneath that slippery skin can do wonders for our health. Bananas may help prevent conditions ranging from heart attack and stroke to high blood pressure and infection. They can even help heal ulcers.
Bananas for the heart
• If the needle on the blood pressure cuff has been inching up in recent years, it may be time for a tropical vacation. If the sun and surf don't bring your pressure down, the bananas sure will.
• Bananas are one of nature's best sources of potassium, with each fruit providing about 396 milligrams, 11 percent of the Daily Value (DV) of this essential mineral. Study after study shows that people who eat foods rich in potassium have a significantly lower risk of high blood pressure and related diseases like heart attack and stroke.
• Even if you already have high blood pressure, eating plenty of bananas may significantly reduce or even eliminate your need for blood pressure medication, according to scientists at the University of Naples in Italy. Researchers believe that one of the ways that bananas keep blood pressure down is by helping to prevent plaque from sticking to artery walls. They do this by keeping the "bad" low- density lipoprotein cholesterol from oxidizing, a chemical process that makes it more likely to accumulate. That's why bananas may be a good defense against atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, another contributor to high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.
Stomach Relief
• Though more research needs to be done, bananas may replace antacids in your medicine cabinet as an effective way to quell the inner flames of heartburn and indigestion. Although experts don't know why they work, bananas seem to act as a natural antacid.
• In addition, bananas may be helpful for preventing and treating ulcers. There have been a few studies showing that bananas may have a protective effect in ulcer treatment," says William Ruderman, M.D., a gastroenterologist in private practice in Orlando, Florida.
• Scientists suspect that bananas may guard against stomach damage in two ways. First, a chemical in bananas called protease inhibitor appears to be able to kill 0ff harmful, ulcer-causing bacteria before they do their dirty work. Second, bananas seem to stimulate the production of protective mucus, the layer chat helps prevent harsh acids from coming into contact with the tender stomach lining.
• Bananas are a very good source of electrolytes, like potassium, which you lose when you become dehydrated. Electrolytes are minerals that turn into electrically charged particles in the body, helping w control almost everything that happens inside, from muscle contractions and fluid balance to the beating of the heart.
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