Banana: Why you shouldn’t avoid it this winter
Should you consume banana at night? Find out here.
A lot of questions are asked on whether one should have banana during the winter. Well, if you have respiratory ailments like common cold and sinus, it is best to limit its intake. But the fruit shouldn’t entirely go off your palate during the winter. Here’s why
Banana has essential vitamins and minerals
The cold weather can lead to bone-related issues. A daily dose of calcium not only helps in maintaining bone density but also strengthen them. As a heavyweight when it comes to nutrition, banana is loaded with essential vitamins and minerals such as potassium, calcium, manganese, magnesium, iron, folate, niacin, riboflavin, and B6. These all contribute to the proper functioning of the body and keep you healthy.
High fibre content
Banana is loaded with fibre, both soluble and insoluble. The soluble fibre has the tendency to slow down digestion which keeps one feeling fuller for longer. This is why bananas are often included in a breakfast meal so that one can start the day without having to worry about the next one. According to Ayurveda, it is said that one should avoid eating it at night because it aggravates cough and cold. It takes a long time to digest and makes one feel lazy too.
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Good for the heart
Eating a banana can also aid in the prevention of heart disease and high blood pressure. High fibre foods like banana are said to lower the risk of heart diseases. As per a study of University of Leeds in United Kingdom, increasing the consumption of fibre-rich foods helps prevent both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and coronary heart disease (CHD). The potassium in banana helps in regulating heartbeat, blood pressure, and keeps the brain alert.
Helps replace late-night cravings
If you also face a late-night craving for sweets, then banana is a clever way to avoid foods that are filled with added sugar and high in calories. Banana is sweet enough to satisfy the craving and at the same time is also high in vitamins and fibre. Consuming banana after gymming in the evening is a good practice.
Helps induce sleep
Consuming banana after gymming in the evening is a good practice. Rich in potassium, banana helps relax the muscle after a tiring day. Eating one or two bananas late in the evening helps your body get ready to fall asleep.
So, should you have bananas during winter nights?
Banana is healthy and energising but should be avoided at night during winter only if the person is suffering from cough and cold or other respiratory ailments as it causes irritation when it comes in contact with mucus or phlegm.
If you are bored of just eating bananas, here are some easy recipes you can try to add variety
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Banana nut pancakes with syrup is another delicious recipe to try.
Fluffy yet moist thanks to mashed banana mixed into the batter, these pancakes make for the perfect weekend morning breakfast.
Ingredients
200g – All-purpose flour (maida)
1tbsp – Baking powder tsp salt
1/2tsp – Baking soda
15g – Castor sugar
1 no – Egg
250ml – Skimmed milk
1tbsp – Melted butter
2 no – Ripe bananas, mashed
Extra bananas (2-3) for topping
Maple syrup
Olive oil for cooking
Method
*Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar to make the pancake mix. You can even store it in an air-tight jar and use it to make pancakes later.
*In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and melted butter.
*Add to it the pancake mix and fold in together
*Add the mashed bananas and mix well
*Heat a flat pan with little oil
*Drop spoonful of batter onto the flat pan. It will spread a little on its own, you don’t need to spread it further. When bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake, flip them over and cook till they are golden brown on both sides.
*Repeat for the rest of the batter. I have a bigger pan so I make around 4 pancakes in one go.
*Serve with fresh banana slices, drizzled with maple syrup.
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