Bananas – What Are Their Health Benefits? Discover the Medicinal Power of Bananas

Bananas – What Are Their Health Benefits? Discover the Medicinal Power of Bananas

What are the real health benefits of bananas, and how does the human body respond to them? In this detailed article from Arabic Cook Blog, we’ll explore how this beloved fruit interacts with your body and why it’s considered both a food and a remedy across cultures.

 

Bananas and the Stomach
Bananas are particularly known for their beneficial effects on the digestive system. Among their top advantages:

1. They help prevent stomach ulcers.

2. They lower blood cholesterol levels.

3. They protect the stomach lining—particularly green bananas (known as plantains), which are consumed in regions like the Caribbean, South America, and parts of Africa. Studies have shown that cooked plantains help regenerate the surface cells of the stomach lining, forming a protective barrier against harsh digestive acids.

This is why bananas are often referred to as both nourishment and medicine.

In fact, in the language of the Qur’an, bananas are mentioned as “Ṭalḥ”, as found in the verse:
“And the people of the right—what of the people of the right? [They will be] among lote trees with no thorns and [among] banana trees layered [with fruit].” (Surat Al-Wāqiʿa, 27–29)

In traditional medicine, bananas were seen as warm and moist in nature. The ripe and sweet variety was considered the best and most beneficial. It was used to treat:

– Chest and lung irritation
– Persistent cough
– Ulcers in the kidneys and bladder
– Constipation
– Low libido and low semen production
– Urinary issues

It was often recommended to eat bananas before meals, and only when fully ripe—since unripe bananas are high in starch and may cause indigestion due to poor sugar content and harder texture.

The Food of Philosophers
Ancient Indian sages and philosophers were known to depend heavily on bananas as a primary food that supported mental clarity and concentration. It was once called “The Food of Thinkers.”

Bananas are so nutritionally complete that they rank second only to milk as a near-perfect food. They are globally recognized and widely consumed. Every 100 grams of banana provides approximately 88 kilocalories, making it a moderate yet energizing snack.

Traditional Chinese Medicine
In ancient Chinese medicine, the roots of the banana plant were used to extract a healing substance that was administered to treat jaundice, headaches, and measles. Today, modern research supports that bananas help:

– Treat diarrhea
– Ease digestive disorders
– Provide gentle relief for stomach ulcers, being the only raw fruit permitted for ulcer patients due to its soft texture, low acidity, and quick digestibility

Nutritional Profile and Health Benefits
What truly sets bananas apart is their exceptional nutritional value:

– Rich in potassium, which helps lower blood pressure
– High in vitamins A, B, and C
– One medium banana provides about 25% of a toddler’s daily Vitamin C needs
– Contains generous amounts of thiamine (B1) and niacin (B3)
– Extremely low in sodium
– Zero cholesterol
– Provides more than 50% more natural sugar than an apple
– Contrary to popular belief, bananas do not cause weight gain—a 15 cm banana has about 85 calories, similar to an apple or a small portion of local white cheese

With time, new medicinal and nutritional benefits of bananas continue to emerge. For example, the Philippine National Science Foundation recently introduced a blend of bananas and coconut—called "BanKon"—as a solution to chronic malnutrition in Asia.

One final bit of good news for banana lovers: there’s no looming shortage of this mighty fruit. It continues to grow in abundance, offering its health benefits to generations to come.

Bananas also contain high concentrations of pectin, a fiber that contributes significantly to lowering blood cholesterol—making them not just a delicious fruit, but a natural protector of cardiovascular health.