You may already be familiar with banana heart. However, it seems that not many people know that there are many benefits of banana heart that can be obtained if you eat it.
Not only the fruit, every part of the banana tree can provide good health benefits, from banana peel to banana heart. Unfortunately, banana hearts are often thrown away because they are considered useless. In fact, many benefits of banana heart can be obtained through various delicious preparations.
Banana heart is the forerunner of banana fruit. Part of this banana tree consists of a dark red outer skin, yellowish white flesh inside, and banana flowers on top.
Various Benefits of Banana Heart
In 1 banana heart there are various important nutrients, such as potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, minerals, fatty acids, essential and non-essential amino acids needed by the body.
In addition, banana heart also contains many antioxidants, such as polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, especially in the flower. The following are the various benefits of banana heart that can be obtained from the nutrients and antioxidants in it:
1. Help control blood sugar levels
Banana heart is one type of food that has a low glycemic index, so it will not increase blood sugar drastically when eaten.
In addition, banana heart is also very rich in fiber so that it can slow the absorption of sugar in the intestine. This fiber content is also thought to increase the work of the insulin hormone, lower cholesterol levels, and reduce body weight in type 2 diabetes patients who are overweight.
2. Smooth digestion
Fiber in banana heart is dominated by insoluble fiber. This type of fiber is known to be very good for the health of the digestive system. This fiber can also prevent you from various digestive problems, such as constipation, ulcers, hemorrhoids, and colitis.
3. Prevent cancer
Antioxidants in banana flowers play an important role in protecting body cells from the bad effects of free radicals. Excessive exposure to free radicals in the long term can increase the risk of various chronic diseases, including cancer.
Banana flower is also known to have anti-inflammatory and antitumor effects so that it can reduce the risk of tumors growing and spreading. The benefits of this banana heart have been proven in research on benign prostate tumors (BPH), but further research is still needed to confirm it.
4. Prevent premature aging
The high content of vitamin E in banana heart also provides good benefits for skin health. Vitamin E is proven to be able to reduce damage to healthy body cells due to free radicals and slow down the aging process of cells, as well as reduce wrinkles on the face.
In addition to preventing premature aging, vitamin E can also help maintain the body's resistance to viral and bacterial infections.
5. Overcoming menstrual problems
Women who often experience menstrual problems can also benefit from banana heart. Regular consumption of banana flowers is known to reduce prostaglandin levels which can reduce pain and excessive bleeding during menstruation or menorrhagia.
Not only that, banana heart is also thought to be useful for maintaining ideal body weight, maintaining eye health, and preventing heart disease. Even so, some of the benefits of banana heart still need to be studied further.
After reading this article, you will know that there are many benefits of banana heart that are very dear to miss. Therefore, it never hurts to start making banana hearts a part of the delicious dishes on your dinner table.
However, remember also, in addition to the banana heart, there are many other foods that can bring health benefits. So, it is also important for you to include a variety of nutritious foods into your daily menu. If necessary, you can consult a doctor to determine the best menu according to your health condition.