Bananas are amazing fruits and have a variety of benefits for men’s health. They can be effectively used to assist with issues of constipation, weight gain, weight loss, and more. Bananas are also delicious, providing a soft, unique flavor that can accentuate a variety of foods and drinks.

Nutritional Value of Bananas

Bananas are full of nutritional value that aid in healthy living. Check out the following list of banana nutritional benefits.

Vitamins: Bananas are a source of key vitamins such as Vitamin A (3% DV), Vitamin C (33% DV), and Vitamin B6 (41% DV), making them essential in maintaining a strong immune system.

Minerals: Key minerals contained in a serving of banana are Potassium (23% DV), Magnesium (15% DV), Folate (11% DV), Riboflavin (10% DV), Niacin (7% DV), Thiamin (5% DV), and Iron (3% DV).

Protein: Approximately 2-4% of your required daily calorie intake is derived from protein. Proteins are digested quickly. Since bananas are a low source of protein, they provide instant hunger gratification, but leave you hungry again soon (good for weight gain).

Carbohydrates: Bananas are high in carbohydrates. However, the carbs in a banana provide instant energy without being stored as fat in the body (good for weight loss).

Fat: The banana is also a low fat fruit with only 1-3% of its total amount of calories coming from fat. Therefore, bananas are good to include in a weight loss diet.

Fiber: This yellow fruit is rich in dietary fiber (16% DV), which makes it a good fitness food.

Health Benefits of Bananas

Heart and Nerves: The high dosage of potassium in bananas means a healthier heart and nervous system. Potassium aids muscle contraction. Therefore, it benefits the beating of the heart, digestion, and other muscular movements. This is why it’s a good pre and post-workout snack.

Kidneys and Bones: Rich potassium levels also contribute to healthy kidney function and bone development. This is due to the potassium suppressing calcium loss through the urine, thereby allowing your body to absorb more of the bone-building mineral.

Blood and Immune System: The high content of Vitamin B6 supplies the body with fresh hemoglobin, a key blood ingredient. B6 also works to maintain healthy blood sugar levels by converting carbohydrates into glucose. The abundance of B6 in bananas also helps the body produce antibodies that are effectively used by the immune system to fight disease.

Mood Enhancer: A medium-sized banana contains approximately 10.6 mg of the amino acid tryptophan, a key protein building block. Tryptophan is also a big player in the production of serotonin, which acts as a mild sedative, producing a calming sensation in the brain.

Ways to Consume Bananas

There are a number of ways to include the use of bananas in a nutritional diet.

Raw Snack: Of course, a banana can be eaten as a breakfast snack, pre-workout snack, post-workout snack, or anytime snack.

Milk Shake: Include a banana in your morning smoothie or post-workout protein shake.

Salad: Add a sliced banana to a healthy lettuce salad or to a super healthy fruit salad containing apples, strawberries, oranges, and blueberries.

Bread: Banana bread is a tasty way to use and enjoy those overly ripened bananas. Add walnuts for an extra nutritional kick.