When it comes to bananas don’t believe the hype. The delicious fruit has come under a lot of scrutiny of late. So much so that many diabetics fear the banana in much the same way that Superman loathes kryptonite. That’s because some scientists have claimed that bananas cause the body to produce loads of insulin that results in fat growth. But here’s the rub about that argument, the glycemic index (GI) rating notes that foods with a GI score above 75 are regarded as high-GI foods that can send insulin levels spiking. But bananas only have a GI rating of 62 which is considered low.
A recent report published in England has concluded that foods that contain resistant starches, like bananas, offer a plethora of health benefits with no detrimental side effects.
The British Nutrition Foundation researchers insist more research is needed, but evidence indicates these starches can help people eat less and improve gut health and blood glucose control.
And Scandinavian scientists, exploring the link between banana consumption and high blood pressure, have concluded that eating the potassium-rich fruit daily can replace hypertensive patients need to take their medication. Potassium strengthens the muscle of the heart, so bananas are beneficial to the organ and all related heart diseases including edema, hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease, liver and gastrointestinal tract.
Another Swedish study also noted that bananas were an effective means of lowering risk of kidney cancer.