I’m sure you’ve seen pop-up ads like this…

…that appear when you pull up a recipe or just about any resource regarding health, diet, or nutrition online. For some reason – and I haven’t yet found a single one that makes any sense – bananas have been given an unfairly deserved bad rap. On the flip-side, bananas are one of the most consumed foods in the world and the number one consumed fruit in the U.S. That alone is a good sign that common sense does sometimes – very appropriately – rule the day.

Here’s a simplified nutrition diagram and…

…USDA nutrition table both from Very Well Fit: Banana Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits.

Bananas are considered a carbohydrate because of their ~14 grams of sugar per serving, but that sugar is counterbalanced, just as it is similarly in other fruits, by 3 grams of fiber per banana serving. That fiber helps delay sugar absorption in your body and thereby reduces the need for high insulin production in the pancreas to transport that sugar to cells for energy or send a message to the liver to convert any excess sugar to fat.  

Bananas are probably best know for their potassium content, though they are not among the 17 or so foods highest in potassium content. I saw a terrifically concise piece on potassium in a Medical News Today article online (link below) that read: “Potassium’s primary functions in the body include building muscle, synthesizing proteins, controlling the electrical activity of the heart and maintaining acid-base balance. Potassium is needed for maintenance of total body fluid volume, keeping electrolytes in balance and ensuring normal cell function.” That last line is pretty important regarding potassium’s ability to reduce muscle cramping during and after exercise.

Bottom line, bananas are good food, and I’m a big fan. Next couple posts will show some of my favorite ways to enjoy bananas: 3-ingredient banana ice cream and as part of a summer fruit salad.

In the meantime, here are some more banana nutrition links:

Healthline: Bananas 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Medical News Today – 2 articles: one about health benefits of potassium that includes a list of other potassium-rich foods and another about health benefits, risks, and banana nutritional facts.

About Health – informative article titled “Do Bananas Cause Weight Gain?”