I love eating bananas, at least two a day. I heard from people in the company that eating a lot of bananas is good for the brain and improves memory.
But how much should I eat to be good for my brain? Is there anything I should keep in mind when eating this fruit? (Khanh Van, Dong Nai)
Reply:
Bananas are a very popular fruit, containing many important nutrients that help people stay healthy. According to the Vietnamese food composition table published in 2007, 100g of bananas contain 56 kcal, 0.9g of protein, 0.3g of fat, 12.4g of carbohydrates, 2.6g of fiber, 83.2g of water... While bananas contain 97 kcal, 1.5g of protein, 0.2g of fat, 22.2g of carbohydrates, 0.8g of fiber, 74.4g of water... Vitamins and minerals in these two types of bananas include calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin C, B vitamins...
Bananas provide energy, are good for the brain, and help increase concentration because they contain many nutrients, especially potassium, magnesium (containing 8% of the daily value of magnesium), vitamins B6 and C. Potassium is an electrolyte that supports cells in the nerves as well as the heart and other muscles. A diet low in potassium can contribute to a number of health problems such as high blood pressure. Studies have also shown a correlation between magnesium consumption and improved mood, cognition and sleep quality.
This fruit also contains high levels of tryptophan (an amino acid) which is converted into serotonin in the body. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is good for the brain, helping to balance mood and make you feel happy. Although bananas contain serotonin, eating one as a snack may not have much of an impact on your mood. This is because the serotonin in this fruit does not cross the blood-brain barrier, meaning it cannot enter the brain to supplement the serotonin naturally produced by the body.
However, bananas may play a more indirect role by increasing the amount of serotonin your brain can produce. The body needs other nutrients to make and use serotonin properly, such as vitamin B6. Meanwhile, a medium-sized banana can provide 33% of the daily value (DV) of vitamin B6. In addition to bananas, there are many other foods rich in serotonin and vitamin B6 that are beneficial to the brain that you can choose from, such as salmon, beef liver, chicken breast, etc.
Bananas contain many nutrients, especially vitamins C, B1, potassium, and magnesium. Photo: Freepik
You'll also get a dose of vitamin C (about 17% of your daily value) when you eat bananas to support immunity, scavenge free radicals, and help protect DNA from oxidative damage.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, men over 19 years old and women from 19 to 30 years old should eat two bananas, women over 30 years old should eat about 1.5 bananas per day. Eating bananas every day is very good but should not be too much because it can cause bloating, indigestion, increase the amount of calories taken into the body causing weight gain, difficulty controlling blood sugar, lack of nutrients from other foods... Bananas are high in carbohydrates, low in protein and fat, so if you only eat bananas as a snack, it may not be nutritionally balanced. Therefore, you can eat bananas alternately or eat them with other foods every day to diversify the groups of nutrients.
Master, Doctor Nguyen Anh Duy Tung
Tam Anh General Hospital System
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