This Delicious Fruit Can Help With Your Digestive Issues
Bananas are a gift of nature. They’re
delicious, nutritious, and make for the perfect healthy snack. Let’s not
forget they’re also inexpensive and are convenient to carry anywhere.
Bananas offer numerous health benefits.
* They’re rich in nutrients like potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6,
magnesium, copper, and fiber.
* They contain antioxidants that can boost immunity and reduce the risk
of chronic disease.
* They’re rich in soluble fiber that slows digestion and adds bulk to
your digestive system. This may help keep you fuller for longer.
* They’re low in calories (an average banana has just over 100 calories)
and are hence a good weight-loss-friendly food.
* They're also an excellent whole-food source of carbohydrates - our
body's primary source of energy.
However, there’s one little-known health
benefit of bananas that many are still not aware of. Recent studies
suggest this fruit can also be highly beneficial for the health of your
gut (more clinically referred to as the gastrointestinal system). Let’s
find out more.
Why bananas are great for gut health?
A 2021 review published in the Journal of
Gastroenterology and Hepatology examined 50 previous studies to
understand the role of the gut on our health. The researchers reported
the importance of a balanced microbiome - the bacteria that live in our
intestines.
Resistant starch, the type of fiber found in unripe bananas, is
prebiotic. Prebiotics are specialized plant fibers that escape digestion
and end up in your large intestine where they act as food for the
preexisting good bacteria. This is done by binding with the bacteria.
Health experts say that good bacteria need nourishment too and foods
like bananas can be really useful for that purpose. Probiotics
essentially help gut bacteria to perform a range of healthy activities
and play key roles in our digestion and immune system regulation.
Feeding the gut bacteria with prebiotics also allows them to increase in
number and produce beneficial compounds called short-chain fatty acids.
These acids improve gut health by providing protection against
inflammation, maintaining intestinal barrier integrity, and mucus
production.
There’s more. The chemical compounds in a banana become a film-like
shield between the fruit and the lining of the intestinal tract. As the
banana breaks down, it doesn’t rub on the intestinal lining, and its
compounds coat and soothe it almost like a healing ointment.
The importance of maintaining good gut health
Most medical professionals say that gut
health strongly affects the overall health of the other parts of the
body. It also plays a vital role in how the body processes a variety of
ailments. Therefore, keeping your gut healthy can help your body operate
more effectively and enhance your ability to fight diseases.
Scientists also note that not feeding our gut microbiome’s good bacteria
might create a gut bacteria imbalance known as dysbiosis. Research
shows that this imbalance can lead to chronic conditions such as
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBS), obesity, diabetes, and even cancer.
Without healthy bacteria in our gut, the gastrointestinal tract’s cell
structures can weaken, leading to chronic inflammation.
So, if you wish to keep your gut in good shape, continue eating bananas
every day. There are, of course, other foods that can improve gut health
such as yogurt, almonds, apples, asparagus, sauerkraut, olive oil, and
whole grains. At the same time, ultra-processed foods with lower
probiotic diversity can be harmful to your gut.
Bananas are easily available in all seasons, are super affordable, and
also offer a host of other benefits. Now, you have an extra reason to
add this amazing fruit to your daily diet!
14 health problems that can be treated with bananas, kindly read my next post.
14 health problems that can be treated with bananas, kindly read my next post.