Is Banana Good For High Cholesterol?

Many experts advice people with high cholesterol to have fruits and fiber rich foods. So is banana good for high cholesterol? Let us explore if eating banana is good for high cholesterol.

All types of cholesterol are not unhealthy. HDL, or good cholesterol, actually clears away LDL, or bad cholesterol. High LDL level increases the risk for heart attack and stroke as it can clog arteries with plaque to cause the condition called atherosclerosis. High cholesterol can be detected with the help of a blood test, and the doctor can recommend patients to exercise or practice medication along with having a healthy diet, to manage this health issue. High cholesterol patients should include more of fruits and vegetables in their daily diet. So should banana be added in the daily meals? Is banana good for high cholesterol? Read on to know.

When eaten in moderation, bananas are more likely to help than harm the cholesterol levels. They are a rich source of dietary fiber, which help to reduce the level of LDL or bad cholesterol by removing it from the digestive system, preventing it from moving into the bloodstream and clogging the arteries. The potassium in banana also helps to lower blood pressure, and in turn reduce cholesterol. This surely is good news and can mean that banana is good for high cholesterol.

Nutritional Value of Banana

A medium sized banana contains nearly 105 calories, 27 g carbohydrates, 1.3 g protein, and only 0.4 g fat. The carbohydrate in a banana includes 3.1 g fiber, 14.4 g natural sugar, and 6.35 g starch. It also contains 422 mg potassium and vitamins A, B and C.

Fiber content

Banana boasts of higher fiber content than many other foods like oranges, strawberries, pistachio, baked potatoes with skin, and brown rice. Fiber, especially soluble fiber, helps to decrease the rate of absorption of cholesterol and sugar in the bloodstream, which in turn aids in reducing the LDL cholesterol and blood glucose levels. Adding fiber to the diet can also trigger weight loss, and further prove helpful in naturally decreasing the blood pressure and cholesterol level. Compared to foods with no fiber in them, fiber rich foods make one feel fuller, faster, and keep them satiated for longer. With this nutritional profile banana is undoubtedly good for high cholesterol.

While women should include 25 g of fiber in their daily diet, men should add about 38 g. Although bananas are a great source of dietary fiber, black beans, raspberries, black beans, peas and whole wheat spaghetti are better sources of this nutrient.

Potassium content

Adding potassium to the diet can help in lowering blood pressure as this mineral offsets the effects of sodium, which raises blood pressure. Blood pressure and cholesterol are linked. High levels of one can boost the levels of the other, and high blood pressure increases cholesterol deposits in the blood vessels, which contributes to cardiovascular disease. The 422 mg of potassium present in a medium banana can help you meet the recommended daily intake of potassium. Being a potassium rich food, you need not worry is banana is good for high cholesterol or not. Other great sources of potassium include yogurt, baked sweet or white potatoes with skin attached, spinach, soybeans and orange juice.

Fructose and triglyceride content

Excess sugar in the diet can elevate triglyceride levels, a type of fat included in the blood cholesterol profile. Based on a 2000 calorie-a-day diet, experts recommend limiting the intake of calories from added sugar, from sources like cookies, regular soda, and candy, to around 100 to 200 a day. They also advice to limit the consumption of fructose between 50 g to 100 g. Bananas contain fructose, but one would need to eat more than 8 bananas a day to reach the target 50 g of fructose. Thus consuming bananas in moderation or as a regular healthy fruit should not cause any harm. Fruits which are more likely to increase triglycerides include pineapple and raisins.

Now, for those wondering if banana is good for high cholesterol, the nutritional values and the health benefits of banana say it all.

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Is Banana Good For High Cholesterol?