banana fruit. © 2012 tomakebeauty.info Merdeka.com – Banana is one of the most popular fruits in the world. They are highly nutritious, have an incredible sweet taste, and serve as the main ingredient in many recipes.
Bananas are even used to make soothing teas. Banana tea is made by boiling a whole banana in hot water, then removing it, and drinking the remaining liquid.
It can be made with or without skin, depending on your preference. When made with the peel, it is also called banana peel tea. Because banana peel tea takes longer to make due to its high fiber content, many people choose to ignore the peel.
Most people drink this banana-containing tea with a pinch of cinnamon or honey to enhance the taste. Lastly, it is most often enjoyed at night to aid sleep.
The following merdeka.com summarizes the health benefits of banana tea that are rarely known Healthline:
Banana tea nutrition
Detailed nutritional information for banana tea is not available. However, because it uses whole bananas and water, it may contain some of the water soluble nutrients found in bananas, such as vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium, manganese and copper.
Since most people throw away bananas after brewing them, banana tea is not a huge source of calories. Although steeping bananas releases several nutrients like vitamin B6 and potassium, you won’t get as much as you would from eating whole fruit. Longer steeping times can increase the concentration of nutrients in the tea.
However, banana tea can be a great source of potassium and magnesium, which are essential minerals for heart health and sleep quality.
Additionally, banana tea contains some vitamin B6, which helps support a healthy immune system and the development of red blood cells.
Banana tea health benefits
Drinking banana tea may offer a variety of health benefits.
Contains antioxidants
The first benefit of banana tea is that it contains antioxidants. Bananas are naturally high in water-soluble antioxidants, including dopamine and gallocatechin, which can help fight free radicals and prevent chronic conditions like heart disease.
However, the skin has a much higher level of antioxidants than the meat. Therefore, adding the rind to your tea during brewing can increase your intake of this molecule.
Can prevent bloating
Banana tea is high in potassium, minerals and electrolytes which are important for regulating fluid balance, healthy blood pressure, and muscle contraction so the benefits of banana tea can prevent bloating.
Potassium works closely with sodium, a mineral and other electrolytes, to regulate the fluid balance in your cells. However, when they contain more sodium than potassium, you may experience water retention and bloating.
The potassium and water content of banana tea can help offset bloating from a high-salt diet by signaling your kidneys to excrete more sodium into your urine.
Can improve sleep
Banana tea has become a popular sleep aid.
It contains three main nutrients that many claim to help improve sleep – potassium, magnesium and tryptophan.
Bananas are a good source of magnesium and potassium, two minerals that have been linked to better sleep quality and duration due to their muscle relaxing properties.
They also provide some tryptophan, an amino acid that is important for producing the sleep-inducing hormones serotonin and melatonin. However, no studies have examined the effectiveness of banana tea as a sleep aid.
Low in sugar
Banana tea can be a good substitute for sugary drinks. Only a small amount of sugar in bananas is released into the water, acting as a natural sweetener for your tea.
Most people consume too much sugar from drinks, which is linked to an increased risk of obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Therefore, choosing drinks without added sugar, such as banana tea, can be an easy way to reduce your sugar intake.
Can support heart health
The nutrients in banana tea can support heart health.
Banana tea contains potassium and magnesium, which have been shown to help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
In fact, a study in 90,137 women found that a potassium-rich diet was associated with a 27% reduction in stroke risk.
Additionally, a diet rich in catechins, a type of antioxidant in banana tea, may reduce the risk of heart disease. However, no studies have directly looked at the antioxidants in banana tea or their effect on heart disease risk.
How to make banana tea
Banana tea is very easy to make and can be made with or without the peel.
Banana tea without the peel
- Fill a saucepan with 2–3 cups (500–750 ml) of water and bring it to a boil.
- Peel one banana and cut both ends.
- Add bananas to boiling water.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 5–10 minutes.
- Add cinnamon or honey (optional).
- Remove the banana and divide the remaining liquid into 2–3 cups.
Banana peel tea
- Fill a saucepan with 2–3 cups (500–750 ml) of water and bring it to a boil.
- Gently rinse the whole banana under running water to remove dirt and grime.
- Cut off both ends.
- Add bananas to boiling water.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Add cinnamon or honey (optional).
- Remove the banana and divide the remaining liquid into 2–3 cups.
If you enjoy tea on your own, keep leftovers in the refrigerator and drink it within 1-2 days, chilled or reheated.
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