Bananas and Bone Health: Debunking the Myths and Revealing the Benefits

2023-07-25 16:00:00

Banana is a high-potassium fruit, and patients with chronic kidney disease and high blood pressure should avoid eating it. (Schematic / unsplash)

Can you not eat bananas if you have bad bones? Nutritionist Li Wanping said on Facebook that bananas can not only control blood pressure and blood sugar, but also lose weight. It is the most recommended fruit after exercise to prevent cramps. Li Wanping mentioned that bananas are mistakenly believed to affect the absorption of calcium, because bananas are rich in minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium, and the nutrients have synergistic and antagonistic relationships with each other. Problems will only occur when the overall intake ratio is out of balance. Eating just one or two bananas will not be so serious.

Li Wanping mentioned that a report published in the journal “Frontiers in Nutrition) in 2017 pointed out that some fruits have anti-inflammatory properties, which are helpful for relieving pain and swelling. If eaten regularly, they can also reduce joint damage and slow down the progression of arthritis. Bananas are on this list. Another 2019 study published in the “Open Sports Sciences Journal” also confirmed the anti-inflammatory effects of bananas. The research team let 30 healthy men eat two ripe bananas a day for a month, and found that the pro-inflammatory cytokine “interleukin 23 (IL-23)” in the body was significantly reduced.

Li Wanping said that immature bananas contain “resistant starch”, which is similar to dietary fiber. It is a starch that is not easy to be decomposed and absorbed. Compared with ordinary starch, it contains fewer calories, which helps to increase satiety and help weight loss.

Because bananas are rich in potassium, the American “Dietary Nutrient Reference Intake” recommends that adults should consume 4700 mg of potassium per day, and a banana with an edible weight of about 100 grams can provide 12% of potassium. Potassium may help relieve arthritis pain, reduce inflammation and improve bone health, according to Rheumatology Research. Li Wanping reminded that even if bananas have a protective effect on joints, if you have related diseases or discomfort, you still need to seek help from a doctor. Don’t misunderstand that relying on food alone can reverse the disease.

Li Wanping said that because bananas are rich in potassium ions, chronic kidney disease patients with potassium-restricted diets and hypertensive patients who take potassium-sparing diuretics should avoid high-potassium fruits, which may cause hyperkalemia symptoms such as muscle weakness and arrhythmia. She recommends consulting a physician or pharmacist with any concerns. Li Wanping also thoughtfully reminded that the bananas on the market are actually not small in size, and one banana is roughly equal to two servings of fruit, so you still have to be careful not to consume too much.

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