Banana - Health Benefits

Banana is probably the most widely grown fruit worldwide. It is sweet and creamy to taste and is a favorite with children, young and old alike. It should not be eaten on an empty stomach but after meals and it gives strength when done so. It strengthens the muscles and tissues. A maximum of 3 bananas should be taken in a day.

To eliminate the tri doshas (3 defects) of Vaat(air), Pitt(heat) and Phlegm(cough), eat banana with sugar. If discomfort or digestive uneasiness is felt after eating bananas, eat cardamom for relief.



• Bananas are rich in calories while at the same time are low in fats.
• It is soft and easily digestible and is thus a good source of instant energy due to the the simple sugars present in it. Athletes often use it to get instant energy. It is a wonderful aid to improve weight gain in underweight children.
• The soluble dietary fibre is in good amounts while it contains many polyphenolic antioxidants.
• It has high amount of vitamins B6, and C, good amounts of minerals copper, manganese and magnesium as well as potassium.

Banana is one of the richest sources of potassium but extremely low in sodium, which is great for reducing incidence of heart disease, blood pressure and stroke. It protects from the harmful effects of stomach acids like ulcer and also suppresses acid production. It controls diarrhoea and also normalises elimination problems including constipation.

The number of polyphenolic antioxidants help in controlling and preventing heart disease and stroke incidences and other diseases. The vitamin C is a good immunity booster and antioxidant.

Bananas are high in calories and provide instant energy. They also help in gaining weight in underweight children.

Banana increases semen quantity and sperm quantity and is beneficial in eye diseases. It can be eaten in place of meals. It contains a lot of starch and sugar. Children can be given banana mixed with milk as a milkshake. It removes phlegm and heat from the body. It's always better to eat fresh bananas but if it is not available or if the child throws tantrums while eating or drinking it, one can use banana powder to reap the same benefits.

In Typhoid.

It is an ideal food. It reduces hunger and thirst.

In Mud Eating In Child.

Banana benefits by removing the habit of mud eating. Add honey to a ripe banana and give it to eat.

In Itching and Rashes.

Add lemon juice to mashed banana and apply. The rashes might feel to aggravate initially but continuing this application will make the rashes go away.

In Injury, scrapes and scratches.

Tying the banana skin on the spot prevents swelling. Also, making a dough of flour and ripe banana and warming it before tying as a dressing helps.

In swellings.

Banana benefits in all types of swellings.

In stomach diseases.

It helps in all stomach related afflictions like diarrhoea, gastritis, colitis, and gastric ulcer when taken as a food and promotes a disease free condition. It removes swelling of the intestine.

In nausea & heartburn.

1. Mash 2 bananas and add sugar and cardamom for relief.

2. Put ghee(clarified butter) on a ripe banana to remove these symptoms.

In leucorrhoea.

1. Eat 2 bananas and then drink milk to which honey has been added.

2. Eat 1 banana with 8 gms of ghee once in morning and then in evening for 10 days.

3. Eating a kheer(pudding) made of sugar and banana also helps.

In heart pain.

Eat 2 bananas with 15 gms honey for relief.

In gastric ulcer.

Eating banana with milk together helps a lot.

In diarrhoea.

Eat 2 bananas with curd for a few days stops diarrhoea and colitis.

In stomatitis.

Banana benefits in stomatitis of the tongue.Eat 1 banana with curd made of cow's milk in the morning.

In burns.

Applying mashed banana on the burn gives relief.

In nosebleed.

Add sugar to a glass of milk to which 2 mashed bananas have been added. Whip it well and take for 10 days.

To put on weight.

Eat 2 bananas and then drink 250 ml hot milk on this. Do this for 3 months.

CAUTION

Do not continue this if bloating occurs.

In stoppage of urine.

Take 4 tsp juice of banana stem. Add 2 tsp ghee . Drink this. It starts flow of urine and gives immediate relief.

In increased frequency of urine.

Eat 1 banana and drink 1/2 cup of amla (Indian Gooseberry) juice to which sugar has been added to taste. this reduces frequency of urination. Banana benefits by reducing the frequency of urination.

Banana benefits In tuberculosis.

Raw banana or juice of the stem of banana plant has the capacity to relieve symptoms of TB. Persons suffering from chronic cough, lot of phlegm, excessive perspiration at night with high fever, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, loss of weight, should take the following:

Take out juice from a piece of thick stem of the banana plant. Strain this and take 1 to 2 cups every 2 hours sipping it slowly. In 3 days one will find a lot of relief. In 2 months' time this can help in relieving TB altogether. Take out fresh juice every 24 hours.

In excessive phlegm production.

Take 8 to 10 gms banana leaves. Put in 200 ml water and let it stand for some hours. After this strain the water and take 1 tbsp of this water 3 times a day. It helps to remove the thick phlegm from the lungs.

Juice of banana leaves when mixed with honey and taken heals the wounds in the lungs reduces phlegm and stops blood in the sputum.

In high blood pressure.

Banana has low sodium content and high potassium. Thus banana benefits by controlling high BP. Banana does not contain cholesterol and hence does not increase fat.

As a food for children.

Children and old people should eat 2 bananas with milk in the morning. this provides 1/4 th the daily requirement of Vitamin C, niacin, riboflavin and thiamine.

In asthma.

Eat less of banana and note if the symptoms increase. If so, stop eating bananas. Asthmatic persons are allergic to bananas in some cases.

CAUTION.

1. In a weak digestive system, arthritis and diabetes do not eat bananas.

2. If indigestion occurs due to eating bananas, eat cardamom for relief.

In smoking.

The vitamins B6, B12, and minerals potassium and magnesium help the body to recover from nicotine withdrawal and hence, banana benefits smokers who quit smoking or want to quit smoking.

In warts.

To remove warts, place the banana skin on the wart with the yellow side out. Tie it firmly to keep in place.

In nerves.

Banana benefits in calming down the nerves in high pressure jobs.

In hangovers.

To get rid of this, make a banana milk shake with honey and drink.

In premenstrual symptoms.

Banana benefits in premenstrual symptoms due to its vitamin B6 content which regulates the blood sugar level. The tryptophan content, is converted to serotonin by the body, which is known to relax the body and improve mood.

Disclaimer

The information provided in this hub is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your physician, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or supplements.