When Harry Belafonte sang The Banana Song, he wasn’t the first to sing praises of the humble banana. The fruit – that comes in yellow, green and red varieties – has numerous health benefits, which have been documented and extolled for thousands of years.

Relieves Stress

Bananas are low in salt and rich is potassium. This helps keep the body maintain blood pressure. For this reason, bananas are helpful for people suffering from hypertension and stress. Bananas also have a high Vitamin B content. This helps keep the nervous system calm.

An Energy Source

It is no surprise that athletes prefer to bite into a banana before a game. Though one banana contains only about 100 calories, it contains enough glucose, sucrose and fructose to provide an instant dose of energy. 

Mood Lifter

Eating bananas helps the brain produce a chemical called serotonin. Serotonin helps the brain keep a control on mood problems and depression. Bananas also help improve brain function and keep you alert. So, it’s a good idea to eat at least one banana for breakfast.

Good for your Stomach

Bananas are the best fruit to eat if you have stomach ulcers. The soft nature of the banana ensures you won’t have any trouble eating it. Bananas have a great ability to neutralise acidity. Thus you can say goodbye to heartburn. Just pop a banana every time you feel uneasy. 

Cure for a Hangover

Another great benefit that banana has is that it can cure hangovers in a jiffy. Just make a banana milkshake with honey on the morning after the party. The milkshake will help soothe the stomach, and the milk rehydrates your system. The honey and the banana will help get your blood sugar levels back to normal.

Helps Quit Smoking

If you wish to quit smoking, the best place to start would be a banana. Bananas have a combination of potassium, magnesium, vitamins A1, B6, B12, and Vitamin C that help the body withdraw from nicotine.

Bananas: A Natural Laxative

Bananas are high on fibre, and are an ideal remedy for constipation and an excellent alternative to chemical laxatives.

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