It is often said: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. A recent study found that a banana a day can reduce the risk of heart disease!
A recent study in the European Heart Journal found that eating more potassium-rich foods may prevent heart disease.
Over a nearly 20-year follow-up period, people with the highest potassium intakes were associated with a 13% lower risk of cardiovascular events compared with those with the lowest potassium intakes in the overall population. The risk of developing or recurring cardiovascular disease was reduced by 11% for women and 7% for men.
In women with high sodium intake, eating more potassium-containing foods can reduce blood pressure, with 2.4 mmHg lower systolic blood pressure for every 1 g of potassium per day. This association was not found in men.
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Figure 1 The relationship between potassium intake and systolic blood pressure
The researchers indicated that eating more potassium-rich foods could help prevent heart disease, and women benefited more.
Foreign media also reported on the topic “A banana a day can prevent high blood pressure and heart disease in women”.
Reporting in the US Journal of Clinical Investigative Insights, the researchers believe that potassium plays a role in the expression of genes that help keep arteries elastic. In other words, moderate intake of high-potassium foods can help keep arteries elastic and prevent them from clogging.
One banana a day has many benefits
Banana is a popular fruit. You may have eaten a lot of bananas without knowing the benefits of bananas. Combining various studies, we found that bananas can not only help with weight loss, but also prevent cancer. Therefore, “one banana a day” may really prolong life.
Banana can help us control blood pressure. High blood pressure often leads to heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and brain disease. Doctors will advise us that eating more potassium can lower blood pressure potassium. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health also recommend eating foods rich in potassium to lower blood pressure. In fact, bananas happen to be rich in potassium. An average-sized banana contains about 12% potassium.
Bananas are also rich in fiber. An average-sized banana contains up to 12% fiber. And a fiber-rich diet has many benefits, not only helping to lower cholesterol levels, normalizing bowel movements, controlling blood sugar, and helping to achieve a healthy weight. Fiber slows our digestion. Therefore, eating a banana will make you feel full, and you will feel full for a relatively longer period of time. Eating bananas is a good solution if you want to reduce your food intake to achieve weight loss.
A recent study by the American Cancer Institute showed that dietary fiber can “convincingly” reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. That said, bananas have an amazing benefit of preventing cancer. In fact, there are also studies that suggest that vitamin C may also reduce the risk of esophageal cancer, and a banana contains about 17% of vitamin C. While these studies may not be 100% convincing, eating a banana a day is a good option.
In addition, a study from Appalachian State University in the United States also concluded that eating a banana before or during a workout can help improve exercise efficiency and hydration. Because the carbohydrates in bananas can be quickly converted into energy, and the high amount of potassium in bananas also helps prevent dehydration after exercise. And potassium promotes strong bones, so foods rich in potassium can significantly reduce bone loss and help prevent osteoporosis.
(Source: Health Times, Central Broadcasting Network, Yangcheng Evening News)