Why is red banana healthy and why should it be consumed regularly? Let’s together find out the best benefits of red banana for health and beauty.
By eating red bananas we get the following benefits:
- they contain many important nutrients
- red banana can lower blood pressure
- improves eye health
- it is rich in antioxidants
- can boost your immune system
- can improve the health of the digestive system
- red bananas contain prebiotics
- these bananas are a great source of fiber
- they help to lose weight
What do we need to know about red bananas?
There are over 1000 different varieties of bananas in the world. When it comes to red bananas, they are a subset of red-skinned bananas from Southeast Asia.
These red bananas are soft and sweet in taste when ripe. Some say they taste like ordinary bananas – but with a hint of raspberry sweetness.
They are often used in the preparation of desserts, but they also go well with salty dishes. Red bananas provide many essential nutrients and can benefit your immune system, heart health, and digestion.
13 Benefits of eating red bananas
In today’s article we will get acquainted with the best benefits of eating red bananas, so let’s start immediately.
1. Red bananas contain many important nutrients for our health
Like the well-known yellow bananas, red bananas provide essential nutrients.
Red bananas are especially rich in potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6 and contain a significant amount of fiber.
One red banana (3.5 ounces or 100 grams) contains:
- Calories: 90 calories
- Carbohydrates: 21 grams
- Protein: 1.3 grams
- Fat: 0.3 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Potassium: 9% of the reference daily intake
- Vitamin B6: 28% RDI
- Vitamin C: 9% RDI
- Magnesium: 8% RDI
Red banana has only about 90 calories and its composition consists mostly of water and carbohydrates. It also contains large amounts of vitamin B6, magnesium, and vitamin C.
Everything we have listed is sufficient proof, how much this variety of bananas is a particularly nutritious substance for our health.
2. Red banana can lower blood pressure
That’s right, potassium is a mineral necessary for heart health. Potassium plays an important role in regulating blood pressure.
And red bananas are rich in potassium – with one fruit it provides 9% RDI.
Studies show that consuming more foods rich in potassium can help lower blood pressure.
Another important mineral for controlling blood pressure is magnesium. You can probably guess that magnesium is also present in red bananas.
One red banana provides about 8% of your daily needs for this mineral.
A review of 10 studies found that increasing magnesium intake by 100 mg per day could reduce the risk of high blood pressure by up to 5%.
In addition, it is very important when both minerals (potassium and magnesium) are taken together at the same time.
Increasing magnesium and potassium intake may be more effective in lowering blood pressure than consuming more than just one of the minerals.
3. Red bananas for healthy eyes
Red bananas in their unique composition also contain carotenoids – pigments that actually give the fruit a reddish rind.
Lutein and beta carotene are two carotenoids in red bananas that help with eye health.
For example, lutein may help prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD), an incurable eye disease, and a leading cause of blindness.
In fact, a review of 6 studies found that eating lutein-rich foods can reduce the risk of late-age macular degeneration by 26%.
Beta carotene is another carotenoid that supports eye health. And red bananas provide more than all other banana varieties.
Beta carotene can be converted to vitamin A in your body – one of the most important vitamins for eye health.
4. Rich in antioxidants
Like most fruits and vegetables, red bananas contain powerful antioxidants. In fact, they offer higher levels of antioxidants than yellow bananas.
Antioxidants protecting us from free radicals. Excessive free radicals in your body can lead to an imbalance known as oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress is associated with conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
The main antioxidants in red banana include:
- carotenoids
- anthocyanins
- Vitamin C.
- dopamine
These antioxidants can provide protective health benefits.
For example, a systematic review found that dietary intake of anthocyanins reduced the risk of coronary heart disease by 9%.
Eating fruits rich in antioxidants – such as red bananas – can reduce the risk of some chronic conditions.
5. It can boost your immune system
Red bananas are rich in vitamins C and B6. These nutrients are essential for a healthy immune system.
One red banana provides 9% and 28% RDI for vitamins C and B6. Vitamin C boosts immunity by boosting the cells of your immune system.
Thus, some research suggests that even borderline vitamin C deficiency may be associated with an increased risk of infection.
Although vitamin C deficiency is relatively rare in the United States – it affects about 7% of adults – it is important to ensure adequate intake.
Vitamin B6 in red bananas also plays an important role in supporting your immune system.
