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What Are Bananas Good For?

The humble banana offers an array of nutritional and medicinal values. This yellow fruit is inexpensive and, with its sweet taste, is easy to incorporate into your everyday diet. The whole banana, including the peel, has multiple benefits that can be used and reused for a variety of unique purposes.

  1. Vitamins and Minerals

    • Bananas are rich in minerals that can be a great source of energy. They contain iron, which is good for those suffering from anemia. Bananas also contain potassium, which alleviates high blood pressure and helps prevent bone loss. Potassium is also helpful in reliving common PMS symptoms like cramps, bloating and mood swings. In addition to these great minerals, bananas have a great combination of A1, C, B6 and B12 vitamins.

    Calming Properties

    • Tryptophan, serotonin and norepinephrine are natural mood enhancers that are contained in bananas. In combination with B vitamins, also a primary ingredient, bananas can also help soothe and calm the nervous system. In a study published by the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," 3,500 adults over the age of 65 answered questions about depressive symptoms. After 12 years of followups, the study concluded that participates who had higher intakes of vitamins B6 and B12 -- both found in bananas -- decreased their odds of developing depressive symptoms by 2 percent each year.

    Natural Remedies

    • According to Natural News, bananas can also be a natural remedy to relieve the itching and irritation caused by a mosquito bite. Simply rub the inside of a banana peel against the bite to alleviate the symptoms. A similar technique can be done to pimples or warts to help them dry out naturally, as opposed to popping and damaging your skin.

    Diet

    • According to Nutritional Data, one medium sized banana contains 12 percent of the daily recommended fiber intake and only 105 calories. This substantial amount of fiber can help keep your bowel movements regular. The high amounts of potassium can replenish electrolytes lost during diarrhea. Conversely, bananas can relieve constipation with pectin, a soluble polysaccharide found in bananas that help normalize the digestive tract.

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