Oh, how I love BANANAS! Not only are they super tasty but they have so many health benefits. A medium banana is about 124 calories, 30g carbs, 1g protein, 0g fat, 3g fiber. It also contains 15 percent of your daily vitamin C + B6 and 450mg of potassium (12 percent of your daily value.)

That’s a whole lotta’ goodness… but yet, there’s more.

For those prone to tummy issues, a banana can sometimes help. Bananas are rich in fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS). FOS is a prebiotic. What does this mean? Prebiotics feed the important, “friendly” bacteria that live within your digestive tract. These bacteria help us absorb nutrients more efficiently.

In a bad mood? Stressed out?
Bananas to the rescue. It’s true. Bananas may help your mood and reduce stress. They’re a good source of an amino acid called tryptophan. In our bodies, tryptophan converts into serotonin. Having proper serotonin levels can improve mood, decrease stress and make you happier!

Sugar-high

As great as bananas are for you, they do contain quite a bit of sugar so most experts consider consuming one banana as two servings of fruit. A medium banana can contain 19g of sugar so you do not want to be eating 2-3 a day. I usually recommend ½ to a full banana a few times a week. I also suggest pairing bananas with a protein and healthy fat like a natural peanut butter to slow down sugar absorption.

There are so many ways to incorporate bananas into your diet as well. Eat them alone (again, paired with a protein or fat), throw them in a smoothie, ice cream, fruit salad, etc.

One of my favorite recipes is making smoothies with bananas. You can google recipes, but here is one of my favorites. Enjoy!

BRAIN BOOSTER SMOOTHIE

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1/2 banana

1/2 avocado

1 tablespoon walnuts

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1/2 cup blueberries

ice

Directions: Throw ingredients in the blender and mix.