Is Banana Good for High Cholesterol?
Cholesterol can be either good or bad. LDL is the bad cholesterol while HDL is the good variety. The body needs just the right amount of cholesterol for building new cells. It also helps in insulating nerves and producing the hormones the body needs to function optimally. Normally, the cholesterol that the body produces through the liver helps it. However, what we get through foods can be quite harmful by increasing cholesterol and making us susceptible to certain heart-related ailments, such as heart attacks and stroke. To prevent this, you would have to start consuming healthy food. Can banana help? Is it healthy food?
Bananas are rich in fiber
High-rich foods have proven themselves effective at reducing cholesterol levels for years. For this reason, one should start consuming as many bananas as possible. However, do it cautiously since it too much of it could lead to other unwanted problems. Fiber is good for the many benefits that it offers. These include the improved digestion and reduced risk of chronic diseases. Improved digestion helps to keep your system healthy. It improves production of bile, which the body relies on for breaking down foods and absorbing nutrients. High levels of cholesterol would cause formation of crystals that become hard stones in the gallbladder.
Bananas are rich in Vitamin B6
Vitamin B 6 is essential in the production of more HDL or the good cholesterol. HDL plays critical roles in determining how the body functions. For starters, it is responsible for the removal of all the bad cholesterol, which is notorious for finding its way into parts of the body where it’s not required. Furthermore, HDL also reduces risk of heart diseases. Based on this, it is clear that we need as much Vitamin B 6 as we can get. One way of ensuring that the body has enough of this vitamin is by consuming suitable amounts of bananas. This way, the body would have sufficient supply of the good cholesterol.
Bananas are rich in Potassium
Any diet that you take to reduce cholesterol will always be rich in potassium. Consequently, it is not rocket science to link the presence of potassium in bananas to the ability of these types of fruits to lower cholesterol. Other than that, potassium is also highly effective at improving how the heart functions. At this point, it would be wise to mention that potassium never treats or prevents heart ailments. However, it plays an indirect role in both by keeping cholesterol levels low. In addition to all that, potassium has been used (together with magnesium and calcium) in the following ways:
- Reducing blood pressure
- Lowering the risk of heart problems
Bananas are rich in nutrients that lower blood sugar levels
Bananas are perfect at lowering cholesterol courtesy of some of the ingredients they contain, which are renowned for reducing blood sugar levels. In this regard, we have nutrients such as pectin. Furthermore, the more you eat bananas after your regular meals, the more you reduce your appetite. As you do this, you will prevent yourself from consuming foods that increase blood sugar levels. Consequently, you will have indirectly lowered cholesterol levels. As long as you are in good health, and not diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, you should have no problem eating bananas to control your cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
As you may have realized by now, bananas are good for people with high cholesterol levels. The fruits improve digestive health. They also contain the ingredients necessary for keeping cholesterol down. Additionally, bananas contain the antioxidants that are effective at lowering cholesterol too. If that’s not enough for you, perhaps the fact that bananas also contain the nutrients that the body needs for ensuring that blood sugar levels remain low at all times. What is more, it also features the right amount of fiber to aid digestion and keep the body functioning well without spiking cholesterol to exceedingly dangerous and unmanageable