In fact, vitamin B6 deficiency can reduce the production of white blood cells and immune antibodies in the body – which fight infection.
6. It can improve the health of the digestive system
Red bananas support your digestive system in many ways.
They contain prebiotics
Prebiotics are a type of fiber that feeds your beneficial bacteria in the gut. Like yellow bananas, red bananas are a great source of prebiotic fiber.
Fructooligosaccharides are the main type of prebiotic fiber in bananas, but they also contain others called inulin.
Banana prebiotics can reduce bloating, increase the variety of friendly bacteria in the gut, and reduce constipation.
One study found that taking 8 grams of fructooligosaccharides daily for 2 weeks increased the population of beneficial bacteria in the gut by 10 times.
7. Good source of fiber
One red banana provides 3 grams of fiber – about 10% RDI for these nutrients. Dietary fiber is very useful for your digestive system, they help to:
- promoting regular bowel movements
- reduction of inflammation in the intestines
- stimulating the growth of friendly intestinal bacteria
In addition, a high-fiber diet can reduce the risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
A study of 170,776 women found that a high-fiber diet – compared to a low-fiber diet – was associated with a 40% reduced risk of Crohn’s disease.
read more: Benefits of Using the Banana Peel for Your Skin
8. Lose weight by eating red bananas
Red bananas contain fewer calories compared to other fruits.
So, if we include red bananas in your diet every day, you will be able to fill your stomach without consuming too many calories.
This can be helpful in staying fresh and healthy throughout the day. One banana contains only 90 calories, it has a high fiber content.
It does not contain any fat, so you can easily consume it even if you are overweight.
Red banana will help you not to feel hungry and feel full for a long time. The longer a food like a red banana keeps you full, the more you will lose weight.
9. Red banana prevents kidney stones
This is because red bananas are rich in potassium, which is essential for regular body function. Potassium prevents the formation of kidney stones, heart disease, and cancer.
Potassium also helps retain calcium which improves bone health. Children and the elderly should eat red bananas regularly.
This is because children need more calcium than adults for proper bone growth and development.
Older people, on the other hand, need it because they tend to lose calcium due to age. Hence, people over the age of fifty should eat red bananas daily.
10. Red banana helps you quit smoking
Red bananas are full of vitamin C, B – 6, potassium, and magnesium, which are useful to deal with the post effects of smoking cessation.
Potassium and magnesium present in red bananas help the body recover from a sudden cessation of smoking or nicotine intake.
Our body fights the side effects caused by the removal of nicotine, while red bananas will provide enough energy and calming.
Quitting smoking can cause a variety of physical and psychological problems in you.
In the first few weeks, your body goes through a lot of changes that lead to stress, and suddenly a strong craving for nicotine.
Under these conditions, you are unable to fulfill your smoking desires, leading to stress and anxiety again. Symptoms include nausea, aggression, irritability, depression, lethargy, headache, and mood swings.
This can be the most difficult phase for you when your body and brain tell you to smoke. But if you really want to quit smoking and then have control over yourself then consume red bananas.
11. Less stress by eating red bananas
Bananas have a lot of potassium, which stabilizes the heartbeat, as well as controls the stability of the body to water.
During times of high stress, the level of potassium in the body decreases rapidly. Eating bananas is a really healthy way to get balance without the use of medication.
Red bananas contain three types of natural sugars – glucose, fructose, and sucrose.
When combined with fiber, these three sugars immediately boost energy levels.
According to research, it is enough to eat two red bananas, which give enough energy to your body, which makes you feel positive.
read more: Morning Banana Diet to lose 10-15 pounds
12. The skin becomes more beautiful with red bananas
Red bananas contain nutrients such as vitamins C and B – 6, which are essential for the skin.
These nutrients help keep the skin firm and supple. The high content of antioxidants present in red bananas prevents skin aging.
These antioxidants protect the skin from free oxygen radicals that cause wrinkles.
Banana has about 75 percent water by weight. Thus, banana helps and hydrates the skin and prevents drying and peeling.
So, if you want to look younger with glowing skin, you must include red bananas in your daily meal.
Face mask with red bananas
Peel a red banana and grate it. Add a teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon of lemon juice.
Mix well and apply on the face and neck. Leave the mask on for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Wash with lukewarm water.
