Who doesn’t love bananas? Well, I guess there is no one! Bananas are extremely delicious and healthy. They are oozing with so many essential nutrients and have a wide-array of health benefits. Aside from the usual benefits of bananas, can it also be beneficial for gout? Well, that is exactly what we’re going to talk about in this article –the benefits of bananas for gout and for the health in general. Read on to this article and you’ll know how good this fruit is for gout.
Bananas for Gout: The Fruit
Banana is a perennial herbaceous plant, which grows from the underground rhizome. This fruit actually flourishes well under low-lying, humid, moisture-rich, and tropical farmlands. The fruit has a unique growth characteristic. In the actual fact, the whole banana plant is a false stem or a pseudostem. This particular pseudostem consists of broad leaves, together with their long petioles, overlays with each other in a disc-like manner.
Moreover, there are hundreds of edible types of bananas that fall into two different species, the plantain banana, and the banana. Furthermore, bananas have a unique shape and very firm creamy flesh inside an edible, thick peel. Even though some think of bananas having a yellow skin, their own color actually changes from green to yellow to brown.
Although when you look like it as a tree, it is actually just a plant. In fact, the banana plant grows up to about 15 meters. Furthermore, it is part of the orchid and lily family. Moreover, bananas grow in a cluster of about 50 to 150. With the individual bananas grouped in bunches called ‘hands of about 10 to 20 at a time.
Bananas for Gout: Nutritional Facts
100 grams of the banana fruit may include the following nutrients:
| Principle | Amount | % Daily Value |
| Energy | 89 Kcal | 4.5% |
| Carbohydrates | 22.84 grams | 18% |
| Protein | 1.09 grams | 2% |
| Total Fat | 0.33 grams | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 0 milligrams | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.60 grams | 7% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Folates | 20 micrograms | 5% |
| Niacin | 0.665 milligrams | 4% |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.334 milligrams | 7% |
| Pyridoxine | 0.367 milligrams | 28% |
| Riboflavin | 0.073 milligrams | 5% |
| Thiamin | 0.031 milligrams | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 64 IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 8.7 milligrams | 15% |
| Vitamin E | 0.10 milligrams | 1% |
| Vitamin K | 0.5 micrograms | 1% |
| Electrolytes | ||
| Sodium | 1 milligrams | 0% |
| Potassium | 358 milligrams | 8% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 5 milligrams | 0.5% |
| Copper | 0.078 milligrams | 8% |
| Iron | 0.26 milligrams | 2% |
| Magnesium | 27 milligrams | 7% |
| Manganese | 0.270 milligrams | 13% |
| Phosphorus | 22 milligrams | 3% |
| Selenium | 1.0 micrograms | 2% |
| Zinc | 0.15 milligrams | 1% |
| Phyto-nutrients | ||
| Carotene-α | 25 micrograms | — |
| Carotene-β | 26 micrograms | — |
| Lutein-zeaxanthin | 22 micrograms | — |
Bananas for Gout: Is it beneficial for gout?
Banana is one of the best sources of potassium, which is beneficial in maintaining the normal level of blood pressure, lower the uric acid levels, and good for the heart function.
As a matter of fact, bananas assist in the conversion of uric acid into a liquid form. This can then be filtered out by the kidneys and excreted out through the urine. Therefore, avoiding the crystallization in the joints, which causes gout attacks. Not just that, bananas also contain around 20 micrograms of folate, which is also beneficial in lowering the uric acid levels and repair the broken joint tissues. Moreover, it also contains an ample amount of vitamin C, which is beneficial in lowering the uric acid levels and alleviate the symptoms of gout.
You should know, however, that bananas alone may not beat the condition. You should incorporate various fresh vegetables, fruits, and many other healthy foods to beat gout. Make sure that you eat a banana at least once a day. This will help in keeping the uric acid levels lower as well as avoid the lingering pain that gout attack causes. One more thing is that bananas are alkaline in nature as well.
Bananas for Gout: Conclusion
There is no denying that bananas are very good for the health. However, in order for you to consume the fruit in the best way, you should make sure that it fully ripens. This is because most of the antioxidants of the fruit come from it when it is fully ripened. You may incorporate bananas in so many different ways. Nevertheless, whatever way you like it, make certain it is on the grocery list every week as it is good not just for gout, but for the health in general!