13. Hair benefits with red bananas
Red bananas are rich in potassium, natural oils, carbohydrates, and vitamins, which help maintain hair, as well as protect its natural elasticity.
This prevents damage and cracked ends of the hair. With red bananas, the hair gets elasticity, shine, and prevents dandruff.
Just as a red banana facial mask enhances the glow of the face instantly, the following banana hair masks will also enhance your hair dramatically.
This mask gives miraculous results to the hair if it is damaged due to the use of dyes and other chemicals.
It is easy to prepare, and the results are simply wonderful.
Take 1 red banana and mix with 1 tablespoon olive oil, coconut oil, argan oil, or almond oil. Apply this mixture of banana and oil with a hairbrush so that it is applied evenly all over the scalp.
Wash off with lukewarm water after half an hour. Make sure that the banana mixture is correct without lumps, ie it should be like porridge.
Red banana in the diet
In addition to the health benefits, red banana is delicious and easy to eat. They are extremely convenient and portable snacks.
Due to their sweet taste, red bananas also offer a healthy way to naturally sweeten the recipe. Here are some ways to add red bananas to your diet:
- Throw them in the smoothie.
- Chop them and use them as a filling for oatmeal.
- Freeze and mix red bananas in homemade ice cream.
- Use peanut butter for a snack filling.
- bananas are also a great addition to muffin, pancake, and homemade bread recipes.
Red or yellow bananas
Red bananas are quite similar to yellow bananas.
Both types of bananas are a good source of dietary fiber and provide equally large amounts of calories and carbohydrates.
However, the two varieties have several differences. For example, compared to yellow bananas, red ones:
- are thicker
- have a slightly sweeter taste
- contain more vitamin C.
- they are higher values of some antioxidants
- have a lower glycemic index (GI) score
Although red bananas are sweeter, they have a lower GI score than yellow bananas.
The GI is a scale from 0 to 100 that measures how fast food raises blood sugar levels. Lower GI scores indicate slower blood absorption.
Yellow bananas have an average GI score of 51, while red bananas are lower by about 45.
Following a low GI diet can support healthy blood sugar control and lower cholesterol levels.
Conclusion
Red banana is a unique fruit that gives many health benefits. They are rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and vitamin B6.
They offer a low-calorie but high-fiber supplement to meals, snacks, and nutritious desserts. Red bananas are best eaten when ripe and avoided if overripe.
Red bananas help to improve heart health, digestive system, preserve eyesight, lower blood pressure, etc.
Apart from general health, red bananas are also very useful for preserving the beauty of the skin and hair.
With simple masks of red bananas in a natural way, you will immediately get a new and more beautiful look.
Therefore, in addition to yellows, you should certainly consume red bananas, they are also very healthy and tasty to eat.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do we know when red bananas are ripe enough to eat?
Red Bananas are ready to eat when they get a dark maroon-red color with a few brown spots. When the fruit is too soft and gets an intense aroma, the banana is overripe and is not recommended to be consumed. Because when it is overripe, it begins the process of fermentation, loss of enzymes, and the development of new bacteria.
Do red bananas increase our energy?
Athletes regularly consume large amounts of red bananas during periods when they need an instant boost of energy. Red bananas can convert natural sugars into instant energy. If you give red bananas to your children every day at breakfast, they can stay full of energy throughout the day. Even adults who have less time for a rich breakfast can eat a red banana in the morning, which will prevent lethargy.
What do red bananas contain?
Red bananas have a rich nutritional value and contain large amounts of potassium, beta-carotene and vitamin C. Medium-sized bananas contain 400 mg of potassium, which means it provides the body with 11% of the daily requirement of this mineral and electrolyte. Potassium in red bananas is needed for proper heart function, proper muscle contraction, and digestive system function. This wonderful type of banana is also rich in vitamin C.
One red banana covers 15% of the daily human needs for vitamin C. This powerful antioxidant not only protects the body from disease but also protects it from free radicals, which means reducing the risk of heart disease and certain types of malignant diseases.
Red bananas are also rich in fiber and only one banana provides 16% of the daily recommended amount of fiber. These nutrients reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Thanks to the large amount of vitamin B6 it contains, a red banana can provide up to 20% of the daily needs of this vitamin and help the metabolism of proteins and red blood cells.
